Mikel Merino admits it’s “crazy” that he’s playing up front for Arsenal at such a crucial moment of the season but he’s giving it his best shot.
The Spaniard has been deployed as an auxiliary striker for three successive games since passing an audition at Leicester with flying colours, and added to his King Power brace with a poacher’s effort in the 7-1 hammering of PSV on Tuesday.
While he’s not always looked comfortable leading the line – hardly surprising given the circumstances – so fluid is Mikel Arteta’s set-up, and so versatile are most of the players, that the aim is clearly to assist Merino by getting others in and around the box.
Reflecting on his new position after the win in Holland, [Merino said](https://youtu.be/suDsXqoeMLM): “It’s kind of crazy, to be honest. But at the same time, it’s about having the right mentality, the right approach of the game.
“If the coach tells you to play one position, all right, you have to take all your characteristics and put it on the table for the team.
“I’m trying to adapt, I’m trying to do things the best way possible. Obviously, some days will be better, some days will be worse, but the work is there every day, the grind.
“I’m trying to improve every single day in my position, in my new position, I’m trying to help the team.”
“I’ve been talking with the analysts, the boss as well. I pride myself on trying to understand what happens on the pitch, not only in my position as a number eight, but also other positions of other teammates.
“I think understanding what happens on the pitch in other situations also helps you in your role, so I kind of understand what a striker has to do in this team.
“At the same time, I think the other teammates understand what the number eight has to do. It’s a group thing, so everybody knows what everybody has to do, and that’s the way we work, and that’s really helpful for me now.”
With Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka still recovering from their respective hamstring problems and unlikely to return until after the international break, Merino looks set for at least three more games as a striker against Manchester United, PSV and Chelsea.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens after that and whether the boss abandons the physical presence afforded by his summer signing in favour of a more conventional option, most likely Leandro Trossard.