Unai Emery must utilise his strongest front line against struggling Southampton on Saturday.
I have already done articles on the defence and midfield that I feel Emery will select for the game against the Saints. Now onto the forwards, and you do not need to be a rocket scientist to predict who he will select.
I cannot see him not going with Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
I know he has dropped Pepe for the last couple of games but at home against Southampton, he simply has to pick him.
How he lines them up is a whole different matter, the manager is a law unto himself with formations but if he does not select Pepe against these opponents then you have to think it will start to damage the young man’s confidence.
If he goes with this trio then it is likely he will play Pepe on the right, Aubameyang on the left and Lacazette in the centre.
So, the lineup I think the Spaniard will go with in this must-win game is
Leno
Kolasinac
Luiz
Sokratis
Bellerin
Guendouzi
Xhaka
Ozil
Pepe
Lacazette
Aubameyang.
You can find my articles on the defence here and on the midfield here.
The formation is basically 4-2-1-2-1 sort of, a Christmas tree type with variability built-in. The likes of Kolasinac and Bellerin will have to utilise the wings and the likes of Pepe and Auba should have the freedom to cut inside at will.
But we are talking about Unai Emery so be prepared to be surprised. I mean, he does bewilder us almost every single game, doesn’t he?
I like the line up, but I’m not sure what Emery thinks.
Meanwhile, who thinks it’s wrong for Arsenal to go for Pochettino?
I think it’s wrong.
It’s against FIFA fair play.
It’s against the Arsenal DNA
It’s unethical.
It’s against the constitution.
You kill me men. I cant stop laughing!
Is KT injured? And if not then surely he would play him instead of kolasinac.
Holding needs game time so wouldn’t you play him rather then sokratis
If I see Xhaka back in I would go mad
Not ozil biggest fan but this game is tailor made for him..if he doesnt turn up for this game then he can pack his bags with Xhaka and UE and get the hell out of dodge
You know what, I have nothing against Emery, but he cannot manage to save his life. Obviously in Spain with a team of no names he excelled.
In England with a team of elite footballers he has no idea of player spaces onfield.. I think Pochettino is our best fit. With Spurs he had nothing, at the Arsenal he has champions. Let’s do this
Have Ozil, Pepe, Lacazette and Aubameyang ever started a game for Arsenal together?
And it’ll never happen either till Emery is there.
Allanball08, just to be clear, what would you think if Tierney is fit, but either sits on the bench or isn’t even in the squad?
The same goes for Holding versus Sokratis and , what exactly are you expecting from Ozil?
As for Xhaka, if he is selected, would you not want him to succeed – I find this the biggest conundrum of all and the fans at the Emirates have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders don’t you think?
I ask you these questions, simply because I have no idea what UE will come up with and even playing defensively against the Saints would not surprise me.
The only bit of good news for me personally, was the appointment of mourinho and the reported £15,000,000 a year salary he will earn as he breaks spuds team up.
Ken
I have lost the plot on team selection, tactics.
What every player pulls on the Jersey I will always want them to succeed in our colours.
Unfortunately my crystal ball tells me some players are not fit to wear our colours.
As for ozil… a person with bags of talent but waste full with it.
UE a dead man walking but we have a a board full of spinless people who cant pull the trigger.
Hate them or hate them at least the spuds have a person prepared to make and stand by there decision and actions
Mourinho is on 8m per year
Who is feeding this 15m to
People?
Mate, as an experienced, long term gooner, you have summed up everything that is pertinent at our club at the moment and that was why I asked.
I just cannot get my head round where the club is going, the coach is going and the fans are going ( by the number of empty seats AFC Wimbledon!).
I do believe that the spuds have taken an enormous risk, paying that reported £15,000,000 a year salary and a transfer kitty guarantee. ?.if the media reports are to be believed.
Let’s hope we get a positive crowd on Saturday, with a positive result, otherwise the fan will stop spinning, there being too much to hit the wall!!!
Ken
Like a lot of our fellow supports, not just our club but other clubs as well we have all seen the highs and lows before.
The one factor that we all fellow supporters have in common regardless who ever is in charge we still support the club that also means players and who is leading us at the time. We should never forget that.
Onwards and upwards ken
Levy goes back on his word all the time, lol. unsure about the transfer kitty
Xhaka in the team? He isn’t playing for us anymore, or that’s what we’ve been told.
Xhaka?
I think emery is too weak to start with both Pepe and Ozil, he prefers some other players for some nonsense reason.
Yes I agree completely. But don’t call me Shirley
Midfield and attack should be:
Torreira, Guendouzi, Ceballos, Pepe, Aubameyang and Lacazette
OR drop Lacazette for Aubameyang and play Martinelli on the Left
Ozil has been disappointing for the past 3 and a half years. Not even worth half his salary. Last season Mkhitaryan was better
He has played twice this season and didn’t contribute anything
But maybe playing Southampton, the 2nd lowest team in the Premier League will bring out the best in Ozil
I think hiring Poch is against the very core, the very ethic, the very values and the DNA of Arsenal. As far as the selection goes, Xhaka of all the people? After all that he has done? And where is Torreira, chambers, Holding and Ceballos? And what has KT done not to be included?
He is going to get a sack with that midfield and we will continue to ship in goals for fun. His sack is inevitable.
Top4dream I totally agree. Sokratis? Kolasinac? Xhaka??? Admin as bad as Emery!