Post-match thoughts from Merino
The Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino said he was somewhat disappointed after the team failed to beat Chelsea.
Arsenal and Chelsea drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League's Week 13.
Merino told BBC after the game that when you do not win, it is never a good point; the season is long and there are many points to play for, and this stadium is very tough.
He added that he feels disappointed because every time they enter this stadium they want to win.
He continued that scoring is always good and the most important thing is helping the team to earn a point or win; recently he has been playing as a forward, trying to move into the right positions so his team can find him, and he managed to do so today.
He said he learned from the forwards who played with them last season, about their movements, and he asked if they could share tips on positioning inside the box and staying on the right side of defenders; he tries to learn from every game, every movement, and every striker he sees on TV, and this helps him.
Merino added that Chelsea have players with good build, know how to defend, and high quality players; yet he thinks if they had been a bit better they could have caused more damage to the defense, and the team reacted well after the goal.
He also noted that the London derby is always exciting, but the red card shown to Caicedo was harsh and very tough to accept; but this is what you expect in this league and at this stadium; this is a game for grownups and you must be more mature.
He finished that it has been a decisive week for them; they showed strong character and resilience with limited recovery time, and the performance of all players was great; they hope to maintain this level for the rest of the season.
Derby notes: red card and reaction
The match also featured a red card for Caicedo, which Merino described as harsh; Arsenal responded well and remain hopeful for the campaign.
Punchline 1: If football were a sniper, Merino would aim with precision, landing that decisive touch and leaving the defense in the crosshairs of the net.
Punchline 2: In a London derby, the only thing louder than the stadium is the postmatch analysis crowd telling you what to do next.
