Paul Merson has prompted Mikel Arteta to rethink his attacking setup ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven. With injuries depleting the squad, Arteta has experimented by playing Mikel Merino as a striker, a decision that Merson finds baffling.
Arsenal head into the match with concerns over their attacking output, having failed to score in their last two games. Merson acknowledges that PSV would have been a favorable draw if Arsenal were at full strength, but with their current limitations, the tie has become far more dangerous.
While Arsenal remain in the Premier League title race, they trail Liverpool by 13 points, making the Champions League their most realistic chance of silverware. However, Merson believes their path to European success will be extremely difficult, as they could face Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals and potentially Liverpool in the semis.
Ultimately, Merson feels Arsenal’s season hinges on their ability to overcome their goal-scoring issues. He argues that a bad 45 minutes could eliminate them from the competition, as they lack the firepower to dominate opponents early.