Mikel Merino: Merchine

[Red London]

I don't think Merino is as confusing as people make him out to be. You're acting like you've never seen players like Feilani and Souceck go on a hot streak and score important goals - usually headers - to buy their failing manager more time in the dugout. McTominay won the Serie A MVP, and he is similar to Merino. Box-crashing midfielders who double up as second strikers a la Cahill and Dempsey.

IMO there’s a difference between players scoring those goals from midfield and just straight up being played up top as the registered striker and bagging them consistently.

Merino has looked like a seasoned CF with his Madrid goal and assist, and all these clutch goals he has scored as a CF and our main focal point in attack. I think it’s a bit easier when you ghost in from midfield.

I’d love to see his goals and assists for us when played as a striker. It’s gonna look pretty damn good.

 

[viktor]

I don't think Merino is as confusing as people make him out to be. You're acting like you've never seen players like Feilani and Souceck go on a hot streak and score important goals - usually headers - to buy their failing manager more time in the dugout. McTominay won the Serie A MVP, and he is similar to Merino. Box-crashing midfielders who double up as second strikers a la Cahill and Dempsey.

even gareth bale who scored a lot goals at left back look like left winger

 

[Rasputin]

he sure knows how to head a ball for goal. not only is his technique great but his positioning and anticipation is first rate.

 

[Rain Dance]

I don't think Merino is as confusing as people make him out to be. You're acting like you've never seen players like Feilani and Souceck go on a hot streak and score important goals - usually headers - to buy their failing manager more time in the dugout. McTominay won the Serie A MVP, and he is similar to Merino. Box-crashing midfielders who double up as second strikers a la Cahill and Dempsey.

I saw Havertz scored goals and he is still pretty obvious not a striker

 

[Drebin]

He would easily score 25+ goals in Italy as a Striker.

 

[Bloodbather]

What's mad isn't what he's doing, it's that it wasn’t discovered that he could do it this late into his career.

I feel the same way about Rice's set piece taking. How does a world class attribute go unutilized for that long?

 

[2Smokeyy]

What's mad isn't what he's doing, it's that it wasn’t discovered that he could do it this late into his career.

I feel the same way about Rice's set piece taking. How does a world class attribute go unutilized for that long?

Definitely to the level he’s doing it at is very impressive and what he’s shown here is his ability to adapt and intelligence in what Mikel wants from him however saying that, he did have all the tools in his locker to do so, likewise with Rice’s technique, it’s just many fans weren’t really familiar in whether they could.

Ngl I really thought Arteta would utilise him in a similar way to what Imanol was doing. When I watched a fair share of their games in 23/24 they were spamming a lot of those balls long and he’d be utilised as more of a link or the player when they needed to alleviate the pressure instead of building up from the back. Majority of the time, he’d win first header in the air and knock the seconds off to Sadiq, Kubo or Barrenetxea/Zakharayan to run on to. Maybe it’s something we’ll see if we’re chasing a game with Merino off Gyokeres, Kai or Jesus and pacey players either side. He did go two up top vs Chelsea, so it could be a sign of things to come.

 

[Bloodbather]

Definitely to the level he’s doing it at is very impressive and what he’s shown here is his ability to adapt and intelligence in what Mikel wants from him however saying that, he did have all the tools in his locker to do so, likewise with Rice’s technique, it’s just many fans weren’t really familiar in whether they could.

Ngl I really thought Arteta would utilise him in a similar way to what Imanol was doing. When I watched a fair share of their games in 23/24 they were spamming a lot of those balls long and he’d be utilised as more of a link or the player when they needed to alleviate the pressure instead of building up from the back. Majority of the time, he’d win first header in the air and knock the seconds off to Sadiq, Kubo or Barrenetxea/Zakharayan to run on to. Maybe it’s something we’ll see if we’re chasing a game with Merino off Gyokeres, Kai or Jesus and pacey players either side. He did go two up top vs Chelsea, so it could be a sign of things to come.

He was always a link up player and a target man, albeit in midfield. It makes sense that he does well as a false nine. What's surprising is that his knack for goalscoring went unutilized for so long. He did have goals as a box crasher sometimes, but it's not like he was a Tim Cahill type where he had that licence and would be around 10 goals every season.

I do think the two up top approach will be a Plan B this season. I thought we'd do it with Havertz when he came back, but obviously Merino can do it also.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Other than Gabriel is he our best player in the air?

Honourable mentions to Timber and Saliba but if think its pretty inarguable.

 

[Steps]

Other than Gabriel is he our best player in the air?

Honourable mentions to Timber and Saliba but if think its pretty inarguable.

He absolutely is. Like you said, credit to others but he and Gabi both impose themselves when they go up for the ball which I think sets them apart and makes them successful.

 

[Riou]

Just seen his YouTube video of him visiting the Classic Football Shirts store, comes across very well on that.

Cool guy.

 

[Red London]

What's mad isn't what he's doing, it's that it wasn’t discovered that he could do it this late into his career.

I feel the same way about Rice's set piece taking. How does a world class attribute go unutilized for that long?

I think it’s due to the crazily fine margins in elite sport. There is such a fine margin between being a PL star and having never even ended up making it pro- there’s been so many stories (including CR7’s story) where elite players today almost didn’t make it and were almost lucky to do so.

It’s the same margins as to why players get their specialisation and have to just nail that down (they otherwise risk never making it pro). The coaches + the players themselves focus on what their role and scope would be for the team and work exclusively on it, almost with tunnel vision.

Merino for whatever reason at youth level was advised to be a CM and it worked there so he focused on his career in that position. Who knows, maybe he could have become a top striker if he was advised and built his career differently. Because he clearly has the instinct for it. It seems he was a slightly late bloomer with his career and has mainly shown his value in this in goals. Whether it be from CM for Spain or CF up top for us. Maybe tells us he should have gone down the striker route.

I guess this is no different to a normal career. People often take the path of least resistance; where their degree takes them, their family experience, or what they fall into. They don’t get the opportunity // don’t have the time to try different things to find their best possible career path.

With Rice at West Ham he was more of a destroyer as that’s what they needed as a team. He played as a DM and therefore got pigeon holed as that kind of player - the free kick drills and attacking drills were left to the attackers. He’s really come through leaps and bounds at Arsenal in terms of the attacking side of the game, and particularly his ball striking where he’s now one of the best players in the world at.

I think the summary here is coaching, and this speaks to how elite and underrated Arteta is as a coach. It seems like Merino has always had this knack and instinct around the penalty box but circumstantially (and maybe through 1 coach who didn’t see it) he became a CM. Arteta has seen this in him clearly. It’s the same with Rice with his ball striking + playing him in a more attacking role which led to the whole free kick thing.

Arteta has seen the potential in these areas and more importantly has been able to extract it out of the players. This is top coaching and one of the reasons why I just feel like heavy critics of him don’t know ball.

 

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

I think it’s due to the crazily fine margins in elite sport. There is such a fine margin between being a PL star and having never even ended up making it pro- there’s been so many stories (including CR7’s story) where elite players today almost didn’t make it and were almost lucky to do so.

It’s the same margins as to why players get their specialisation and have to just nail that down (they otherwise risk never making it pro). The coaches + the players themselves focus on what their role and scope would be for the team and work exclusively on it, almost with tunnel vision.

Merino for whatever reason at youth level was advised to be a CM and it worked there so he focused on his career in that position. Who knows, maybe he could have become a top striker if he was advised and built his career differently. Because he clearly has the instinct for it. It seems he was a slightly late bloomer with his career and has mainly shown his value in this in goals. Whether it be from CM for Spain or CF up top for us. Maybe tells us he should have gone down the striker route.

I guess this is no different to a normal career. People often take the path of least resistance; where their degree takes them, their family experience, or what they fall into. They don’t get the opportunity // don’t have the time to try different things to find their best possible career path.

With Rice at West Ham he was more of a destroyer as that’s what they needed as a team. He played as a DM and therefore got pigeon holed as that kind of player - the free kick drills and attacking drills were left to the attackers. He’s really come through leaps and bounds at Arsenal in terms of the attacking side of the game, and particularly his ball striking where he’s now one of the best players in the world at.

I think the summary here is coaching, and this speaks to how elite and underrated Arteta is as a coach. It seems like Merino has always had this knack and instinct around the penalty box but circumstantially (and maybe through 1 coach who didn’t see it) he became a CM. Arteta has seen this in him clearly. It’s the same with Rice with his ball striking + playing him in a more attacking role which led to the whole free kick thing.

Arteta has seen the potential in these areas and more importantly has been able to extract it out of the players. This is top coaching and one of the reasons why I just feel like heavy critics of him don’t know ball.

For what it's worth Diego Costa was a CAM until he was 25 I think. Thierry was a winger before Wenger signed him. And me and my mate kept asking 'why's Wenger playing him there', Lauren was a midfielder he shifted to fullback, Thuram was a CB he made into the world's best fullback.

Coaches for the most part don't like risking playing players out of position. Wenger always believed in players abilities in other positions.

For what it's worth, 2 points are important. A) I don't think Merino is playing as a striker, he doesn't hold up the ball or run the channels, he simply has more licence to make runs into the box B) Some of Cities best teams played without a striker.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

He did well in attack but we need him and MLS now to come in midfield and rotate with Rice and Zuba.

 

[viktor]

 

[MutableEarth]

He did well in attack but we need him and MLS now to come in midfield and rotate with Rice and Zuba.

Ngl I don't want Merino anywhere near midfield right now. His general play is really bad at the moment, but he's coming up with good moments here and there in the final 3rd. Keep him as a makeshift striker for now.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Ngl I don't want Merino anywhere near midfield right now. His general play is really bad at the moment, but he's coming up with good moments here and there in the final 3rd. Keep him as a makeshift striker for now.

He is not a bad midfielder imo. Even so. We need to rotate a little bit in the midfield. There are oppositions in next few weeks where Rice or Zuba should be coming off at 60 minute mark.

 

[viktor]

i think its clear put merino at striker is not sustainable for every match because he is not well rounded striker, so arteta has to know when using merino and when gyokeres at striker

 

[ArsenalInMyHeart]

i think its clear put merino at striker is not sustainable for every match because he is not well rounded striker, so arteta has to know when using merino and when gyokeres at striker

Merino is just a weapon Arteta can use when he wants to try something different, not a regular option. Fabregas was used as a false 9 for Spain, and Ferran Torres has played that role at Barcelona, it’s simply an option, not something to use regularly.

 

[Rain Dance]

Merino really established himself as a striker
Gyok, Kai, and Jesus should not automatically start