Arsenal legend Ian Wright criticized Mikel Merino following the team’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle, stating the Spaniard “wasn’t tight enough in and around the midfield.”
Newcastle’s Alexander Isak scored with a powerful header in the 14th minute, and the Gunners failed to respond in another lackluster away performance. Arsenal, last season’s Premier League runners-up, were fortunate that title rivals Manchester City suffered their first defeat in 33 matches later that day against Bournemouth.
With Martin Ødegaard sidelined due to injury, Arsenal has noticeably lacked a creative presence in midfield, and Mikel Arteta will be eager to have his captain fit for next weekend’s London derby against Chelsea.
Merino, signed for £32 million from Real Sociedad, struggled to make an impact in the attacking third and was substituted for academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri with 30 minutes left at St James’ Park.
While analyzing the match on Premier League Productions, Wright noted that Merino seems “still getting up to speed” with the demands of English football.
“Ødegaard has been out for a while now. We’ve spoken about our other options… Fabio Vieira hasn’t had much playing time either,” Wright said. “Emile Smith Rowe has moved on to Fulham and is doing well for himself.
“Ethan Nwaneri came on today, and it’s a lot of pressure for a young player in a title-challenging team. At this stage of the season, ten games in, we shouldn’t be this tepid—not creating enough chances or applying sufficient pressure.
“Merino wasn’t tight enough in midfield again. I think he’s still adjusting.”
Wright emphasized that Arsenal fans can’t keep using Ødegaard’s absence as an excuse for the team’s recent struggles. “It’s frustrating to be ten games in and feeling this way, especially knowing how difficult it is to chase down Manchester City,” he said. “One shot on target against Bournemouth and one shot today—it’s simply not good enough for a title-contending team. There’s a lot of work to be done in that dressing room. We can’t keep saying we’re missing Ødegaard; we know it’s a factor.”
In his post-match press conference, Arteta echoed Wright’s sentiments about Ødegaard, stating: “We could discuss this all day. We haven’t had him for the last six weeks, and we still don’t.
“But we have other solutions that can be effective. Today, we need to reflect on ourselves, congratulate Newcastle, and move forward.”