At what level does Mikel Merino come to be seen as a striker who typically performs in midfield, quite than a midfielder who fills in up entrance? His match-winning show towards Brentford was simply the newest instance of him taking part in the position as if a pure.
The 29-year-old has both scored or assisted in 5 out of six begins up entrance for Arsenal for the reason that Viktor Gyokeres harm that noticed him drafted again into the place. In opposition to Brentford, he did each, heading within the opener, then feeding Bukayo Saka for the second.
“He was immense once more at present,” stated a beaming Mikel Arteta, earlier than lauding the instinctive centre-forward play that led to his opening objective. “The best way he scored the objective, tremendous sensible. His timing, the way in which he wins the place and execution.”
His complete of 14 headed objectives for the reason that begin of final season is essentially the most by any Premier League participant in all competitions.
Mikel Merino headed Arsenal in entrance from Ben White’s early cross
All this from a central midfielder who had, till Kai Havertz’s hamstring harm final season, by no means beforehand performed the position.
There’s studying on the job after which there may be this. Merino has mastered the place and has the numbers to show it.
For the reason that flip of the yr, he has scored a unprecedented complete of 21 objectives for membership and nation, his transformation right into a goal-getting centre-forward benefitting the Spanish nationwide facet in addition to Arsenal. Merino has emerged as a vital spearhead for each side.
Arsenal have Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus out there once more, with Kai Havertz not far behind them. However they’ll seemingly all wrestle to dislodge Merino, whose worth to the facet isn’t restricted to his objectives. “He makes the staff a lot better,” as Arteta put it afterwards.
Since his transfer up entrance in the beginning of final month, Arsenal have scored 15 objectives in six video games, their common leaping from 2.1 per sport to 2.5 throughout a run which has included their two finest attacking performances of the season, towards Spurs and Bayern Munich. Merino has both scored or arrange practically half of the entire.
In fact, he’s completely different to Gyokeres, for instance, in that he doesn’t play the position as a standard No 9.
Highlights from the Premier League match between Arsenal and Brentford
When he’s not sniffing out probabilities within the field, he’s dropping into midfield, interchanging positions with team-mates, creating house to run into and customarily complicated opposition defenders.
In his 4 Premier League begins up entrance this season, Merino has averaged half as many touches within the opposition field as Gyokeres per 90 minutes however practically twice as many general touches and passes, highlighting the extent to which he knits issues collectively.
Arteta was keen to focus on the work he will get by means of out of possession too. Merino has shouldered a heavy workload recently, beginning eight consecutive video games in a month for membership and nation, however you wouldn’t have recognized it to observe him on Wednesday.
Mikel Merino’s contact and move maps spotlight his all-round affect
“I keep in mind an motion, he handed the ball to Martin [Odegaard] in behind and Martin would not chase it. Merino makes 40 metres to chase it to the nook flag,” stated Arteta.
“He goes again, wins the ball again. He’s in all places. He is bought that basically good momentum for the time being.”
Merino made 4 tackles within the sport. Premier League monitoring information confirmed he ran greater than 12 kilometres, his complete placing him behind solely Odegaard. No participant made greater than his 368 intensive runs.
Mikel Merino celebrates after scoring the opening objective of the sport
The tireless work-rate was commonplace. In addition to offering extra objectives and assists than another Arsenal participant throughout the final 4 Premier League video games, Merino has made a complete of 10 tackles which places him second solely to left-back Riccardo Calafiori.
His all-round contribution, off the ball in addition to on it, units him aside and he has one other important attribute too.
“I stated it earlier in a press convention, it is his curiosity, it is his will to be taught and doubtless his will to assist the staff,” added Arteta.
“He knew that we had a significant drawback from the start of the season. We misplaced Victor, Kai was out and Gabriel Jesus was out. So we would have liked an answer and he did it final yr actually, rather well.
Arsenal’s Mikel Merino celebrates after giving them the lead
“I feel this season he is in all probability taken it to a different step as a result of he is in a position to do much more issues.
“I feel the staff is actually grateful and he is having fun with it.”
Arteta feels his success within the position is a lesson for others. It has supplied learnings to him too. Having apprehensive about having too many strikers in the summertime, Merino has saved the Arsenal boss from a state of affairs the place it appeared he did not have sufficient.
Mikel Arteta stated he was happy and pleased with his gamers after the 2-0 win
“I took that lesson as a result of the entire summer season I used to be considering, if we deliver a 9, what is going on to occur with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz? I had quite a lot of insanity as a result of I like them a lot as effectively.
“What are we going to do? How are we going to deal with it? And up to now we have not had an issue as a result of they have been injured.
“So, go away the current, go away the second and take care of the state of affairs when it comes. That is it.”
And that’s what Merino has finished too. The stand-in striker would possibly simply be Arsenal’s most suitable choice within the place now. Gyokeres, Jesus and Havertz have a combat on their fingers to get again into the staff.
