Will Mikel Merino see out the season as Arsenal’s No. 9, or will Arteta be tempted to rejig his attack once Bukayo Saka returns?
With Arsenal’s default striking options, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, sidelined by season-ending injuries, Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff have been forced to adapt their attacking setup.
Ahead of the Chelsea match, many Gooners expected the Merino false 9 experiment to conclude with Gabriel Martinelli back in the fold. However, that wasn’t the case.
Instead of the anticipated front three of Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Ethan Nwaneri, Arteta stuck with Merino as the false 9, flanked by Martinelli and Trossard.
Twenty minutes into the London derby, Merino headed in a Martin Ødegaard corner to open the scoring. That solitary goal decided the match, vindicating Arteta’s decision to persist with him in the role.
Intriguingly, after the Chelsea game, an interesting stat emerged. Since Merino began featuring as a false 9, he has scored three goals—surpassed only by Mohamed Salah (5) and Omar Marmoush (4) during that period.
Since Mikel Merino became Arsenal’s No. 9, he’s scored 3 goals in the Premier League.
Only Mo Salah (5) and Omar Marmoush (4) have scored more goals in that time 😮 pic.twitter.com/CYAIbNdGdN
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) March 16, 2025
This statistic is promising. It suggests Merino is growing into the position, gaining confidence, and developing on-field relationships that could further enhance his effectiveness in the role.
That said, with Arsenal’s shortage of forwards, it makes sense for the midfielder to lead the attack for now. But could he continue in this role once Saka returns?
“He’s got a good chance” 👀
Mikel Arteta pretends to run out of his post-match interview after being asked about Bukayo Saka’s fitness 🤣 pic.twitter.com/8MkJ8KorIZ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 16, 2025
Saka’s imminent return, as revealed by Arteta in an interview with Sky Sports, should see Arsenal’s No. 7 reclaim his place on the right wing.
It is hard to see a scenario where Leandro Trossard doesn’t remain a key figure in the lineup due to how reliable he’s been. Gabriel Martinelli also looked rejuvenated against Chelsea; I doubt he will be benched.
So, should Arteta persist with the Mikel Merino false 9 experiment? Personally, I don’t think he should. While Merino has performed admirably, it’s difficult to ignore the fact that much of his impact comes from set pieces. Beyond that, his contribution in open play appears limited.
A Leandro Trossard false 9—tried, tested, and effective—might be exactly what Arsenal’s attack needs. Martinelli and Saka could flank Trossard.
Merino is a valuable option, but I’d prefer to see him making impactful cameos and serving as a game-changer from the bench, much like he did in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Leicester.
What are your thoughts Gooners?
Daniel O
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I would prefer a front three of Saka, Martinelli and Nwaneri (Nwaneri leading the line). Within his time ⌚, he’s proved to have an eye 👁️🗨️ for goal 🥅 and can shoot from a distance.
Merino has been poor in general play as a striker. Not his fault, he isn’t a striker. He has offered nothing in the build up, not held the ball up and not challenged the CBs, which, you would expect all three, he should be good at. I don’t know why we Haven’t experimented a bit. It seems ifcwe are not scoring at corners, we struggle to create and score anything.
To be fair to him, everyone around him has been poor or below their standards as well.Trossard,Odegaard and Sterling have not exactly been brilliant. Nwaneri is the only one who looked bright earlier but even he has struggled lately and that is to be expected.
For someone who has no experience in that position, I think Merino has done well.
I agree and would prefer a return of Trossard centrally. That said, I think we are putting too much pressure on Saka already.Considering the length of time he’s been out, I can’t see him starting games anytime soon. Likely he will get some minutes as he is gradually eased back.
Furthermore, he may not be the Saka we know for a while yet-I hope I’m wrong.We should manage our expectations of Saka. The goal should be to get him ready for next season or the Semis of the CL if we manage to get past Madrid.