“I really feel pissed off after I lose a duel,” a livid Mikel Arteta shouted at his gamers after the 2022 FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest. all or nothingare circulating once more amid Arsenal’s curiosity in Mikel Merino.
Arteta has actually managed to lift the extent of competitors in his squad over time. However the qualities talked about in that explosive rebuke on the Metropolis Stadium – dedication, focus, preventing spirit – stay traits he can not afford to disregard.
Their consultant is Mikel Merino.
The 28-year-old, who gained the European Cup with Spain this summer time, has a knack for profitable duels. In actual fact, he gained extra trophies with Actual Sociedad final season than some other participant in Europe’s prime 5 leagues. Nobody got here near his 326 whole.
It’s value noting that the second-ranked participant on the record, Bruno Guimarães of Newcastle United, has additionally been a goal of Arsenal in recent times. Clearly, profitable potential is one thing the group has at all times wished so as to add within the midfield.
That’s not all merino wool is, both.
Standing at 6ft 2ins, Merino continues Arsenal’s theme of concentrating on bodily gamers with the arrival of Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and most not too long ago Ricardo Calafiore, with robust aerial prowess. And the ability to steal possession of the ball.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany discovered that out on the Euros when he latched on to Dani Olmo’s cross within the penultimate minute of additional time. A towering header from the cross sealed Spain’s place within the semi-finals.
Though not a daily starter for Luis de la Fuente’s facet, Merino turned considered one of solely 4 gamers – the opposite 4 – to function in all seven video games as Spain lifted the trophy It’s Alvaro Morata, Lamine Hjalmar and Mikel Oyarzabal.
“I feel that sport mirrored him very effectively,” mentioned Miguel Fraño, a former teammate at his boyhood membership Osasuna. sky sports activities.
“He’s used to beginning video games and is essential to the membership. However his position on the Euros is completely different. Though he’s not a starter, he reveals a whole lot of humility and understands that he can nonetheless play in one other manner. necessary position.
“As we noticed, he’s decisive, particularly towards Germany and in video games the place he did not rating. He simply places the group first and thinks about how he might help. “
Mikel Merino heads in Spain’s quarter-final towards Germany
Regardless of struggling spells at Dortmund and Newcastle, Merino’s rise comes as no shock to Fraño or anybody who knew him at Osasuna, having damaged into the group as an 18-year-old. A key determine within the group’s promotion to the Spanish League.
“Despite the fact that he was younger, he was the soul of the group,” mentioned Alfredo Sanchez, a former Osasuna participant and assistant to then-club coach Enrique Martin. sky sports activities.
“He has an enormous character and from a soccer perspective, what you see from him now’s what he was then. He has a really energetic left foot and might adapt to completely different conditions, he can cross the ball, he can beat opponents , he’s very robust within the sport.
“Mikel has at all times been a really full participant,” added Franio, one other graduate of the membership’s academy. “He’s technically superb and tactically very good as a result of he understands soccer very effectively.
“His aerial expertise are precious each defensively and offensively at set-pieces. He can actually make a distinction in these conditions.
Merino performs for Actual Sociedad towards former membership Osasuna
“Then, by way of his mentality, he is a boy who would not really feel strain and has the character to step up in huge video games.”
Merino confirmed his starvation for giant moments when he scored the profitable aim towards Germany in Stuttgart, celebrating in the identical model as his father Ángel, who celebrated in Europe on the identical venue 33 years in the past. Scored a aim for Osasuna within the sport. However this has been evident since his youth.
In actual fact, it was a run of six objectives in eight video games for Merino that noticed Osasuna promoted in 2016, and though that they had agreed to affix Borussia Dortmund on the finish of the season, their midfield talisman helped They superior to the play-offs.
He’s a boy who doesn’t really feel strain and has the character to step up in necessary video games
“He was unbelievable in these video games,” Sanchez recalled. The phrase Franio used was “decisive.” “That 12 months he exploded at Osasuna,” Franho added. “He drew a whole lot of consideration.”
He didn’t succeed at Dortmund, the place he struggled to win over Thomas Tuchel. Then, after becoming a member of Newcastle, an premature again harm hampered a great begin, leaving him behind Jojo Shelvey and Mohamed Diame in Rafael Benitez’s midfield pecking order.
However he is undoubtedly drawing consideration once more now.
Merino impressed throughout his six-year spell at Actual Sociedad, throughout which period his minutes and efficiency ranges have remained constant, attracting curiosity from Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal this summer time.
“You must be superb in all features of the sport to get to a stage the place a whole lot of huge groups have an interest,” Sanchez mentioned.
“We’re speaking a few prime participant.”
His position in Osasuna’s promotion marketing campaign was because the extra attacking participant within the pivot of the 2 midfielders, encouraging runs into the field.
“Earlier than we arrived on the membership, he was performing extra like a No. 10, however we felt he was not comfy there,” Sanchez defined. “We introduced him again and located the position was an ideal match for him.”
Merino performs more often than not as left midfielder
Nevertheless, he subsequently achieved that aim at Actual Sociedad, because the left-sided quantity eight in a midfield three, which might be extra indicative of how he was used at Arsenal.
Arteta’s 4-3-3 system is much like that of Actual Sociedad, and the presence of captain Martin Odegaard provides an extra layer of familiarity. The participant’s synergy labored effectively.
Arsenal hope he could be a belated alternative for the late Granit Xhaka, serving to to revive menace and fluidity on the left alongside Calafiore, whereas additionally returning Rice to his unique position as a quantity six.
Merino will not be an equal alternative for Zaka. He is extra bodily and fewer technical. However his passing accuracy at Actual Sociedad was comparatively low (77%), which might at the very least partly be defined by his tendency to take dangers when passing the ball.
Whereas Merino is ready to recycle possession with ease and construct up play slowly, he prefers to push the ball ahead, which may assist Gabriel Martinez, who struggled with out Xhaka final season. Has declined considerably, and is best when catching passes from behind.
Merino Cross Radar reveals a excessive share of ahead passes
His character is probably going one more reason why he appeals to Arteta.
Merino’s footballing upbringing came about in Spain’s Navarre area, which borders Arteta’s native Basque nation and shares lots of the identical sporting rules.
“Osasuna gamers are typically hard-working, aggressive gamers,” explains Franho, who coached the membership’s youth academy after his retirement.
“We do not essentially stand out as nice gamers, however we’re humble, dependable and constant, which normally pays off in the long term. Mikel has these qualities, however after all the opposite necessary factor is that he sure Additionally nice.
“I feel Arteta conveyed the identical message in the best way he spoke to the media and in a few of the feedback he made.
“You may really feel that he actually likes gamers who’re hard-working, passionate on the court docket, not flashy, however perceive learn how to compete and take note of particulars.”
Sanchez was additionally impressed by the Merino’s aggressive nature. “He obtained a whole lot of yellow playing cards as a result of he had a whole lot of enthusiasm and gave every part,” he mentioned. “However coupled along with his equally excellent defensive and offensive skills, that’s why he’s the place he’s as we speak.”
Partly for that reason, those that know him don’t have any doubts about his potential to reach England, regardless of his first spell within the Premier League at Newcastle being short-lived.
“I feel he was too younger when the chance got here at Newcastle,” Sanchez mentioned. “Totally different tradition, completely different construction, completely different tee instances. He skilled all of it at a younger age.
Merino made 25 appearances for Newcastle, scoring as soon as
“I feel he’s higher ready now. He has extra expertise, has performed extra video games at membership stage and internationally and he’s bodily stronger.
“I may see him taking part in effectively anyplace however I feel he could be an ideal match for Arsenal due to their system and magnificence, with a whole lot of possession and a whole lot of probabilities to get into the field. I feel he would love that.”
“Keep in mind, we’re speaking a few prime participant who by no means hides.”
Arteta will level out that the Merinos will not shrink back from a duel both.
