When Merino became Arsenal's strongest weapon

Merino has gone from being a stopgap to Arteta's number one striker, scoring, assisting and leading Arsenal in the Premier League race.

Mikel Merino has been scoring goals for Arsenal recently.

Arsenal once thought that the attack line this season would be patched up by new signing Viktor Gyökeres, with Mikel Merino returning to his usual position in midfield. But the reality is playing out in a completely different way: Merino is Mikel Arteta’s most dangerous “hunter”. And that journey, from a defensive midfielder to a key striker, is turning the Spaniard into a special character of the Premier League 2025/26.

The Surprising Value of Merino

Arteta was forced to move Merino up to number 9 at the end of last season, when Arsenal faced a storm of injuries. Initially, this was just an emergency solution. But the more Merino played, the more he showed that he possessed many qualities of a true striker: smart positioning, maintaining the rhythm of the attack, reading situations well and especially the ability to finish with his head. The goal against Chelsea or the most recent match against Brentford, where he contributed a goal and an assist, are just examples.

Most telling is a chilling statistic from Opta: since last season, no Premier League player has scored more headed goals than Merino. Eight of his 14 goals from the air are testament to his superiority. It’s not a stroke of luck, it’s the result of spatial awareness, leaping technique and decisiveness at the moment of contact. Arteta saw it sooner than anyone else, and he bet on Merino.

Merino's special qualities go beyond his goals. He runs tirelessly, presses, challenges intelligently and fills spaces that traditional strikers are not always ready for.

His 40-yard chase to regain possession against Brentford epitomised the man he is. A leader in action, not just numbers.

Aerial ability is Merino's strong point.

After 20 games for Arsenal this season, he has 5 goals, 3 assists. For the Spanish team, Merino also scored 6 goals in three consecutive training sessions. In all arenas, having a hand in 30 goals in 2025 is the clearest proof.

Ironically, Arsenal thought Merino’s future might fade after the arrival of Eberechi Eze and Gyökeres. But with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus constantly injured, Merino has emerged stronger than ever. It’s that moment in football that creates interesting paradoxes: sometimes the unexpected character is the soul of the team.

A "strange" number 9

Thanks to Merino, Arsenal not only solved the personnel problem. They also found a “strange number 9”, opening up a new direction of attack. In Arteta’s flexible formation, where the role is not limited to the classic position, Merino became the model of a modern player: the technique of a midfielder, the sharpness of a striker and an endless source of energy. That is the football Arteta wants to build: always proactive, always dominating in every phase of the ball.

It is not difficult to understand why the Spanish coach had special praise after the match against Brentford: Merino is intelligent in every move, takes advantage of the moment, reads the situation and knows how to make a difference even when not scoring. Arteta admitted that he was worried when Arsenal bought another striker, thinking that the competition would affect Merino. But in the end, it was reality that forced him to realize that he had to live in the present and put his faith in those who deserved it.

At this point, Merino is not just a temporary solution. He is becoming an important support for Arsenal and the Spanish national team.

Merino is not just a temporary solution at the moment. He is becoming an important support for Arsenal and the Spanish national team. If he continues to maintain this form, 2025 will be a big milestone in his career, and 2026, when the World Cup opens, could be even more brilliant. Because Merino did not stand out through sudden glory, but through a journey of self-proving, from the role of a substitute to the position of a tactical icon.

In the tense Premier League race, Arsenal owns a "reluctant striker" but is the most dangerous. Mikel Merino, with his strong jumping power and sharp thinking, is flying high, literally and figuratively, and bringing Arsenal closer to their greatest ambition.

Source: https://znews.vn/khi-merino-tro-thanh-vu-khi-manh-nhat-cua-arsenal-post1608762.html