Arsenal will be hoping to stop their restart rot as they face Southampton at St Mary’s on Thursday.
It’s been a miserable time for Mikel Arteta’s side, who find themselves eleventh in the Premier League table having lost both of their matches since the season restarted.
They’ve made moves this week off the field, tying Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares down to permanent contracts, while also extending David Luiz’s stay at the club by another year.
Sorting out the futures of three players is usually good news but awarding Cedric, whose last appearance in senior football came on January 21… for Southampton has raised eyebrows, while a number of Arsenal fans including talkSPORT’s Laura Woods have questioned the reasons behind giving the erratic Luiz a new deal.
And life could get a whole lot more difficult for Arsenal if they’re not on top of their game against a Southampton side, who looked very good with a dominant win over Norwich last week.
The match is likely to see two of the Premier League’s top five goalscorers this season in Danny Ings and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but who else should get picked?
“I don’t know a single Arsenal fan that would back the decision” – Laura Woods shocked by David Luiz’s new contract
Southampton team news
Saints forward Shane Long will be available, having missed the win at Norwich through a muscle complaint.
However, Moussa Djenepo remains suspended for Southampton following his March sending off against Newcastle.
How Southampton should look
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men put on a very professional display as they thrashed Norwich 3-0. We think they should go for the same team that played so well at Carrow Road.
Yes, Arsenal are much higher in the table than Norwich but both sides are playing at a similarly poor standard right now. The onus is on Southampton to win this game.
As mentioned, Long is available again but Michael Obafemi did well last time out, getting an assist and causing problems for the Norwich defence so it would be harsh to drop the 19-year-old.
Arsenal team news
Arteta is without a host of first-team regulars, with Luiz serving the last of a two-game ban.
Meanwhile, fellow defenders Pablo Mari (ankle), Calum Chambers (knee) and Cedric Soares (facial) miss out although Sokratis Papastathopoulos is fit following a thigh strain.
Bernd Leno and Gabriel Martinelli (both knee) are absent, while it is also set to come too soon for Lucas Torreira (ankle), but Granit Xhaka is now available for selection following an ankle knock sustained against Man City.
How Arsenal should look
Their long injury list, plus Arsenal’s bad form means Arteta should really consider a change in formation.
Why is he so reluctant to play two strikers? Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are the only Arsenal players near the world-class bracket. They have a great understanding and it was their excellent form last season which helped them reach the Europa League final.
Arsenal’s defence is inadequate for a side trying to get European football so outscoring opponents is an approach Arteta should really consider for the time being, which is why Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe have been put on the wings.
As for Mesut Ozil, unless his attitude and application changes dramatically, he shouldn’t get a look-in.
Dani Ceballos and Matteo Guendouzi started in central midfield at Brighton.
Ceballos has been ineffective for large parts, while Guendouzi let his temper get the better of him as he clashed with Brighton forward Neal Maupay.
So, we’ve gone for Xhaka and Willock in the middle of the park. Yes, Willock has limitations and Xhaka can be temperamental but those are the best options they have right now.
Sokratis is available so should be reinstated into the starting XI as he’s their best available centre-back. It means the error-prone Shkodran Mustafi will have to make way.
At full-back, Arsenal are actually okay with the experienced Hector Bellerin on the right while Kieran Tierney is a very competent player. Emilian Martinez has to start as Leno is out for a few weeks after sustaining a knee injury at Brighton.
