No Gyokeres, no problem – makeshift Merino provides Arsenal ‘solution’

Over the past nine months, Arsenal fans have grown used to seeing Mikel Merino celebrate after scoring while playing as a striker.

And the frontman-turned-midfielder scored twice in their 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague on Tuesday.

As the Swede prepares for further tests, the 29-year-old was putting in place of Viktor Gyokeres, whose muscle injury is “concerning” manager Mikel Arteta.

Merino’s ability to step up and deliver for the Gunners, who have now extended their winning streak to 10 in all competitions, is thankfully unafraid.

“It’s wonderful to have him,” Arteta remarked. He asserts that this is his leadership, mindset, and personality.

We need to find new ways to replace the attacking players because we are lacking. He scores two goals in the Champions League.

After suffering a hamstring injury to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus’ cruciate ligament injury (ACL) a month prior, Merino made his first appearance for the Gunners as a substitute frontman in the Premier League victory over Leicester.

Merino had never assumed that position before when he was a child.

He then won the previous campaign with nine goals in all competitions, winning at Chelsea, Fulham, and Real Madrid.

In order to bring in a natural number nine and win their first trophy since 2020, Arsenal signed Gyokeres in a deal worth £64 million in the summer.

With Havertz sidelined with a knee injury since the start of the season, the Swede has scored six goals in his 14 appearances.

Merino will need to play front and center to help Arsenal because of concerns Gyokeres might not be able to play for another while with a hamstring issue.

The Spaniard met a Leandro Trossard cross with a neat finish just after the break, before heading home Declan Rice’s delivery to seal the impressive success.

He has established himself as a member of the leadership group, making him one of Arteta’s favorites in the squad and well-liked in the dressing room.

The Gunners boss continued, “My opinion was always that he had really good timing and the ability to finish in the box, especially one touch.”

“And then talking to him about how to attack the spaces in relation to how they defend the box, which was a little different today, as well as the way they set up, and making sure that he plays closer to the box.”

In order to improve their squad depth and quality, the Gunners spent more than £250 million on eight new players over the summer.

That is already being challenged, particularly in attacks.

Havertz, Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, and Martin Odegaard are all currently out injured, with Arteta admitting that he needed to find a solution for the Premier League side’s problems while they are also in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

He said, “You have to invent options,” “yes.” If you invent them, you always have options.

Mikel hasn’t played there before in his career, but we had a good experience last year and how he handled it.

We firmly believe that today, given how they were set up, provided him with a good chance to perform.

Merino, who was a member of the Spain squad that won Euro 2024 and scored a late winner in extra-time against Germany in the quarter-final, continued, “This team doesn’t care who is injured or not. The internal combustion engine has the same mentality.