Arsenal's surprise initiative

Mikel Merino continuously scores goals when playing as a "false 9".

In the midst of an injury crisis, Mikel Arteta has found a “center forward” from his midfield. And his name is Mikel Merino, who is becoming the unexpected solution to the headache in the attack.

The Surprising Value of Merino

Mikel Merino has never been considered a striker. But amid the injury storm, he is playing the role of "number 9" with a form that makes the whole Emirates take their hats off. His double against Slavia Prague in the 3-0 victory in the Champions League in the early morning of November 5 not only helped Arsenal extend their winning streak, but also affirmed: Arteta's team knows how to adapt and move forward, despite losing key strikers.

With Gyökeres suffering a muscle injury and Havertz still out with a knee injury, Arteta had little choice. But rather than complain, he chose to “invent”. Merino, a central midfielder who had played deep at Real Sociedad, was moved forward to play as a centre-forward. That bold decision turned out to be the tactical highlight of the season.

Merino doesn’t have the pace of Gabriel Martinelli or the power of Gyökeres, but he has the more important weapons: mind and pace. He knows how to move at the right time, position himself wisely, and finish coolly. His two goals against Slavia were clear evidence of that: a delicate finish from a Trossard cross, then a fierce header from a Declan Rice pass.

Arteta said simply: “He is my joy. Merino has the mentality of a leader. When you lose someone, you need to find a solution. And he is that solution.”

When Arsenal lacked strikers, Mikel Merino became the solution for the club.

In fact, this is not the first time Merino has played the hero role. In February, when both Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were injured, he was pushed forward against Leicester and scored twice. Since then, the Spanish midfielder has maintained his impressive form, ending last season with 9 goals in all competitions, a record of a true striker.

What makes Merino valuable is not the number of goals, but the way he helps his team play more coherently. Every touch of Merino has a clear purpose, always opening up new directions. He does not rush forward blindly, but chooses to blend into Arteta’s intelligent pressing system. Merino acts as a bridge between midfield and attack, making Arsenal’s formation so flexible that opponents have no time to adapt.

The leader

When Gyökeres joined Arsenal for £64m, few thought Arteta would still need a “false striker”. But football is full of surprises. With Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Odegaard all out, Merino has become a vital player. He is both an attacking option and a role model for the team in a dressing room where Arteta calls him “one of the real leaders”.

Notably, Merino brings experience and bravery from Euro 2024, where he scored the decisive goal to help Spain eliminate Germany in the quarter-finals. He is not flashy, not noisy, but always present at the right time, like a steady drum beat in the brilliant symphony called Arsenal.

Arteta once said: “You have to be creative when you have no players. If you have no choice, create it.” And he did exactly that. Without a striker, Arsenal still scored regularly, won 10 consecutive matches in all competitions, kept 8 clean sheets in a row, a feat the team had not achieved since 1903.

Arsenal are flying high in all competitions.

In that picture, Merino is not just a “firefighting plan”, but is the fulcrum that helps the Arsenal machine run smoothly. He is not Gyökeres, nor does he need to be anyone else. He just needs to be himself, a player who knows how to play for the team, who knows how to shine when the team needs him.

At the Emirates, Arteta’s tactics are all about versatility. Merino is the epitome of that: a midfielder turned striker, a quiet man who turns adversity into opportunity.

If Arsenal continue to fly high in all four competitions, people will remember Saka's goals and Rice's passes, but perhaps they should also remember Merino, who made the phrase "interim number 9" a symbol of bravery and creativity.

Source: https://znews.vn/sang-kien-bat-ngo-cua-arsenal-post1600015.html