Granit Xhaka’s departure from Arsenal in the summer of 2023 didn’t sit well with many fans. The Swiss midfielder really changed things up in the Arsenal engine room at LCM during the 2022-23 season. His work rate – helping out in defense and being awesome in link-up play in attack – really had Arsenal’s left-hand side soaring.
Arsenal has struggled to find a replacement for him since his departure. No one has played the LCM for Arsenal quite like he did. During the 2023-24 season, the Gunners had to figure out how to manage without him. However, they had to find a replacement for him in the summer so they brought in Mikel Merino to fill that Xhaka spot.
Merino’s journey at Arsenal began with a setback when he sustained an injury just days after joining, leading to a month-long absence.
When he was coming back, the Gunners’ midfield wasn’t really at its peak; they were feeling the impact of Martin Ødegaard not being there.
When Odegaard returned to RCM, Merino found himself in a competition with Declan Rice for a starting position, particularly since Partey had surprisingly solidified his position at #6.
Mikel Merino of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC
Mikel Merino of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Merino has had opportunities to shine, but he hasn’t quite matched the expectations that surrounded his arrival. Some people are calling him a flop already, but are we being too quick to judge him? How can we label Merino as a flop after only about 10 games, especially considering that we had to endure years of Xhaka being average before he finally gave us one outstanding season and moved on?
We shouldn’t let our quick judgements about Xhaka make us overlook Merino; he just needs a bit of time. Jakub Kiwior has really shown his quality in recent games, and we’ve been singing his praises. It’s hard to believe that not long ago, many fans viewed him as a weak link in defense and wanted him out during the winter transfer window.
It seems like Mikel Arteta was hoping to count on a midfield trio of Merino, Odegaard, and Rice. The trio really shone when they played against Monaco, and even Arteta mentioned that it’s a midfield setup he wants to develop further.
Thomas Partey’s talent and injuries have made it tough for this midfield trio to play consistently, but what if they could? With a good stretch of games, Merino could really shine for this Arsenal team, so let’s not count him out just yet.
Sam P
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