Arsenal: 3 things we’d like to see vs Newcastle

2. Allan Saint-Maximin Kept Quiet

Allan Saint-Maxmin sticks out in Newcastle like a sore thumb.

That’s not because he wears a bandanna or has glorious social media presence. No. It’s because he’s actually good at football. Really good at football, to be truthful.

In a team containing a rather alarming amount of utter dross, the mantra of giving the ball to Saint-Maximin as every given opportunity and letting him conjure up something out of nothing was Bruce’s go-to trick on his single slide PowerPoint presentation.

Keeping the Frenchman quiet invariably means keeping Newcastle quiet. He has exceptional control when running at full speed and the technical craft to go inside or outside. From a neutral perspective there are few players, if any, in the division who bring as much excitement to the pitch than him.

Best cut off his service then, right?

Should Howe persist with the 3-4-3 shape it will be on his midfield quartet to progress him the ball as he is someone who favours it to feet than in behind, even when he’s playing in a wide position. His trickery is glorious and he is at his best when there is grass in front of him, not the ball.

The 24-year-old is the danger man and getting men around him, as is the trend these days as opposition sides learn more about him, is one of the keys to securing victory against Newcastle.

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