Sports
Arsenal must bin 5/10 star alongside Gyokeres
Could this be Arsenal‘s year? How many times have those words been whispered in recent times, with Mikel Arteta having restored the north London club to a position of power at the height of domestic and European football?
All that is missing is silverware, though Arteta did secure the FA Cup during that first half-season in charge. But with Aston Villa swept aside at the end of 2025, Arsenal have underscored their credentials at the top of the Premier League, five points clear of Manchester City (whose game in hand comes at Sunderland on New Year’s Day).
Everyone is playing their part, but this means some within the Gunners squad could find themselves struggling for starts, week in and week out, Viktor Gyokeres being chief among them.
Why Arteta must drop Viktor Gyokeres
There was a weight of expectation and excitement when Arsenal announced the signing of Swedish striker Gyokeres for £64m in July, ending an interminable wait for a clinical number nine.
The 27-year-old has scored five goals from 15 Premier League appearances (12 starts) this season, and his general play has left something to be desired.
This was clear, once again, during the win over Villa. Hooked for the goalscoring Gabriel Jesus after 77 minutes, Gyokeres only completed three passes, failing with both of his attempted dribbles and winning only one of seven duels, as per Sofascore. That’s without acknowledging the blunder which saw him lose possession in his own half, nearly gifting Ollie Watkins a goal.
Gyokeres was billed as an unstoppable powerhouse, but he has been caught against the tide in the Premier League, perhaps struggling to adapt to the intensity and physicality and technicality.
With Jesus back in action and impressing, Arsenal’s new attacking recruit may find minutes hard to come by, though he’s not the only one, with a well-liked member of Arteta’s brood struggling against Unai Emery’s side, and now in danger of drifting away from a starting berth entirely.
Arsenal star may now lose his place
It is a testament to Arsenal’s diligent squad planning over the past several years that they have so many talented options across the park. The Gunners probably have the strongest squad in the Premier League, perhaps Europe.
Mikel Merino embodies this, having been a crucial part of the project since joining from Real Sociedad in 2024.
A clutch player whose instinctiveness in the final third lends itself to moonlit roles as a stand-in striker, Merino, 29, has been a revelation, but with Declan Rice sidelined on Tuesday evening, Merino struggled to match the Three Lions superstar’s brilliance, and it’s clear that Arteta needs him back in the starting line-up pronto.
Merino was withdrawn after 73 minutes, having worked hard but struggled to match the fluency of his midfield peers, Martin Odegaard and Martin Zubimendi, who were praised for having “dominated the match” by journalist Sam Dean.
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Mikel Merino – Arsenal Stats by Position |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Positions |
Apps |
Goals + Assists |
|
Central midfield |
46 |
4 + 2 |
|
Centre-forward |
23 |
10 + 6 |
|
Attacking midfield |
2 |
0 + 0 |
|
Data via Transfermarkt |
||
Despite playing most of the contest, Merino took fewer touches than Villan goalkeeper Emi Martinez. The versatile Spaniard completed 90% of his passes and created three chances, also winning five of 11 contested duels. However, he conceded three fouls and was probably fortunate to have avoided a red card after a challenge on Morgan Rogers while on a yellow.
This, and the fact he drifted on the edges of the flow of the game, led football.london to brand him with a 5/10 match rating.
As Arsenal head into the new year, they know what they want: titles.
Whether Arsenal win the Premier League remains to be seen, but it’s clear that, as this team gathers full strength, Merino might be better deployed off the bench, for he was a black sheep among silky stars against Aston Villa.
Merino is an integral part of Arsenal’s squad. When options are short at number nine – and they have been – his prowess as a makeshift striker has paid dividends –
Modern day Vieira: Arteta’s 9/10 lieutenant is driving Arsenal to the title
Arsenal secured a title-defining victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League.
