Mikel Merino Injury Creates Selection Dilemma for Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is sweating over the availability of Mikel Merino for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final against PSG. Arteta confirms he missed the 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace because of fitness.
Arteta, speaking to the press following the game, said: “Mikel had some discomfort after Ipswich. He was unable to train with the team, and he wasn’t available for Palace, We’ll assess him in the coming days, but it’s too early to say if he’ll be ready for PSG.”
Merino’s fallow phase could not have been more ill‐timed. Arsenal are already facing doubt over the future of other midfielders, Thomas Partey and Jorginho. The coach replaced Partey early against Brentford because of a minor muscle problem and Jorginho has been dealing with a rib issue that has made him wheeze in training.
Arteta intended to send Merino deeper in midfield to offset Partey’s loss in pairing him with Declan Rice. But the doubt over Merino’s fitness leaves Arteta open to considering alternatives. He could also turn to Charlie Patino or the recently fit-again Mohamed Elneny to play in those spots.
Arsenal’s Midfield Puzzle Could Define Their Season
The upcoming Champions League match is likely the biggest game for the club in a decade or more. The Arsenal fans can already smell the final, and to get there Arteta wants every piece of the jigsaw in place.
The decision on whether or not Mikel Merino plays may also influence how Arsenal approach the game on the tactical side. If he’s fit, then he gives the combination of dynamism and composure to ensure Arsenal can keep up with the tempo played at by a possession happy PSG side. Without him, Arteta may need to rely more heavily on Rice and Ødegaard to shoulder creative and defensive duties.
This season, Arsenal have been relatively good when it comes to having pressure on them. They have adjusted when key players have been unavailable and have mostly given performances that suggest their progress under Arteta. But Kylian Mbappé and PSG in a Champions League semi-final is a different challenge and it will need to be performed to perfection, with a strong squad.
Merino helps Arsenal press high and connect midfield to attack and pose a threat at set-pieces. Take him away and Arsenal are off-kilter, which might hinder how high Arteta can ask the full backs to push, a major ploy.
Author’s Opinion
The fitness of Mikel Merino is an understandable concern going into a game of this size. On current form he’s also vital as a utility man to this current Arsenal side. However, injuries are part and parcel of a long season, and Arteta must prepare contingency plans in parallel.
If Merino plays, Arteta can reclaim a key tactical cog capable of allowing the midfield to tick and reinforcing Arsenal’s upper hand. But if he isn’t, the manager has to tread a fine line when balancing risk against reward with any replacements. It’s not ideal to throw in a player as young or as out of rhythm as those guys in a high-stakes game like this, of course, but it may be necessary.
Ultimately, Arsenal’s fortunes in the semi-final will not be decided purely on quality, but how the team adjusts as a collective. It is unclear if Merino’s presence is all that stands between a flexible approach to tactics and a solid one.
But regardless of whether Arteta starts him or leaves him on the bench, the Gunners need to be perfect if they are to get anything out of that beastly. The one thing that is clear: Arteta’s decisions over the next 72 hours will determine the story for Arsenal’s European season.
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