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Arsenal’s 22-game unbeaten run in all competitions came to a crashing halt on Sunday afternoon as they fell to a surprise defeat against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium.
The Gunners’ defeat can partially be attributed to the dearth of defenders Unai Emery had available for selection, though, the Spanish coach will still feel as though his side could have done more to ensure that at least a point was taken from the match.
On the chalkboard
The aforementioned lack of defensive options was certainly a factor in this match. With none of Emery’s three first choice centre-backs – Rob Holding, Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis – available, and left wing-back Sead Kolasinac ruled out with a thigh complaint, it was always going to be a makeshift rearguard that the north Londoners lined up with.
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For the trip to the south coast, Emery elected to stick with the three-at-the-back formation which has served him well in recent weeks. Therefore, he fielded a back three consisting of club captain Laurent Koscielny, making his first Premier League appearance since a severe achilles rupture last season; central midfielder Granit Xhaka; and 34-year-old right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner. Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal took up the wing-back roles.
This selection proved costly, and there are certainly lessons to be learned for Emery from the outcome of this match.
The mismanagement of a crisis
The previously listed centre-back trio woefully lacked pace. What’s more, playing so many of them out of position meant that the Gunners were devoid of any semblance of cohesion.
Reverting to a back four for this game would have been a smarter idea. Nacho Monreal, rather than Lichtsteiner, should have played centrally alongside Koscielny, as although the Spaniard is naturally a left-back, he does at least have experience of playing a centre-back role alongside the Arsenal skipper. Koscielny had never before played in a defensive unit with Xhaka and Lichtsteiner, and the unfamiliarity showed.
Moving Monreal central would have also opened up the left-back berth for Ainsley Maitland-Niles to start. The 21-year-old would have added some much-needed pace and energy to this rearguard.
Finally, removing Xhaka’s third centre-back position from the equation entirely would have allowed the 26-year-old to return to his more familiar midfield surroundings. The Swiss allows the Gunners to dominate possession – something they struggled to do in his absence from the middle of the park. Having him in that zone, dictating play, would have prevented a lot of pressure from ever building up on his side’s cobbled-together back line in the first place.
Certainly, when future injury crises arise, Emery ought to now know what he can ask from certain members of his squad.
