Merino explains Arteta's 'finishers' approach and why Arsenal need a big squad

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Mikel Merino has detailed what he calls a “new style” behind Arsenal's bench, revealing that Mikel Arteta has installed a fresh approach to how substitutes are used, built around the idea of “finishers” who are ready to make an instant impact late in matches.

The Spain midfielder has yet to start a Premier League match this season but has come off the bench in all six of Arsenal's league games so far. He started against Lille in the Champions League, a game in which substitutes including Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard ultimately played the decisive roles in sealing the win.

Arteta oversaw a reshuffle of his fitness and medical staff over the summer, and Merino's comments suggest that shift has come alongside a tactical and psychological rethink of how the matchday squad operates as a whole.

'A new style absolutely'

Speaking to the Mirror, Merino said: “There's a new style absolutely. That's very personal, some players might like something and some players might like other things. I do like a lot what we're doing, you can see the squad is fresh and ready to play at the highest level with the highest rhythm to the last minute. That's good news. I don't want to speak too much about it, to reveal anything or compare two different staff members.”

He was careful to credit the previous backroom staff too, adding: “We really loved the guys who were here before and really appreciated the work they were putting in for us. The team was ready last season, this season it's a different concept that's working, congratulations to everyone.”

Why the squad has to be big

Merino, a World Cup winner with Spain, pointed to the sheer number of fixtures Arsenal face across four competitions as the reason squad depth has become non negotiable under Arteta.

“Mentality is key,” he said. “Also a bit of intelligence to have the reference of how the game is going, not only the result but what are they doing on the pitch, the momentum of the game, if we're attacking or defending, what the team needs from you in that moment and then adapt to it with the best attitude possible.”

He continued: “It's the key of this squad. Everyone is ready when they have the chance. With the amount of games we have, you see the squads are getting bigger and bigger. There is no chance we could have a small squad. You need the biggest squad possible with most quality possible. I'm a perfect example of this, the finishers are crucial.”

Merino added that he remains content with his role regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench: “I'm happy to play to be fair. Whenever I'm on the pitch I'm with the best mentality, the best character to make an impact and put everything I have on the pitch.”

With Arsenal chasing success on multiple fronts this season, the contribution of substitutes like Merino, Havertz and Saka could prove just as important as the starting eleven over the course of a long campaign.