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Arsenal Vs Southampton: Predicted starting XI – More Mesut Ozil?

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 21: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal walks onto the pitch prior to the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between Arsenal and BATE Borisov at Emirates Stadium on February 21, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 21: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal walks onto the pitch prior to the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between Arsenal and BATE Borisov at Emirates Stadium on February 21, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Mesut Ozil
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 21: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal looks on during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between Arsenal and BATE Borisov at Emirates Stadium on February 21, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /

Front Three

As outlined in the previous slide, I expect Unai Emery to go with a two-striker set-up. That is the only way to aptly squeeze Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette into the same team. While I do believe that Emery would rather only play with one striker, he currently does not have the players to do so.

That leaves just one more position. Emery may choose to go with a more typical front three, Aubameyang shifted to one wing, Lacazette through the middle and either Alex Iwobi, Henrikh Mkhitaryan or Denis Suarez on the other wing. But I feel that he wants to play Mesut Ozil, now that the gauntlet has been laid down.

Emery has almost exclusively played Ozil from a central position and, if he starts Ozil, Lacazette and Aubameyang, I think he will have to adopt the 1-2 front three shape to do so. Suarez may feel a little aggrieved to not get his first start for the club, but getting Ozil going seems to be a key priority of Emery’s.

Arsenal Vs BATE Borisov: 5 things we learned. dark. Next

This is a game that Arsenal should win. It is a game they must win if they harbour any genuine hopes of a top-four finish. And with Manchester United playing Liverpool on the same day, when all is said and done, it is not unfathomable that they could be sitting in fourth position. This is a big week of football.

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