Arsenal must be given credit for producing consistent results this season despite a number of factors going against them.
Mark Clattenburg disagreed with Everton’s penalty in the latest of a long line of decisions from the officials this season that has gone against Mikel Arteta and his players.
Arsenal’s injury crisis this season would have derailed many other clubs in the Premier League but the Gunners are sitting in second place domestically and on the brink of the Champions League semi final.
Carlo Ancelotti praised Arteta for the job he has done at the club but Arteta himself has paid tribute to the adaptability of his Arsenal squad this season amid setbacks and one player in particular deserves a lot of credit.
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Mikel Merino following Granit Xhaka Arsenal redemption arc
Granit Xhaka and Mikel Merino’s Arsenal careers are showing similar signs of trajectory after the Spaniard struck his eighth goal of the season in the 3-0 victory over Real Madrid.
Xhaka began his time in North London as a player that divided opinion amongst Arsenal fans and was infamously booed off in a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace back in 2019.
His troubles came under former manager Unai Emery before Xhaka became an integral part of Arteta’s plans and completely transformed his fortunes at the club, leaving a hero in many supporters’ eyes.
The Swiss midfielder produced seven goals and seven assists in his final season at the club from midfield as the Gunners went agonizingly close to the league title in the 2022-23 season.
Arsenal fans slammed Merino against Girona earlier on in this campaign and that wasn’t the only performance where the Spaniard was questioned.
However, since moving to centre forward in the absence of Kai Havertz, Merino has really stepped up for Arteta and his side and has now become a focal point for Arsenal in the remainder of the campaign.
Merino vital to Arsenal for Champions League campaign
Merino’s transformation shows the resilience and character of the Spanish international and you can visibly see his confidence growing in an Arsenal shirt.
Ian Wright hailed Merino’s finish against Madrid and that was just one example of his improvement in decision making and the execution of his actions in recent months.
Confidence plays a massive part in football and it is highly unlikely that Merino would have even attempted that strike two months ago.
However, like Xhaka, his Arsenal career has turned around for the better and it just goes to show the incredible man-management skills of the Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
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