The crucial injury to captain Martin Ødegaard has started a major tactical debate at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta have to make a decision between the defensive reliability of Mikel Merino and the creative management of Eberechi Eze to fill the key playmaker position.
The Case for Eberechi Eze’s Creativity
Eberechi Eze is the most probable option for the progressive midfield role. It would be a natural replacement for Ødegaard with similar creative responsibilities but would also introduce an unpredictability of style that Arsenal have sometimes lacked. Mikel Arteta has spoken about Eze doing the “unexpected,” and producing “magic moments” to unlock tough low blocks. He looks great in more central positions, where he can use his vision to incisively unpick defenses. We’ve seen a “shoot on sight” approach from him, contributing to an extra dimension in the Arsenal attack. He also impacted on the forward movement of Viktor Gyokeres, taking six shots in one appearance against Newcastle.
The Case for Mikel Merino’s Solidity
Mikel Merino provides a different player that is actually more reliable structurally. Ødegaard has missed some matches already this season from injury. Taking that into consideration, having Merino centrally next to Declan Rice with Martin Zubimendi holding the midfield wouldn’t help Arsenal regain defensive shape for control in the middle of the park. Merino’s not a traditional playmaker. But he showed that he can be a goal threat as well. He scored six goals in his last nine appearances for Spain. Moreover, this option is best suited for matches where tactical discipline and positional stability in the midfield does not outweigh insatiable creative congestion of creative midfielders.
Arteta’s Tactical Dilemma and Other Options
What the philosophy ultimately hinges on is the ongoing adaptability of the team’s tactical identity without Ødegaard. Eze provides more creativity and a more direct threat to unlock defenses while Merino promotes more control and functional defensive work.
Author’s Opinion
Mikel Arteta is lucky to have two players of high quality, each with different styles of play. Moreover, the “Merino vs. Eze” situation is a good problem to have, reflecting the depth of resources available to him. His choice will likely be situational, based on the particular demands of the opposition as Arsenal plays through a congested fixture list without their captain.
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