Chido Obi-Martin, a 15-year-old academy prospect, has Arsenal supporters thrilled as a video of him scoring ten goals in the Gunners’ 14-3 victory over Liverpool Under-16s on Saturday looks impressive. And my, do they have a problem with a bloated net!
The teenage phenom, who is only 15 years old but has already represented Arsenal at the Under-21 level, dropped down one age group over the weekend when senior academy teams were off the field. And he was the star of the show, subsequently adding the caption “14:3 W vs Liverpool” to a photo of himself holding the match ball. Scored ten.
Andre Annous and Max Dowman of North London also participated in the action, but Obi-Martin’s hat-trick of hat-tricks plus an additional goal was far more impressive than their exploits against the Reds. The budding talent will be putting in a lot of work behind the scenes at the Capital Club to become their next big thing after agreeing to a scholarship deal.
A 10-goal haul like that would have shocked the Premier League, and he thinks it would get Mikel Arteta’s attention. Given that he has already practiced with the first squad, the Spanish strategist may not be overly surprised by his obvious skill. Obi-Martin has excelled in moving up the age categories, and he will be concentrating all of his efforts on becoming the team’s main goal scorer for many years to come.
Obi-Martin’s 10-goal haul
Luckily, all ten goals against the Liverpool youngsters have been caught on film and a compilation has emerged on X (formerly Twitter) for armchair watchers to feast their eyes on and for those associated with the Gunners to look positively into the future of your club.
Quite impressively, his goals are not carbon copies of one another, with his long list of tricks on show. Right foot, header, penalty – a net-busting one at that – were all part of his 10-goal selection – proving he is somewhat of a jack of all trades. At least three of them saw the striker maraud down the left, open his body up and direct it past the flailing Liverpool shot stopper. The penalty – as mentioned – was one that struck the back of the net with purpose and a couple of finishes set up by his dance-like feet and willingness to drive with the ball. Scary hours.
His tenacity, rapid speed and tireless work ethic were all on show as he often ran defenders ragged and gave them not a moment to think before he attempted to regain possession. A physical figure, too, Obi-Martin seems built for the trials and tribulations of life in the Premier League, known for its fast-paced nature and physicality – both of which the 15-year-old has in abundance.
It’s not often that a player scores 10 goals in a solitary football match, so drink it in. Before you know it, he’ll be adorned in an Arsenal strip latching onto a pinpoint ball courtesy of Bukayo Saka, or his mate on the left, Gabriel Martinelli. He has all the makings of a top Premier League striker – all that’s left is nurture, time, and belief.