‘He has to start our next game no matter what’: Paul Merson urges Mikel Arteta to put £12m Arsenal player in his first choice starting line-up
Paul Merson has urged Mikel Arteta to put Arsenal midfielder Jorginho in his starting line-up moving forward.
Jorginho has impressed over the past couple of games and helped Arsenal keep their title hopes alive. The 31-year-old replaced Thomas Partey in the starting line-up after the Ghanaian struggled for form.
Arsenal brought in Jorginho from Chelsea for a fee worth £12 million in January and he was expected to play a back-up role to Partey.
This has been the case for the most part, but the Italian international has forced his way into the side over Partey of late.
And Paul Merson has told Sky Sports that Jorginho must become a first-choice starter from here on out.
Merson urges Arteta to start Jorginho now
Merson believes Arteta may regret not giving Jorginho the nod over Fabio Vieira for the 3-3 draw against Southampton last month.
“I think Mikel Arteta will have learnt lessons from this last month,” Merson said. “Looking back, Jorginho should have started against Southampton.
“It was a game Arsenal simply had to win, not by seven or eight goals, just win. I know hindsight is crystal clear, but Jorginho was brought in for a reason, and I think he would have helped keep things tight, ensured Southampton didn’t score, and then created chances.
“I was shocked Fabio Vieira, who has not had a great season, played ahead of Jorginho, and Arsenal went on to draw the game.
“Jorginho manages the game. People say he cannot run, but you don’t have to run, his brain is quick. You’re better off having a quick brain than quick legs.
“You know what the best skill in football is? It isn’t stepovers or flicks, funnily enough it’s finding your team-mates with the ball. It’s an unbelievable skill that often goes under the radar. Everyone wants to see players beating seven defenders and scoring amazing solo goals, but the best skill is passing the ball successfully.
“Don’t talk to me about ballers! It’s about keeping the ball, looking after the ball, passing and moving. Jorginho was man-of-the-match at Newcastle because he did just that. What he did won’t be on social media, kids won’t be watching that, there won’t be clips, because what he does goes under the radar.
“For me, Jorginho has to play for Arsenal. They have got the ammunition up front, we have seen that, Martinelli and Saka have delivered, whereas Jorginho brings balance.”
Arsenal have dramatically improved since Jorginho’s introduction to the starting line-up and he was named Man of the Match in the 2-0 win over Newcastle on Sunday.
It seems likely that he will keep his place in the side until the end of the campaign now.
The Gunners’ hopes of being crowned Premier League champions rests on Manchester City slipping up along the way.
But on current form, Arsenal stand a better chance of doing their job with Jorginho in the side over Partey.
