Striker Martinelli shone brightly in Arsenal's 4-1 victory over Portsmouth in the 4th round of the FA Cup on Sunday. The 24-year-old player scored his first hat-trick in his career, helping the away team come back after Colby Bishop's early goal. Three of the four goals came from set pieces, showing the special weapon that Arsenal has honed.
The Brazilian striker's shining performance showed an impressive recovery, even though he is still under great pressure. Specifically, in the Arsenal vs Liverpool match, Martinelli pushed Conor Bradley off the field while the Northern Irish defender was injured. With Conor's injury leading to a season break, the Arsenal striker immediately became a villain and received much criticism.
After the victory over Portsmouth, coach Arteta partly revealed why Martinelli could relieve his psychology. He thanked Arne Slot, who spoke with sympathy, minimizing responsibility for the Arsenal star in a sensitive situation: "I must say that I think Arne Slot's way of speaking after the match was great.
Because he understands the players' feelings about themselves, about the opponent and about teammates. I think he is a person who truly understands the game. He puts himself in a contrasting position, helping people understand their feelings about them and why people react in that way.
Returning to Arsenal's situation, they scored 3 out of 4 goals against Portsmouth from set pieces. Coach Arteta continued to affirm his satisfaction with the Gunners' new identity: "That is very important in our matches.
