Arteta will be quietly pleasedplaceholder image
Arteta will be quietly pleased | Getty Images
Mikel Arteta has had to make do with what he has available recently but one Arsenal star could be dropped on the other side of the international break.
Mikel Arteta can sit back and enjoy the rest during the current international break knowing that there wasn’t much else Arsenal could have done up until this point in the season.
The Gunners have one of the worst injury lists in the Premier League with several players who would start at most clubs in the division still on the treatment table. There is good news for Arteta though with some of them expected back in full training and available for selection on the other side with Tottenham the visitors to the Emirates for the first North London derby of the season.
Key Arsenal starter who could face post-international break axe
Mikel Merino has been deployed as an auxilary striker in the couple of fixtures and has been branded ‘fantastic’ by Pat Nevin for his performances, but with specialists available again, he will have to compete for a space in midfield. The problem there, is that Odegaard will also block the Spain international’s minutes and the 29-year old might have to content himself with a place on the bench.
Merino chipped in with two goals against Slavia Prague and an assist against Sunderland, but they might not be enough for him to keep his place when domestic fxtures return.
What has Arteta said about Merino?
Arteta is a huge fan of the versatile attacking midfielder who is a standard bearer for the squad and the example for the younger players to look up to. Speaking recently, the Arsenal manager was full of praise for his backup no.9:
“It's a joy to have him, I always say the same thing,” Arteta said via Arsenal’s official website. It's his versatility on the pitch, the things that he can do, it's his mindset, it's his leadership, it's the way he is as a person. Today we are missing a lot of attacking players and we have to find different solutions, he comes in the Champions League and scores two goals.
“Yeah, you have to invent options, you can always have options if you invent them. But obviously, Mikel hasn't played there before in his career, but we had a good experience of last season, and the way he reacted and performed in that position. And obviously, we believe that today, the way it is, there was a good chance for him to perform.
“My view was always that he had really good timing and the capacity to finish in the box, especially one-touch. And then talking to him and making sure that he plays closer to the box, and he identifies the opportunities, the timing, the way he needs to attack the spaces in relation to how they defend the box, which today was a bit different as well, the way they set up. And then it's obviously his quality. his willingness to learn and practice every day.”
Merino might be the man of the moment and off on his travels with Spain, but he might return to London and find that his place in the team has gone to someone else who stayed at home.
Continue Reading