Paul Merson Thinks Arsenal Needs to Fix Striker Choices and Win Trophies

Paul Merson, a former football player, has spoken about Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta. Merson thinks Arteta needs to make better choices about which strikers play and when. He also feels the team has not won a big prize in a long time, even though they play well in the league.
By Newsroom | Football, Sports |

Arsenal's recent performances have drawn commentary from former player Paul Merson, who has voiced persistent concerns regarding manager Mikel Arteta's decisions, particularly concerning striker selections and the club's ongoing inability to secure major silverware. Merson's remarks, spanning several months, suggest a recurring issue in Arteta's management that, in his view, impedes the team's progress and potential for winning titles. The club's consistent finishes in the top league positions, alongside Champions League qualification, are acknowledged, yet the absence of a trophy since Arteta's initial FA Cup win remains a central point of Merson's criticism.

Context:

Paul Merson has made repeated public statements about Mikel Arteta's management of Arsenal, primarily focusing on the team's offensive strategy and overall success in competitions. His comments appear to be prompted by specific match outcomes and player selection choices.

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Paul Merson claims Mikel Arteta still can't fix Arsenal issue - 'He can't get it right' - 1

  • Player Selection: Merson has frequently highlighted issues with how Arteta utilizes strikers, specifically mentioning Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino. In one instance, Merson observed a match where Gyokeres scored after coming on as a substitute, following earlier struggles from Gabriel Jesus in a similar role. This has led to Merson questioning Arteta's choices regarding who starts and who is brought on later in games.

  • Trophy Drought: A recurring theme in Merson's analysis is Arsenal's lack of major trophies since the FA Cup win in Arteta's first season. He suggests that despite consistently achieving strong league positions and qualifying for the Champions League, the team has not capitalized on these opportunities to win significant honors.

  • Specific Matches and Decisions:

  • Merson criticized Arteta's decision to play Mikel Merino up front against Aston Villa instead of Viktor Gyokeres. He questioned Gyokeres's fitness if he was available but not starting, suggesting this decision contributed to the team's struggles in that particular match.

  • Conversely, another article suggests Merson was "wrong" in his criticism of Arteta's decision to use Merino up front, implying it was a necessary move due to injuries to natural strikers.

  • Timelines and Observations: Merson's comments appear across a period from at least December 2025 to more recent observations. His remarks are often linked to Arsenal's performance in the Premier League and other competitions.

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Evidence:

  • Paul Merson's Statements:

  • "He can't get it right… If he plays Jesus like he did against Manchester United and he struggled. Then the week after he plays Gyokeres and he struggles then Jesus comes on. This time Jesus plays, he struggles then Gyokeres comes on and scores." (Article 1)

  • "Paul Merson slams Mikel Arteta’s striker decision in Aston Villa vs Arsenal Arteta named Mikel Merino up front against Aston Villa instead of summer signing Viktor Gyokeres. If he had fitness issues, why is he on the bench?" (Article 2)

  • "Arsenal signed Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad last summer… I worry for Arsenal now." (Article 3, referencing Merson's earlier comments)

  • "The Future of Mikel Arteta: Will Arsenal’s Manager Survive the Season? … a glaring statistic remains: since winning the FA Cup in his first season, the club has not captured any major silverware." (Article 4)

  • "You’ve got to make it count. … Then all of a sudden it comes round, bang, they win trophies." (Article 5, quoting Merson's sentiment on capitalizing on opportunities)

  • "The Gunners finished yet another season under Arteta without a trophy." (Article 6)

  • "Paul Merson has warned Arsenal they ‘won’t win the Premier League’ if Mikel Arteta does not bring one of his star players back into the team." (Article 7)

  • Arsenal's Performance Metrics:

  • Arsenal secured Champions League football and finished second in the Premier League for a third consecutive season. (Articles 5, 6)

  • The team reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in one season. (Article 6)

  • Arsenal has not won a major trophy since the FA Cup in Mikel Arteta's first season. (Article 4)

Debate on Striker Utilization

Paul Merson's commentary reveals a divided perspective on Mikel Arteta's approach to selecting strikers. While Merson has voiced criticisms, evidence suggests a complexity behind Arteta's decisions, potentially linked to player availability and strategic needs.

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  • Merson's Criticism:

  • Merson has pointed to situations where strikers like Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres have seemingly struggled in certain games, suggesting a lack of consistent effective selection. He noted a specific instance where Gyokeres scored after coming on as a substitute, implying the initial starter was not performing optimally. (Article 1)

  • He specifically questioned the decision to start Mikel Merino up front over Gyokeres against Aston Villa, linking it to Arsenal's performance in that match. (Article 2)

  • Alternative Viewpoint:

  • Another perspective, attributed to the context of Merson's earlier remarks, suggests that Arteta's choice to play Mikel Merino up front was a tactical response to significant injuries affecting the team's natural strikers. This explanation posits that the decision was born out of necessity rather than preference. (Article 3)

Trophy Prospects and Managerial Pressure

Merson's statements suggest that while Arsenal achieves a high level of consistent performance, this is not translating into tangible trophy wins, leading to concerns about Arteta's tenure.

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Paul Merson claims Mikel Arteta still can't fix Arsenal issue - 'He can't get it right' - 2

  • Performance vs. Success:

  • Arsenal has consistently finished in strong league positions, including second place for three consecutive seasons, and has secured Champions League qualification. (Articles 5, 6)

  • Despite this consistent league performance, the club has not won any major silverware since Mikel Arteta's first season, when they won the FA Cup. (Article 4)

  • Merson's Warnings:

  • Merson has warned that Arsenal must "make it count" when opportunities arise to win trophies, implying a missed window or a failure to capitalize. (Article 5)

  • He has also suggested that if key players are not integrated into the team, Arsenal will not win the Premier League, indicating a belief that specific team compositions are crucial for ultimate success. (Article 7)

  • There are also suggestions that a failure to perform could put Arteta's position at risk, with warnings of potential dismissal by Christmas if title hopes fade. (Articles 4, 5)

Merson's Ongoing Assessment

Paul Merson continues to express reservations about Mikel Arteta's ability to resolve certain persistent issues within the Arsenal squad, indicating a belief that some problems remain unaddressed.

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  • Persistent Issues:

  • Merson states that Arteta "still can't fix Arsenal issue" and "just can't get it right," implying a lack of resolution to fundamental team problems. (Articles 1, 8)

  • The core of his recent criticism appears to revolve around striker selection and strategy, suggesting that this specific area continues to be a point of contention and a potential weakness. (Articles 1, 2, 7, 8)

Expert Analysis:

  • Paul Merson (Former Player):

    "He can't get it right… If he plays Jesus like he did against Manchester United and he struggled. Then the week after he plays Gyokeres and he struggles then Jesus comes on. This time Jesus plays, he struggles then Gyokeres comes on and scores."

    "Paul Merson slams Mikel Arteta’s striker decision in Aston Villa vs Arsenal Arteta named Mikel Merino up front against Aston Villa instead of summer signing Viktor Gyokeres. If he had fitness issues, why is he on the bench?"

    "Paul Merson has warned Arsenal they ‘won’t win the Premier League’ if Mikel Arteta does not bring one of his star players back into the team."

    "The Gunners finished yet another season under Arteta without a trophy."

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Conclusion:

Paul Merson's consistent commentary over a period of months indicates a significant critique of Mikel Arteta's management at Arsenal. His primary concerns focus on the effective utilization of strikers, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino, and the club's ongoing failure to secure major trophies despite achieving high league finishes and Champions League qualification. Merson suggests that recurring issues in team selection and strategy persist, potentially hindering Arsenal's ambition for titles. While evidence points to Arsenal's consistent presence at the top of the league and in European competition, the absence of silverware since Arteta's initial FA Cup win remains a focal point of Merson's evaluation, leading to warnings about the manager's ability to overcome these challenges and capitalize on the team's competitive standing.

Sources:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Paul Merson saying about Arsenal?
Paul Merson thinks Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, needs to pick strikers better. He also says the team needs to win a trophy.
Q: Why is Merson talking about strikers?
Merson has seen times when strikers like Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres did not play well, or when he thinks the wrong player was chosen to start or come on as a substitute.
Q: Has Arsenal won any trophies?
Arsenal won the FA Cup when Mikel Arteta first started as manager. They have not won a big trophy since then, even though they finish high in the league.
Q: Does Merson think Arteta might lose his job?
Some reports suggest Merson has warned that if Arsenal doesn't win trophies soon, Arteta could be in trouble.
Q: Are there other opinions on Arteta's choices?
Yes, sometimes Arteta's decisions, like playing Mikel Merino up front, were made because other strikers were hurt.