Arsenal have signed Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, showcasing the vision of manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu in building the “Gunners” squad.
Although Arteta is a former assistant of Pep Guardiola and his Arsenal team can play controlling football like Man City, Arteta has prioritized physically strong players in his recruitment. In an interview, Arteta highlighted the importance of physicality, strength, and speed in the Premier League.
Since then, Arteta and Edu have targeted players with good technical skills and imposing physicality. Arsenal now excels not only in ball control but also in aerial duels and physical challenges. This marks a shift from the past, when the team often struggled against opponents like Stoke or Blackburn Rovers. Arsenal is now prepared to play with a physical edge if needed, boasting the tallest starting lineup (1.86m) among the “Big 6” and the third tallest in the Premier League overall.
Merino enhances Arsenal’s aerial strength. The 2020/21 season was the last time Arsenal scored over 10 goals from set pieces, and the team has since added tall and strong players, such as Ben White (1.86m), William Saliba (1.92m), Gabriel Magalhães (1.90m), Riccardo Calafiori (1.88m), Declan Rice (1.88m), and Mikel Merino (1.89m).
Merino is proficient both on the ground and in aerial battles, capable of heading goals like he did against Germany in EURO 2024. While not particularly known for creativity and with some endurance limitations, Arsenal has Odegaard for creativity and still has Thomas Partey.
Interestingly, despite the tall squad, Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper David Raya is not particularly tall, but his height of 1.83m hasn’t prevented him from becoming one of the best at catching crosses in Europe over the past two seasons.
Currently, Arsenal is lacking in attacking players, especially on the wings, with Trossard and Nelson as backup options. With Jesus injured and Nketiah about to move to Crystal Palace, and Martinelli’s recent dip in form, Arsenal faces challenges in the title race.