Southampton vs Arsenal: 4 huge selection decisions

Arsenal's English midfielder Emile Smith Rowe (R) celebrates with Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette (L) after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Brentford at the Emirates Stadium in London on February 19, 2022. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Ian KINGTON / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images) /

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LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 20: Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe of Arsenal during the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on January 20, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /

3. Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, or Both?

It was arguably Smith Rowe’s weakest performance of the season in the defeat to Brighton, one where he ended up receiving the ball in the wrong areas and being too negative in possession.

Every pass was a wall pass and the energy he brings in advanced areas was lacking. It was as if he was playing with the handbrake on, partly due to the change of role for him.

There are no qualms about his capability of playing as a No. 10 or on the interior, it just feels as though he loses some of his explosion when he doesn’t have grass to run into and combination play going from out to in. It also doesn’t appear as if he’s fully fit yet.

If it is a 4-3-3 system that Arteta opts for then it’s near enough impossible not to field both Martinelli and Smith Rowe with the left No. 8 slot difficult for anyone else to pick up. But Arteta could go full galaxy brain and change things around and keep one of Smith Rowe or Martinelli on the bench in reserve.

Forgotten man Mohamed Elneny could enter the fray at the deepest midfielder, a move that would see Sambi shifted slightly to the left as the No. 8. There could then be some more solidity with Sambi keeping his spaces close to Elneny, allowing Odegaard to stay closer to Saka and rekindle their growing partnership.

It would be a baffling call. It truly would. But then can we rule anything out? Or, of course, he could move Xhaka back to the left No. 8 to take some of the spotlight away from Smith Rowe. That would be more suitable, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t it?

Prediction: Smith Rowe and Martinelli will both play

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