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Chris Sutton shares why Mikel Merino is not the answer up front for Arsenal
Arsenal have got off to a good start in their current situation with just three fit senior forwards.
Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli are all currently on the sidelines for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta onl🅠y has Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaཧneri and Raheem Sterling at his disposal at present.
However, Arteta’s use of Mikel Merino up front against Leicester proved to be a masterstroke.
The midfielder – who had never even trained as a forward – came off the 🔯bench l﷽ate on and scored twice.
This had led to some calls for Merino to start up front for Arsenal against West Ham.
However, Arteta hasn’t confirmed whether Merino will definitely play again as a fꦬorward.
Chris Sutton has now explai𒁏ned why he doesn’t feel the Spꦓaniard is the answer for Arsenal on a longer-term basis.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta says anotheꦉr youngster besides Ethan Nwaneri could now play up front for Arsenal
Chris Sutton says Mikel Merino playing regularly up front for Arsenal would be a big ask
Sutton explained how difficult it is for a Premier League player who🍰 mostly plies his trade in one🔯 position to shine in another position.
Drawing on his own experiences as a player, Sutton said it would 🐓be a “monumental ask” of Merino to repeat the feat against stronger opposition.
However, the pundit also admitted that he’ll “happily” eat his words and that he’d quite like Merino gett🌸ing into double figures.
“I was used in central midfield once upon a time in༒ the Chaജmpions League,” Sutton wrote in the .
“In December 2003, it was Lyon versus Celtic, Juninho versus me in midfield. He scored twice and I 🌊scored once as we lost 3-2.
“The difference with a midfielder being asked to do🌳 an impression of a striker is a 🧜great deal of it is based on goalscoring instincts and having that calmness amid the chaos when there is a chance to score.
“Merino had that coꦜmposure to finish from two crosses and was signed partly because of how strong he is in duels.
“So boss M💜ikel Arteta was clearly confident he could handle tussling with Leicester’s defenders on this occasion.
“But deep down, it is hard to think that Arsenal have accidentally stumbled upon a get-out-of-jail-free card 🌳within their squad.
“Merino d༺id this to a sidꩵe edging closer to the Championship. It would be a monumental ask for him to repeat his heroics again and again.
“To hold up the ball from the get-go. To link with the wingers. To 🅠do everything else that strikers need to do as well as scoring. Tougher tests await than leaky Leicester.
“I’ll happily eat my words if he bags 14 goals between now and the end of the season as a part-timeꦏr in that position. That would truly make this💞 a fairytale find.”
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta calls up teenage forward inspired 🃏by Sadio Man♓e to Arsenal training
What David Raya has said about Mikel Merino’s striker outing
Speaking on the Seaman Says podcast, David Raya shared why he feels Merino has thಞe necessary to🔴ols to do well as a striker as he revealed what he told the midfielder after the game.
“Obviously we have a lot of injuries and peo🐓ple🍸 going to have to play in different positions, like Mikel Merino,” said Raya. “Played as a striker and then he just scores two goals!”
He continued: “I was thinking ‘he’s going to score!’. I told him after the game, I said he’s ‘going to come on and score, and then 10 mi✱nutes later you just scored!’
“He didn’ꦦt train as a striker once, he just came on a꧂nd then, because he’s so intelligent and he reads the game very well, he gets into that position and then the header was magnificent.
“He reads the game very well, obviously I know him from playing with the (Spain) national 🌼team.
“He scored a very similar goa﷽l in the Euros against Germany and that was as a num🅠ber eight.
“But those type of balls for him are his bread♒ and butter – he’s so good in the air, he reads the ball very, very well, and then iಞt’s just a fantastic header.”