Paul Merson says he ‘couldn’t believe’ what Mikel Arteta did at Arsenal recently
Paul Merson says he ‘couldn’t believe’ what Mikel Arteta did at Arsenal recently
Paul Merson Stunned by Mikel Arteta’s Bold Tactical Decision at Arsenal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has found himself at the center of criticism following a controversial tactical move that left football pundit Paul Merson in disbelief.
The Gunners’ hopes of clinching the Premier League title have taken a massive hit after a stunning home defeat to West Ham United. With Liverpool now sitting comfortably 11 points ahead, even Arsenal’s game in hand seems unlikely to bridge the gap.
Merson, never one to shy away from voicing his opinions, has strongly criticized Arteta’s decision to deploy Mikel Merino as a striker—a move he believes backfired spectacularly.
A Risky Experiment That Failed Miserably
Arsenal’s attacking options have been significantly weakened in recent weeks. The absence of Gabriel Jesus, who suffered a season-ending injury in January, and the subsequent loss of Kai Havertz have left Arteta scrambling for solutions up front.
In a desperate attempt to address the void, Arteta initially turned to Leandro Trossard as a false-nine against Leicester City. However, when Merino made a surprising impact off the bench in that game, netting twice, the Arsenal boss took a gamble—starting him as a striker against West Ham.
The result? A tactical disaster.
Merson was left baffled by the decision, stating on Sportskeeda:
“I was absolutely shocked by Arteta’s choice to start Mikel Merino as a striker. Sure, he made an impact against Leicester, but that was when he came on fresh against a fatigued defense. To throw him in from the start against West Ham? What was he thinking?”
The former Arsenal legend didn’t hold back, comparing Merino’s performance to “a fish trying to climb a tree”—a brutal metaphor highlighting how out of place the midfielder looked in the role.
Merson concluded his assessment with a firm stance: “I hope we never see that experiment again.”
What Next for Arsenal?
With the Premier League title slipping further out of reach, Arteta now faces mounting pressure to find a reliable attacking solution. Will he revert to a more conventional approach, or take another tactical risk? One thing is certain—Paul Merson, and many Arsenal fans, will be watching closely.
