Arsenal: 4 helpful ways to beat Southampton

Arsenal might just need to beat Southampton on Saturday. For whatever reason, it feels rather important that they do. Strange, that.

The ten game unbeaten run feels like an awful long time ago. The mood has shifted dramatically in and around the club, with Mikel Arteta cutting a grumpy figure in his pre-match press conference.

Never one to be an overly merry subject for his media duties, he knows the importance of three points against the Saints as much as anyone. There is the possibility of Arsenal moving up to fifth in the table by the end of the weekend, or down to eighth.

Just four points off the top four as it stands, there needs to be context: performances have not been anywhere near the expected level after the time he’s had on the job or with the recent summers’ investments, and excuses are running thin.

Arsenal vs Southampton: 4 things to help Mikel Arteta’s side return to winning ways in the Premier League against Hasenhuttl’s side on Saturday

They’ve been running thin for some time. While this current crop of players may only technically have 12 matches playing alongside one another, the attacking metrics continue to disappoint and some long-standing issues remain.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are 15th in the Premier League table. They’re not where they’d like to be, and their record of one win away from home all season should be all the invitation Arsenal need to extend that misery.

Personnel issues are among Arteta’s thinking with many of his senior players falling well below the standards expected of them. Thomas Partey’s lack of confidence is showing in his poor performances, while Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have just five goals between them.

A considerable improvement is paramount and Arsenal are coming up against a side who provide the platform to demonstrate that. On the quest to secure the victory on Saturday, nailing even a few of these points might help.

1. Make the Most of Willy

One of the more uncommon injury crises to hit football clubs has befallen Southampton, who are missing both of their main senior goalkeepers as they head to the Emirates Stadium.

Following injuries to Alex McCarthy and Fraser Forster, Hasenhuttl had to act fast in drafting in Willy Caballero on a free transfer. With Harry Lewis the club’s only other senior goalkeeper, but without an appearance to his name, the decision was made to bring the Argentine in on a short-term deal.

At the tender age of 40 and without a club up until a few days prior, if there was ever an opening for Arsenal to score a goal then it is on home soil against an ageing goalkeeper whose last appearance came over 12 months ago. Last season for Chelsea he played only two matches, one in the Premier League.

It really isn’t rocket science. It’s hardly tactical. Southampton have shipped plenty of goals already this season, are missing a key central defender and central midfielder, and are about to play a game where the communication between goalkeeper and defence has yet to be tested.

Aubameyang should be having FA Cup flashbacks of when he dinked one over Caballero to win the final over Chelsea. If that’s what he needs to inspire him, then so be it.

The inevitable Caballero masterclass awaits, obviously.

Continued on next page…