Mikel Arteta must finally give up on 'lost' Arsenal star and unleash bold new plan vs PSV

Mikel Arteta is in the last-chance saloon in his bid to bring a trophy to Arsenal this season, with his side's hopes almost certainly resting on UEFA Champions League glory. It's been a disappointing campaign for the Gunners for several reasons amid an injury toll that has been hugely problematic.

In January, a new striker was needed to deal with injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, but they resisted the temptation to enter the market. The north Londoners paid the price when Kai Havertz sustained a season-ending hamstring injury, and Arteta has been forced to use Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino in a forward role.

A 1-1 draw away to struggling Manchester United in the league made clear the issues Arteta needs to attend to. He must go back to the drawing board and devise a new idea to reignite a stagnating attack, starting against PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates because his men are 7-1 up on aggregate and almost certainly through to the quarterfinals – making this the perfect moment to try something bold.

Mikel Merino

There were glimpses of hope among Arsenal's coaching staff when Merino stepped off the bench in the second half and bagged a brace in his side's 2-0 win away to Leicester City (February 15). The post-match talk centred around the Spaniard being the answer to the Gunners' striker problem, but such talk was exaggerated.

Merino arrived from Real Sociedad last summer for £31.6 million and is a central midfielder with an impressive engine room and a tidy left foot. But he was signed to give the team more depth in midfield rather than be used as a makeshift striker, which has become more apparent every time Arteta has turned to him.

The 28-year-old was the focal point of the Gunners' attack in their 7-1 thrashing of PSV and managed a goal and an assist. The Euro 2024 winner has not been disastrous by any stretch, managing a decent 60% big chance completion, but he isn't offering the versatile profile that Havertz provided earlier this season. His goal conversion rate of 37.5% continues the theme of an already alarming lack of potency in Arteta's team.

Merino's disappointing outing at Old Trafford was summed up by Paul Merson on Sky Sports, who said he looks 'lost' in attack:

"He came on and got two goals against Leicester and they were good finishes but you are not going to win the Premier League with him up front. He looks lost up front. He does not give you a presence."

Arsenal's attacking issues run deeper than Merino's emergency run as a makeshift striker because they highlight poor squad planning, particularly in attack. Several young forwards looking for more game time have departed, including Folarin Balogun, who joined AS Monaco, and Eddie Nketiah, who headed to Crystal Palace.

That's not to say those two were the answer for Arteta, but they'd have offered depth, and a lack of recruiting a new striker to replace either of them would always be an issue. Saka was thriving before sustaining a hamstring injury in December, but the burden of being his side's talismanic figure would inevitably result in fatigue. The goals have dried up as the campaign has worn on because of a personnel issue.

Gabriel Martinelli

One of Arsenal's young squad who often finds himself dividing opinion is Gabriel Martinelli who made a return to action in the draw to United. The Brazilian had sat out the last three league games due to a hamstring problem but gives Arteta an option to revive a forward line in desperate need of more energy.

Martinelli is an interesting profile that the Gunners could use to deal with their striker problem, because he can make intricate runs and is capable of finding the back of the net. Much scrutiny he receives is due to his lack of consistency and a new central role could reap its rewards on his return from injury.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor even proposed the 23-year-old be used in a number nine role when speaking in 2022 (via Football Insider):

“He looks like that sort of number nine who will drift out wide from the centre and make runs behind defenders and be a menace. He can finish too. I think he’s got everything to be a number nine."

Martinelli's pace and clever movement make him an enticing choice for the striker's role alongside the impressive Ethan Nwaneri, 17, and experienced Leandro Trossard, 30. He has a fine record of nine goals in 16 outings when used centrally by Arteta since debuting in 2019, and he may have a point to prove if given the task of spearheading a stuttering attack.