Raya and Merino on goals, Euro 2024 and paella!

David Raya and Mikel Merino sat down this week to discuss the latter’s goalscoring ability, the importance of keeping clean sheets and more.

The pair were also asked about the Premier League title race, our upcoming game against West Ham United, and enjoying success together with Spain as well as Arsenal.

Reflecting on last weekend’s 2-0 win away to Leicester City, where Mikel was deployed as a striker in the second half, he spoke about how committed he was to the task at hand.

“Well at the beginning it was shocking when they started talking to me about it, but in the end as players all we want is to help the team,” he said. “The first impression was surprising, but the second one was ‘alright, if that’s going to be my job, let’s try to do it the best way possible’.

“Obviously when we talked about it we talked about it as a possibility, but then on the pitch when Mikel [Arteta] told me that I was coming on up front, I had to take that mentality of ‘you’re not a midfielder anymore, let’s play as a striker, try to focus on being in the box in the right spots and try to help the team’. That’s what I did!

“I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t enjoy it because to score two goals in 20 minutes is unbelievable, unreal! But we will see. I don’t hide from any responsibility. If the coach wants me to play there I’ll be ready, whatever the team needs. If I can do anything to help the team I’ll try my best so I can tell you I’ll be ready just in case.”

David added: “I told him after the game, he came on and I went straight for a chat with Declan and I just understood that he said he was going to go as a number nine. My first thought was ‘he’s going to come on and score’. I know how he plays, how he reads the game and how he interacts with any position. I know how good he is in the box, as you saw against Leicester. He scored two striker’s goals basically, so I was just so happy for him and of course the team that we got away with the three points.”

The two goals were taken with such calmness and confidence that it was surprising to hear Mikel had never played up front in his career before, but he said he felt relaxed in that position.

“Yes I think I did. The chat I had in the morning prepared me for what was coming, but once I’m on the pitch it’s about just applying the principles you have as a player. It doesn’t matter if it’s a striker or midfielder, I think I’ve got and David has as well, we’re students of the game so we know what we have to do in our position but we also know what our teammates have to do in their positions, their roles. That’s the way this team plays.

“Everybody has responsibility and we should know which ones are them. I understood the role of a striker, I think my characteristics as a player suit that role as well because in the box I think I’m a threat and yes, I was calm because obviously I was in my comfort zone being in the box trying to head the ball or trying to get in the right spot, and obviously with my teammates giving me those amazing balls, that made the job easier.”

"Last week we had paella at mine. We try to meet up as much as possible!"

Asked about the Premier League title race, in which we could close the gap to five points to Liverpool ahead of their game this weekend, Mikel thinks it could go right to the wire.

“I guess as a player and a football lover you always watch what other teams do, not only because it’s Liverpool,” he said. “I saw the game the other day, this is a really tough league and everybody drops points. It’s inevitable, so the job for us is to focus on ourselves. We’ve been saying it for a long time now, even in the first leg where Liverpool were clear with more points, we have to keep doing what we’re doing. Keep focusing on the things we need to improve. There are things we’re doing at a really high level and others that we know we have to improve. With that mentality I think we will be closer at the end of the season.”

For this weekend’s test, we host West Ham at Emirates Stadium - our first time taking on the Hammers with Graham Potter at the helm.

“I think it’s going to be very different,” David said. “They’re trying to find the rhythm with the new manager. We know it’s not easy to apply all the principles that a manager wants, it takes time. We’re expecting a very difficult fixture, we know how good they are, especially with top individuals. They have quality players who can hurt anybody at any time, so we’re going to have to be very focused, especially on transitions. We’re going to be ready for the weekend and try of course to get the three points and win the game.”

David and Mikel have shared many fond memories together at international level as well, winning Euro 2024 with Spain last summer.

“It was incredible, not just because we won it,” David said. “For the set of lads that we had, the squad, the friendships that you make, we were together for 45 days and you get to know your teammates even more. We’re used to having maybe a week or 10 days together, but having 45 days with teammates, they become friends. Having that amazing journey to win the trophy is incredible. I played a part of one game and that makes it more special."

“It was an unbelievable journey,” Mikel added. “Everyone will remember it for the rest of their lives. It was like a dream. You look at it with perspective, it feels like it’s fake and it never happened, but the pictures are there to prove it! Being able to add to the legacy of the country with all of my guys from Sociedad is unbelievable.

“It shows the culture we have in Spain about football, how big it is and how new generations are coming up even stronger, or maybe not stronger because the ones before were unbelievable, but with the hunger and desire to prove that we’re still capable of winning big things. Here we have an amazing generation. We proved that not only by winning the Euros, but also the Nations League the year before and hopefully in the future we can try to achieve more trophies.”

Despite a hectic fixture schedule throughout much of the season, David and Mikel still try to spend time together off the pitch.

“We try, we have a chaotic schedule but last week we met up at mine to have a paella at home with some friends and the wives, so we try to meet up as much as possible,” David said. “We need to rest as well and time with our partners, so we try to find some days.”