Gabriel Martinelli flicked the ball over the head of Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 93rd minute to secure a point against Manchester City at the weekend as he looked to prove his worth to Arteta.
The winger has lost his starting place, starting two of Arsenal's six game this season as Arteta switches focus to summer signings Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke. The 24-year-old winger will be becoming frustrated with his game time which one former star says is a huge problem.
Speaking to Premier League Productions, Adebayor compared Martinelli’s position to his own and revealed that Arteta could lose the dressing room over the next few weeks.
“I think that’s where man management becomes very important because you have to be talking to all these players to keep them happy all the time even knowing that they’re on the bench.
“When I was on the bench at Arsenal, I knew that I had Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie in front of me, but it was not easy because every weekend I’m in his (Wenger’s) office telling him ‘I’m here to play, I have to play’.
“This is when you need a manager that can calm the situation down. We have never seen Arteta go through those moments, and I think this is the right year for him to go through this.
“We all have our individual things in our mind whether you like it or not. But at the end of the day, we put into the collective. We have to think of what I can do, what I’m going to bring into the team. If you’re on the bench, it’s hard.
“Martinelli, I think in a couple of weeks we will lose him because if he stays on the bench after this game the head will start going, then the body will follow, then he will spoil the whole training ground.”
The Brazilian has been showing his worth off the bench in the last two games which could be a role that suits him moving forward. However, with Madueke out for 2 months with a knee injury he may be chosen once more by Arteta who has brushed him aside in recent weeks in favour of fresh faces.