Mikel Merino has joked that he “gets a taste” to play as a provisional striker because he admired the gap in Arsenal’s front, which was injured by injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
Jesus (ACL) and Havertz (thighs) were excluded for the rest of the season in January and February, so that the Gunners were left without a recognized central striker.
Merino has unveiled in an interview with The guardian That the idea of taking on this role, only on the morning of Leicester City’s game, three days after Havertz’s injury, in which he did it for the first time and in a 2-0 win two days after the injury of Havertz, in which he was doing it for the first time.
The Spanish international founded all six games from Arsenal in advance-a deeper “false nine” and not an out-and-out striker and used the winner against Chelsea last time.
After Merino from the Arsenal legend Ian Wright was praised for the praised, Merino said after the final whistle against Chelsea that he believes that he adapts well. This includes seeing the game from a different perspective and exposing different battles.
“I get used to being a center forward, fighting with the central defenders and beating you from behind,” he admitted. “You are always a disadvantage and you like to mark your territory, intimidate you physically. You want to make sure that you are uncomfortable and have no place from the first minute to the last minute – even if the ball is not there.
“It is more mental than the midfield because it is a direct duel. But I adapt to myself and if there is a thing that I have always been, it is a fighter: I like the contact, I’m never back.”
After Merino, after he had previously expressed, that he did not feel that he put pressure on him to score goals, suggested that his purpose on the field had not changed so much.
“My job was always to make others easier,” he said. “See where the people are, where the free man is, understand whether I have to participate or to help a teammate [without touching the ball]. “