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Should Arsenal continue with the Mikel Merino experiment?
We are two games into Arsenal's experiment with Mikel Merino leading the line, and we aren't sure if we have gotten a definitive answer as to whether the Spaniard can hold down the fort until reinforcements arrive.
Against Leicester City, in a 2-0 win, Merino came off the bench and looked every bit the centre forward the Gunners needed with a powerful header and neatly taken goal paving the way for a superb brace that has fans thinking maybe he could deliver.
But then the 1-0 defeat to West Ham happened.
Merino couldn't make lightning striker twice and the Gunners, as a result, looked toothless up front and the lack of creativity behind Merino didn't help his cause either.
Should Arsenal stick with Merino?
That brings us to the question ahead of Nottingham Forest - should Arteta deploy Merino up top again?
Given we have two games and in each one a great reason to both have him start and the other for him not to, this looms as the tie-breaker to see if Merino can offer something when leading the line.
But is there faith that the Spaniard can deliver?
"Yes - in relation to the opposition and the options we have, and then what the team generates as well," Arteta said via arsenal.com. "Attacking players depend a lot on what the team is generating, the chemistry, the fluidity, the areas we are hitting, and how we interact with each other. It worked really against Leicester, but the other day there were a lot of things missing."
So Arteta has faith that Merino can be "that" guy, but does the Arsenal fan base share that same faith?
We aren't so sure, but that faith could be ignited against Forest in the same way it was against Leicester, but after the West Ham outing, fans likely aren't sure if Mikel has it in his locker.
Of course, if the likes of Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard, and Ethan Nwaneri can get the creative juices flowing, then Merino will have the best chance at getting on the scoresheet.
If the Gunners are to keep Liverpool within their sights (might already be long gone) and also fend off the possibility of dropping out of the top four, then putting it frankly, Merino will need to offer something to the Arsenal front line.
Why? Because its top four hopes might rest on it.