I think that will happen eventually. While Partey is here it’s less necessary as the combo of him and Rice provides enough in the middle.
When Partey is truly done then Rice plays deeper and we hopefully add a player like Wirtz as an option for the left side of midfield. Merino will still be there and be a good option for certain games.
I hope next season is when that happens
It’s one of the most demanding roles in the team.
You’re a 6 when we’re defending and then you’re another striker when we’re attacking.
You really need a massive engine to pull off.
Scape 
again ole oleeeeee
I want to give him time but I also don’t see why we signed a 28 year old with buckets of experience who needs a seemingly long bedding in period.
Just doesn’t make sense to have pumped £30m+ into someone who might eventually come good next season when he’s 29.
I don’t even like to rush players as it takes time but the reason you sign players his age is because they’re supposed to be good enough now. We’re over the half way point of the season now and I’ve yet to see a single “good” performance from him or even signs of what it is he’s supposed to be good at.
Been absolutely rubbish today
He’s a system player
Signing him and Sterling in an attempt to go for the title is malpractice
Not ‘IT’
I was waxing lyrically about how good Bruno Guimaraes was this afternoon. Merino is the opposite of that
I am done with Merino. I know this is a very knee-jerk reaction but he’s pissed me off so much with his non-adventure. Boxy as fuck midfielder who struggles to get on the half-turn
Arrrrggggggh
We need more from you. Very soon and very quickly.
Half-way into a season now. Title race. We ain’t got time.
Lets keep it real though they knew what they were getting
He isn’t that guy on the ball, defensively A1 perhaps and a duel mnonster but he isn’t anywhere near what you’d want in adventure, vision, creation
We’ve assembled a team that has the phsyical stats, looks menacing but the way Arteta coaches requires much more quality all over the pitch and that is an issue.
This signing is a nasty one considering our lack of attacking quality
He’s an actual eye sore. When you’ve got Rice on the right side of midfield you don’t need his Spanish equivalent Arroz on left. It’s overkill.
Southgate would love that as a duo nuff said
Average. Lukewarm. Tepid.
That’s just who he is as a player.
Crap performance and still better than Jorginho and Rice.
He’s so fucking slow on the turn it’s beyond annoying
I’d rather be playing MLS over him
He inspires a lot more confidence despite the difference in age, just a shame MLS is too young to be really clocking up minutes
Merino as a signing doesn’t speak well of Arteta especially when we signed so few players of real quality
Errrmm could it be that the twat Edu screwed us over this season hence how he was shoved out the damn door so fast that he was gone in less than a day.
You can tell merino was 100% a Mikel signing.
He may have some culpabiltiy too but so does Arteta, you can’t tell me that Merino wasn’t his guy