Seaman Urges Arteta to Start Gyokeres Over Merino as Arsenal’s Main Striker

Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman has advised manager Mikel Arteta to play Viktor Gyokeres as the team’s primary number nine ahead of Mikel Merino.
Seaman shared his thoughts ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Brentford on Wednesday.

The discussion comes after Arteta surprised many by starting Merino—a natural midfielder—in the centre-forward role against Chelsea on Sunday, pushing Gyokeres to the bench. Merino operated as a false nine, a tactical choice that raised eyebrows among fans and pundits.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Seaman explained why he believes Gyokeres should be leading the line:

“When you look at Merino, he is more of a false nine, he drops back quite a lot. When you’ve got Gyokeres in there, he is an out-and-out striker, he gives you that option of holding the ball up and letting us get out.”

He added that Arsenal’s best option depends on Arteta’s tactical approach for each game, but personally, he would stick with a traditional striker:

“If that is what you want to do then Merino stays in there, but for me, I would play Gyokeres.”

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Arteta has never been shy about experimenting, whether it’s reinventing players’ positions or rotating his squad in unusual ways. Starting Merino as a false nine is another example of his belief in fluidity and unpredictability.

However, with Arsenal chasing consistency in attack, Seaman’s point carries weight. Gyokeres offers what Arsenal has often lacked—a pure striker who provides presence, hold-up play, and natural finishing instincts. Merino can link play brilliantly, but he cannot replicate a striker’s penalty-box instincts.

At a time when every point matters and Arsenal’s title hopes depend heavily on converting chances, Arteta may need to lean more on specialists rather than experiments.

If Arsenal want ruthlessness up front, Gyokeres might just be the man for the job.