“I’m not going to lie…” – Arsenal star admits to issue with Gunners’ big squad

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has praised the “finishers” in Mikel Arteta’s squad that can come on and make an impact off the bench.

However, the Spain international has also admitted that one issue with having such a big squad is that no one really wants to spend a lot of time on the bench.

Merino, speaking in the mixed zone after the Athletic Bilbao game, was clearly referencing Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, who both came on to score and assist for Arsenal’s two goals.

Still, Merino also admitted that every player wants to play, so it will be interesting to see how he and others react if their playing time is limited over the course of the campaign…

? "I'm not going to lie…" – Mikel Merino speaks out on having so much competition in this Arsenal squad now…? pic.twitter.com/NjdIYH9jjx

— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) September 20, 2025

Mikel Merino playing an important role at Arsenal, even if he’s never likely to be a regular starter

Merino has had a decent impact since joining Arsenal from Real Sociedad last season, and he continues to shine for his national side.

The 29-year-old is capable of playing a variety of different positions, so that should serve him well in terms of playing time this term.

However, Charles Watts recently discussed his role in his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, and suggested he couldn’t see Merino being a starter very often due to it not being clear how well he fits into Arteta’s tactical set-up.

“I do think he is an underrated player and he gets a lot of unfair criticism. A lot of people wrongly view him as a defensive player and we saw that in the reaction to his inclusion in the starting XI at Anfield before the international break,” Watts said.

“Like others, I would have preferred to have seen someone like Eberechi Eze start that day against Liverpool. Playing Merino with Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi did feel like the conservative option in terms of creativity from midfield, but there is no doubt he offers a serious goal threat. He’s just very composed when he gets a sniff of a chance.

“I think the biggest issue with him when it comes to Arsenal is it’s still not really clear exactly what type of player he is when it comes to the system Mikel Arteta plays.

“When he is picked in midfield we very rarely see him drift into the type of space that allows him to get the sort of chances we saw him finish so well against Turkey.

“So maybe if Arteta wants to get the best out of him he has to find a role that gives him a bit more freedom in and around the box.

“Realistically though I don’t really see that happening unless he gets used as a striker, which is why I don’t ever really see Merino being a regular starter in this team if everyone is fit.”

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