Arteta's 'dice roll' made Arsenal seem 'so much more human'published at 09:21 19 February
Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal found an alternative way of fixing their striking crisis, in the short term anyway. Mikel Merino came on up front as a sub with 21 minutes to go against Leicester and promptly notched a brace, making the hardest thing in the game to do, actually scoring goals, look stunningly easy.
Three of his five Premier League goals so far have been headers and he scored a few when at Real Sociedad too, so there is a little of the "big man up front" somewhere in his DNA.
The fact he hadn't played as a striker since he was eight years old, that he hadn't practiced the position during the week and that he looked as surprised as anyone by his success all made me feel very happy. For all the reams of statistics about who can score goals and the data analysis on attacking strategies, Mikel Arteta was forced into going for the 'Hail Mary' option. It was a desperate prayer based on nothing more than a hunch.
Considering the countless hours structuring their set pieces in front of computer screens to provide just a few more opportunities, this dice roll made the team seem so much more human.
I have always thought managers are too reticent trying players in different positions. Merino moving up front was a short-term masterstroke and not that complicated seeing as he has height and has a decent record in scoring, particularly headers.
Other players are generally pretty adaptable, unless you are that out-and-out centre forward. Those players rarely have any interest in playing anywhere else.
Remember that players don't arrive at the top level without having played a few positions throughout their lives. I had never really played on the wing/wide attacking area until I turned professional, I had been a striker or No.10 all my life previously.
Every team has a few that could be adapted, but I reckon Arsenal could put Declan Rice almost anywhere and he would be fine…including centre forward.
It comes down to managers considering players in a wider sense. It is one area where the game is less adaptable now than years ago.
With so many subs available you usually have a specialist sub ready to replace anyone, this was not the case in the days of one or two subs on the bench.
Back then you had to be adaptable as a coach and as a player.
Elsewhere, seven weeks ago, I wrote here that Ethan Nwaneri probably didn't need to be slowly introduced to first-team football, as Arteta was suggesting. Even though he is 17, to me he looked ready for the step up. Nearly two months later I suspect most people now agree with me.
I wonder if Bukayo Saka is getting just a tiny little bit concerned about his position?
Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
