Time to drop Auba? What to expect from Arsenal v Southampton

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Time to drop Auba? What to expect from Arsenal v Southampton

When it was announced yesterday that London was heading into Tier 3, perhaps the only people to greet the news with any joy were the 2,000 fans who had tickets for Arsenal’s clash with Southampton on Wednesday night.

Enhanced restrictions mean it's back behind closed doors from this week, denying Arsenal fans the chance to see their side try and avoid writing their names into the history books for all the wrong reasons.

Defeat on Wednesday would mark the first time Arsenal have ever lost five successive home games and pile further pressure on a beleaguered Mikel Arteta.

Can the Gunners stop the rot? Here's what to expect from a tricky encounter…

Mikel’s midfield dilemma

It remains to be seen whether Granit Xhaka's suspension turns out to be a blessing or a curse but either way, his absence gives Mikel Arteta a decision to make in midfield.

Give the young guns a chance and offer Joe Willock or Ainsley Maitland-Niles an opportunity or stick with experience through the likes of Dani Ceballos?

It would be refreshing to see faith placed in Arsenal's young guns – Maitland-Niles in particular appears due a start – but Arteta's instincts of late have sided with experience.

Emile Smith Rowe is the outside bet and could provide the link between midfield and attack which has been sorely missing despite a brief renaissance which suggested Alexandre Lacazette could fill the void.

Take Auba out the firing line?

When Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang's superb brace won Arsenal the FA Cup final in August, you'd have got long odds on reading calls for him to be dropped by Christmas.

But he has scored just four goals since that famous day at Wembley – only two of which have come in the Premier League – and there is a growing train of thought that it might do him and the team good to take him out the firing line.

It wouldn't necessarily have to be described as a 'dropping'. After all, Arsenal have a jam-packed schedule coming up over Christmas and rotation will be the order of the day.

In Jannik Vestergaard, Southampton have one of the Premier League's in-form centre-halves and Aubameyang in this form is unlikely to get much change out of him. Is it time to see what Eddie Nketiah can do?

Throw caution to the wind

If Aubameyang is retained, he will need some support around him to avoid a repeat of the isolated figure we have seen all too often this season.

It is time for Arsenal to stop retreating into themselves and go down fighting (not like that, Granit) – or at the very least have a go. The football at times this season has been painful to watch and a far cry from the back-end of the last campaign.

At the moment, it looks like it's a chore to play for Arsenal. The players are carrying lead weights on their backs and confidence appears understandably shot.

Arteta has to try and free the shackles. Southampton arrive in a confident mood and will fancy their 
chances – they are unlikely to sit in and play for a point. That should open up space for Arsenal and they simply must exploit it. Another home defeat is not an option.

Photo credit: Getty Images

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