HIGHER LEARNING

Merino ready to go up a level with Gunners

- John Cross

MIKEL MERINO says Arsenal's giants are more like a basketball team.

The midfielder is 6ft 2in, which made him one of the tallest players at old club Real Sociedad.

But Merino admits it feels like he has moved to the land of the giants since joining Arsenal in the summer, because head coach Mikel Arteta has built a team of footballers who are 6ft-plus.

Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are the only players in the first-choice XI who are under 6ft, as Arteta wants his players to be strong in the air and have a physical presence.

Spain regular Merino said: "Sometimes it is crazy. I am in the corridors of the training ground just walking, and back at my old club I used to be one of the tallest.

"Now I look around and everyone is taller than me. We look like a basketball team.

"Football has changed and you need a strong team, physicality is key, we need to be the most complete team possible. You need the physical aspect, aspect, the tactical one, you need to be a total team to achieve big things, as we do.