Mikel Merino may be a bit of an exaggeration when calling Arsenal's midfield "the best midfielder in football". But after the overwhelming performance against Man City in the Community Shield, that assessment is no longer easy to refute.
The appearance of Bruno Guimaraes has significantly upgraded Arsenal's midfield area. The Brazilian player brings strength, tackling ability and flexibility to the midfield that has made a great contribution to helping the "Gunners" win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final last season.
Against Man City, Guimaraes started alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martin Odegaard. In the second half, Arteta brought Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice onto the field, before Eberechi Eze replaced Odegaard. Mikel Merino wasn't even used.
Odegaard, Rice, Zubimendi, Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly, Eze and Merino. Seven high-quality options for a midfield are something not many teams in the world possess. The total value of this group of players exceeds 350 million pounds.
Last season, Man City was still a rare opponent capable of overwhelming Arsenal in midfield. Rodri and Bernardo Silva once helped Pep Guardiola's team completely control matches in the Carabao Cup and Premier League. But Bernardo has moved to Real Madrid, while Rodri is about to join Barcelona.
The absence of two experienced midfielders made Man City lack control and flexibility. That gap became even clearer in the second half, when Arsenal continuously created sharp moves in the center.
This is a forgettable match for Elliot Anderson, Man City's £116 million signing. The English midfielder only played 60 minutes and faced many difficulties under pressure from Guimaraes and Lewis-Skelly.
It was Lewis-Skelly who assisted the opening goal after overcoming Phil Foden and then made a favorable pass for Riccardo Calafiori. Anderson and Mateo Kovacic almost did not have a significant impact on the match.
The Citizens still faced difficulties when Nico Gonzalez and Rico Lewis were brought onto the field. Only Rayan Cherki, after appearing from the bench, somewhat caused difficulties for Arsenal's midfield.
It is not surprising that Man City is looking for ways to add personnel to this area. Ayyoub Bouaddi of Lille and Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea are on the target list. The team that once dominated the Premier League for many years now has to find a way to narrow the gap with Arsenal in this important position.
Meanwhile, Guimaraes brings Arsenal a comprehensive midfielder model. He is strong in tackles but also capable of penetrating the opponent's defense. The Brazilian player has more creative passes than Rice and more fierce tackling ability than Zubimendi.
Every time Guimaraes made a powerful tackle, the shouts "Bruno!" rang out from the stands. He quickly won the hearts of Arsenal fans.
The addition of Guimaraes also helps Arteta reduce dependence on Rice and Zubimendi. Last season, Arsenal paid the price because these two midfielders worked too hard. Having one more classy option helps Arteta rotate the squad and maintain fitness for key players.
However, Arsenal may still have to sell some midfielders before the transfer window closes. Ethan Nwaneri is the name with the highest possibility of leaving, while Lewis-Skelly's future is also not entirely certain.
We want the players to be able to complement each other. That helps the team have flexibility, diversity and the necessary qualities.
Today, we have seen that when we can change personnel and bring different qualities at each point of the match. That is really a great strength" - Arteta said.
