Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli are all currently on the sidelines for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta only has Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Raheem Sterling at his disposal at present.
However, Arteta’s use of Mikel Merino up front against Leicester proved to be a masterstroke.
The midfielder – who had never even trained as a forward – came off the bench late on and scored twice.
This had led to some calls for Merino to start up front for Arsenal against West Ham.
Chris Sutton has now explained why he doesn’t feel the Spaniard is the answer for Arsenal on a longer-term basis.
Chris Sutton says Mikel Merino playing regularly up front for Arsenal would be a big ask
Sutton explained how difficult it is for a Premier League player who mostly plies his trade in one position to shine in another position.
Drawing on his own experiences as a player, Sutton said it would be a “monumental ask” of Merino to repeat the feat against stronger opposition.
However, the pundit also admitted that he’ll “happily” eat his words and that he’d quite like Merino getting into double figures.
“I was used in central midfield once upon a time in the Champions League,” Sutton wrote in the Daily Mail.
“In December 2003, it was Lyon versus Celtic, Juninho versus me in midfield. He scored twice and I scored once as we lost 3-2.
“The difference with a midfielder being asked to do an impression of a striker is a great deal of it is based on goalscoring instincts and having that calmness amid the chaos when there is a chance to score.
“Merino had that composure to finish from two crosses and was signed partly because of how strong he is in duels.
“So boss Mikel Arteta was clearly confident he could handle tussling with Leicester’s defenders on this occasion.
“But deep down, it is hard to think that Arsenal have accidentally stumbled upon a get-out-of-jail-free card within their squad.
“Merino did this to a side edging closer to the Championship. It would be a monumental ask for him to repeat his heroics again and again.
“To hold up the ball from the get-go. To link with the wingers. To do everything else that strikers need to do as well as scoring. Tougher tests await than leaky Leicester.
“I’ll happily eat my words if he bags 14 goals between now and the end of the season as a part-timer in that position. That would truly make this a fairytale find.”
What David Raya has said about Mikel Merino’s striker outing
Speaking on the Seaman Says podcast, David Raya shared why he feels Merino has the necessary tools to do well as a striker as he revealed what he told the midfielder after the game.
“Obviously we have a lot of injuries and people going to have to play in different positions, like Mikel Merino,” said Raya. “Played as a striker and then he just scores two goals!”
He continued: “I was thinking ‘he’s going to score!’. I told him after the game, I said he’s ‘going to come on and score, and then 10 minutes later you just scored!’
“He didn’t train as a striker once, he just came on and then, because he’s so intelligent and he reads the game very well, he gets into that position and then the header was magnificent.
“He reads the game very well, obviously I know him from playing with the (Spain) national team.
“He scored a very similar goal in the Euros against Germany and that was as a number eight.
“But those type of balls for him are his bread and butter – he’s so good in the air, he reads the ball very, very well, and then it’s just a fantastic header.”
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