Mikel Arteta praises Mikel Merino as he keeps playing as a striker

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·16 marzo 2025

Mikel Arteta praises Mikel Merino as he keeps playing as a striker

Mikel Merino has continued to fill in as Arsenal’s striker as the club deals with an ongoing injury crisis that has left them short of key attacking players.

In recent weeks, the Gunners have been hit hard by injuries, with several important first-team stars sidelined, forcing manager Mikel Arteta to get creative with his lineup. One such solution has been to deploy Merino, primarily a midfielder, as the team’s striker. The Spaniard took on this new role during the game against Leicester City, where he netted twice, and he has continued in this position ever since.

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Merino experienced a brief goal drought in the following weeks, but he came through with a crucial goal in Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League this afternoon. His ability to step up when the team needed him most has been invaluable.

While Merino is primarily known for his role in midfield, his unexpected transformation into the team’s striker has drawn praise, with Arteta particularly impressed by his adaptability and impact in front of the goal.

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Following his crucial goal against Chelsea, Arteta spoke about the significance of Merino’s contribution, as quoted by the BBC:

“We have had top players out for many, many months. Our team has incredible resilience. Mikel really wants to do well, he has never played that position before, but he is scoring goals. He is a really dangerous player in the box and he can help us. Really pleased, even physically it is a very different game to play as a nine.”

Arteta went on to highlight the importance of Merino’s performances, acknowledging the midfielder’s ability to lead the line despite the challenge of filling an unfamiliar role.

“Merino has been very helpful to us as a striker, and we need to keep getting good performances from the attacker. He has what it takes to keep leading the line well for us, so we expect him to keep delivering until the season ends,” Arteta added.

Merino’s ability to adapt and contribute in such a vital role has been a testament to his versatility and the team’s resilience. Arsenal will rely on his continued performances as they look to finish the season strongly and overcome the challenges posed by their injury crisis.

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