Mikel Arteta Faces Midfield Dilemma After Arsenal Draw With Manchester City
Arsenal director Mikel Arteta has been prompted to reevaluate his midfield approach following Sunday’s 1- 1 draw with Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.
The match saw Erling Haaland strike first for the callers before Gabriel Martinelli saved a point for the Gunners late on.
The result leaves Arsenal five points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool. For some, the draw stressed recreating issues.
Theo Walcott, speaking on Match of the Day, questioned whether Arteta’s midfield setup was too conservative against top-league opposition.
“With Martin Ødegaard absent, Arteta opted for energy and physicality in midfield rather than creativity,” Walcott observed.
Arteta fielded Mikel Merino alongside Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice, leaving summer signing Eberechi Eze on the bench. Walcott suggested this combination may not be ideal.
“There are a number of players who like to start in that position,” he said. “Merino isn’t that No10, and I’d like to see someone like Eze up there who is going to be a bit more creative.
“We’ve got some similar players and a lot of left-footers as well. Merino and Zubimendi are both left-footed and very similar in that sense. Sometimes, for me, they get in each other’s way. The balance isn’t right.”
Despite dominating possession, Arsenal plodded to convert control into meaningful chances. Martinelli’s goal ultimately came as a reward for Arteta’s late substitutions, but Walcott criticised the delayed attacking approach.
“My question would be, why did it take until the 90th minute for Arsenal to go on the offensive? Why not from the start?
“I’m not normally critical of Arteta, but it feels like he got away with one today. It felt like he admitted he made a mistake with his team selection by making two subs at half-time, while his other changes came really late on.”
Sunday’s draw underscores a patient challenge for Arteta, balancing a midfield able to provide both protective reliability and creative spark.
With Liverpool and Manchester City pulling ahead, the pressure is on the Gunners to find the right blend before the season reaches its critical stages.
