Gabriel Martinelli started the sequence when he came off the bench to open the scoring in Arsenal’s 2-0 Champions League win at Athletic Bilbao last month. He continued it when he came on again in their next game to conjure the stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester City in the Premier League. And together with everyone at Arsenal, not least Mikel Arteta, who has not stopped talking about the importance of “finishers”, he can luxuriate in how it has grown.
When Bukayo Saka came on to score the clinching goal in Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Olympiakos, it was the fifth match in a row that an Arsenal substitute had found the net. Game three had seen Leandro Trossard seal the 2-0 Carabao Cup win at Port Vale while game four featured Mikel Merino’s equaliser in the 2-1 victory at Newcastle. You have to go back to the beginning of the 2004-05 season for the last time that Arsenal had goals from the bench in five successive matches, which of course was Invincibles territory. Game numbers 41-45 of the fabled 49-match unbeaten league run were marked by goals, in wins, from players who came on as substitutes – Robert Pires (twice), José Antonio Reyes (twice) and Dennis Bergkamp.
Some replacements, right? The point is that arguably the greatest squad in club history had enviable depth – and those were the days when only three substitutions were allowed. Nobody is comparing Arteta’s current crop to those legends, but as they seek to emulate them by winning the league, ending the club’s painfully long wait in the process, it is the range of difference-makers that the manager can call upon which is fuelling belief.
Arsenal have had tough fixtures in the opening six rounds of their league campaign, with trips to Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle, plus the home game against City. Furthermore, they have been hit hard by injuries, with William Saliba, Martin Ødegaard, Saka and Kai Havertz among those to miss matches. There was a time – in particular last season – when the loss of these kinds of players would have led to mass communal angst, Arteta looking as though he was ready to self-combust. But there is no doubt that after the £250m spending spree over the summer, the club are better prepared to weather the selection storms when they come. Which they always will.
Arsenal have dropped points in only two matches so far – the defeat at Liverpool and the draw with City. They have conceded only three times in all competitions. They are second in the league, two points behind Liverpool. They have won both of their Champions League ties. There is a clear sense of power and purpose.
Martinelli was back in the starting XI against Olympiakos and he scored the opening goal. Would he rather be in the lineup at the outset? Yes. Is the Brazil winger being pushed to a higher level by the competition, including from the new signings Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, albeit the latter is now injured? Also, yes. “It’s the same in the national team for me,” Martinelli said. “I’m not going to complain to have Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo and Raphinha playing with me. I’m really happy to have them there and I’m happy to have the players that we have here, as well.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka shoots to score his sides second goal against Olympiakos. Photograph: Kin Cheung/AP
“We play for Arsenal. We have to use every single one that is available. So, if someone gets injured, we’re going to try to use someone else. This is why we have a huge squad right now.”
It is impossible to ignore the feeling that, after three straight runners-up finishes in the league, only the title will do this time. Which means excruciating pressure. And yet, at the same time, a cold-blooded focus. The eyes of everybody at the club are firmly on the prize. Next up for them is West Ham at home on Saturday.
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“Every tournament that we go into, we go to win,” Martinelli said. “Every game that we play, we want to win. Of course, we want to win the big trophies. This is what we’ve been working for.
“They [the near misses] have to hurt because we want to win. It’s just to try to learn from the past three seasons and with the signings we’ve brought in, let’s try to use this squad. It’s a long season and with a big squad, we have more opportunities to win.”
