I'm still trying to get my head around starting Merino in that Liverpool game. Like what's the point if you aren't going to play direct to him and instead use him in deep build-up where he's poor and gave away the ball multiple times. What did we gain?
@_halfspaces Mate, it’s so obvious. Playing without Ødegaard or Havertz means you need somebody to lead the press. That’s Merino. Please, stop thinking about football solely from a ‘with the ball’ perspective. Starting anybody other than Merino was not even a consideration with Ø benched..
@_halfspaces Biggest reason he started imo was OOP. Gyokeres messes up his movements/triggers. Adding Eze who himself is not familiar with the system or Nwaneri who still looks lost OOP would've been a suicide against VVD & co
@_halfspaces He was good on seconds (and not really poor in build up- he rarely is). More importantly he was very useful in the press and when defending in the block, we needed somebody who was strong defensively in the first line given our 9 is so poor there.
@_halfspaces I don’t see any other possibility that isn’t lack of courage to start a better and more offensive player there.
@_halfspaces The first time against Bournemouth last season I saw a triple pivot because Merino dropped so deep. Saw the same again vs Liverpool. Left wondering why Raya's outball wasn’t going to our best aerial duelist 🤣 It just didn't make much sense at all.
@_halfspaces I think Arteta wanted the physicality of Merino. In the United game, we were kind of overran in midfield physically with Rice, Zubimendi, and Ödegaard.
@_halfspaces He was good in the first half tbf but he should’ve been subbed out earlier
@_halfspaces A lack of options so was a reasonable choice. Starting Nwaneri at Anfield would have been a real gamble. He is not an Odegaard replacement at his age. Eze only joined a week ago. Liverpool were at home and played an equally cautious game.
@_halfspaces Having him in the team made sense without Havertz but in place of Gyokores. The subs in the 70th minute made no sense to me. Fit Havertz, saka, and Ode we win that game.
@_halfspaces This is my full take on the thing, what Arteta feels, and what I feel about it. x.com/1_2spaces/stat…
@_halfspaces This is my full take on the thing, what Arteta feels, and what I feel about it. x.com/1_2spaces/stat…