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.

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2. Stop Feeling Sorry for the Opponent

Now, Arsenal aren’t actually feeling sorry for their opponents, they just sure as heck look like it.

Going to Old Trafford, it was as if they knew it would be Michael Carrick’s final involvement with the club, understood their rivals’ poor form and wanted to give the club and its manager something to cheer about, such was the tepidness of the display. It was an early Christmas present.

Fast forward a few days to Everton and seeing how unhappy their supporters were and how dreadful their form had been, why not ease their pain too?

It all has to stop. Southampton head to north London without a win in four matches and are once again battling at the wrong end of the table, leaving it to feel like yet another glorious opportunity be their saviour in times of need. No.

Like a James Bond order, it needs to be shoot to kill.

At no point can Arsenal act like they’re taking it easy on their opponents as other performances have suggested. If they do find themselves a goal in front, go for another. If they do see Southampton struggling to cope with overloads on the left, don’t keep switching the ball out the right.

This ‘nice’ Arsenal needs throwing in the bin. Southampton are another bad team. Don’t be the agony aunt seeking to take over that burden for them. Be ruthless, and don’t hold back.

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3. Don’t Give James Ward-Prowse the Chance

Manchester United’s weakness is their defence, and their attack is their strength. Naturally, Arsenal’s response was to sit back and abandon any adventure.

Everton’s weakness was how easily they were played through midfield, and their strengths are Demarai Gray and Richarlison. Naturally, Arsenal’s response was to play the ball slowly side to side and let those two run off Granit Xhaka.

Southampton’s biggest strength is the right boot of James Ward-Prowse. So, for that reason, giving away stupid fouls in and around the box is precisely what Arsenal shouldn’t be doing.

Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey are the likely midfield partnership. One of them is reckless and lets emotions get the better of him, while the other is so shot for confidence it’s forcing him into clumsy errors. It’s not the best combination going.

Keeping heads screwed on is essential. This Southampton team do not score many goals, and when they do they are dreadful at holding on to them, so there is no reason to present them with more opportunities to rectify those shortcomings.

Aaron Ramsdale can’t pull out saves like the one at Leicester every week. Well, maybe he can, but don’t test the theory.

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4. Stick to a Known Tactical Approach

When there appeared to be signs of something working for Arsenal over the unbeaten run it felt like the perfect opportunity to build on that platform. It was the closest this team have come to being a high pressing side (which Arteta clearly doesn’t favour) and with a few tweaks it had the potential to be successful.

Since then Arteta has fielded Elneny at Old Trafford and instructed Alexandre Lacazette to dovetail with Martin Odegaard as double No. 10’s. Any notion of pressing has vanished and in the bid to find a winning solution he’s reverting to old methods.

So long as the method isn’t completely outlandish, then it should be enough.

Play 4-2-3-1. Arteta would be best using the talent in the squad in a way that he wants, but that also doesn’t shackle the players with a whole new set of rules and regulations. Finding a formula that works doesn’t require knocking all the building blocks down and starting all over again with a new plan.

Working within the framework of a system that secured results previously won’t clog the players’ minds. They shouldn’t have to balance Lacazette dropping into right-back with Martinelli shifting infield to stretch the last line of defence for the first time a Goodison Park.

All of these intricate and elaborate approaches are too much. Arteta can show himself to be an effective tactical manager without needing to demonstrate he can coach every system going. Just keep it simple.