Having made it twenty-two games undefeated on Thursday night, Arsenal return to league action tomorrow with a trip down to the South coast where they visit a struggling Southampton side. As the start of the festive period, this game kicks off a run of six games in seventeen busy days so Emery will be looking for a comfortable trip consisting of all three points, no injuries, no suspensions and no issues ahead of Spurs on Wednesday night.
Arsenal
Form: W W W D W W
League Position: 5th
Goals Scored: 52
Goals Conceded: 24
Southampton
Form: D L D D L L
League Position: 19th
Goals Scored: 15
Goals Conceded: 31
Having seen the likes of Leno, Bellerin, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Torreira, Aubameyang and co rested on Thursday, all are expected to return tomorrow. The availability of captain Laurent Koscielny will be decided today behind closed doors but with suspensions to both Sokratis and Mustafi, Emery could be sweating over the fitness of his defensive leader. Having played more than an hour on Thursday night with no known issues, its likely that he'll be fit enough to start at least. Koscielny's fitness does however bare weight on the potential shape as a back three would only happen should he make it. Monreal and Lichtsteiner could debutise as a centre half pairing but that doesn't sound like a great afternoon to be perfectly honest so let's hope the skipper makes it. He could then centre this pair in a three, allowing our fresh full backs to really push on. Or it could be a pairing with Koscielny as one and Monreal as the other; both have done this together a few times before.
Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira seem to have nailed down the engine room partnership in central midfield, and we saw last weekend against Huddersfield that a true three-man central area just does not work. It's not necessary against the smaller teams and it really stifled Arsenal's creativity going forward. With these two deeper, it does allow for a number ten like Ozil or Ramsey to play in one of the false wide areas behind a central striker. Lacazette could lead the line with Aubameyang deployed in the left false wide, leaving three or four players fighting it out for the right false wide spot. The false wide roles allow for so much fluidity and movement with players being able to drift in a out of flanks, and in and out of space with the proper width coming from Bellerin and Kolasinac.
Aubameyang and Lacazette failed to deliver in a first half last time out in the league but away from home it could be a different story. Southampton are unlikely to sit in as deep for as long as Huddersfield did last weekend so there will be gaps for our talismen to hunt down. If it's one or other then it's likely to be Aubameyang with Lacazette having to settle for a place on the bench. He's proved more than once now how much of a force he can be coming on the bench against any team so it's certainly one to keep an eye on tomorrow.
The hosts, under new management, are seeking a new identity and style having seen the back of the failing Hughes a few weeks ago. The new man in charge has promised a new style and a new Southampton who'll work hard and make it difficult for teams to beat them. However, us Arsenal fans know how long it takes for a new ethos to bed in, having seen Emery's reign take two or three months to really hit home. The Saints need the points however, and this is where is could get interesting for Arsenal; so desperate for points and scrapping for their lives already, how long will it take before the new manager's method goes out the window in game, back to a gun-ho clueless attack that Hughes famed them for? This would really suit Arsenal, and at home, Southampton could be put under even more pressure with the home fans out in full voice.
Expected lineup:
GK: Bernd Leno
CB: Stephan Lichtsteiner
CB: Laurent Koscielny
CB: Nacho Monreal
RWB: Hector Bellerin
CM: Lucas Torreira
CM: Granit Xhaka
LWB: Sead Kolasinac
RAM: Mesut Ozil
LAM: Alex Iwobi
ST: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Prediction: 3-0 to Arsenal with PEA continuing his goal personal form.
@craigbennett10
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