According to Paul Merson, Mikel Arteta’s decision in Arsenal’s defeat to West Ham was “mind-boggling.”

According to Paul Merson, Mikel Arteta’s decision in Arsenal’s defeat to West Ham was “mind-boggling.” Arsenal may have bid dieu to their Premier League title aspirations following their unexpected 1-0 loss to West Ham on Saturday.

 

 

 

Arsenal’s victory over their Hammers would have brought them within five points of Liverpool, the current champions of the Premier League. Paul Merson was taken aback when Mikel Merino was selected to start at the front of Arsenal’s lineup. Arsenal was unable to respond to Jarrod Bowen’s 44th-minute victor, as their front line was unable to overcome a well-drilled West Ham defence.

 

 

 

 

Artery to start midfielder Mikel Merino at the head of the queue for the match, following his remarkable brace against Leicester City in the previous match. Merino, despite his best efforts, was unable to make a significant impression this time around, as lightning could not strike twice. Merson was astonished that Arteta had chosen Merino as the frontrunner from the outset, and he implied that it was a naive choice.

 

 

 

“In all honesty, Arsenal were fortunate last week,” Merson stated on Sky Sports. “They rendered Leicester appear respectable at 0-0.” Merino enters the game and scores two exceptional goals. “Playing as a centre forward is a challenging position, as there are not many of them available.”

 

 

 

Mikel Arteta had been forewarned. Chris Sutton expressed his belief that Merino would not be as impressive against West Ham as he was against Leicester prior to the match. ”

 

 

 

Merino committed this act against a team that was inching closer to the Championship,” wrote Sutton. “It would be an enormous request for him to replicate his heroic actions on an ongoing basis.” “To maintain possession of the ball from the outset.

 

 

 

” To establish a connection with the wingers. To perform all other responsibilities that strikers are required to perform, in addition to scoring. Greater challenges await than Leicester’s leaking roof. “I will gladly retract my statements if he scores 14 goals as a part-timer in that position between now and the end of the season.”

 

 

 

This would certainly be a fairytale discovery. Merino’s performance was commendable; he effectively led the line, executing intelligent passes and initiating several impressive forward surges. Nevertheless, Arsenal was unable to exploit a makeshift forward in this match, as was the case against the Foxes.