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I am so excited with the young players Home form enough to try patience of a Saint
IT WAS a good night’s work for Arsenal on Tuesday – and not just because they were without a fixture.
They managed to sign Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari on four-year deals and extend David Luiz’s contract by a season.
Cedric has not played a single minute since arriving at the Emirates from Southampton on loan in January owing to injury, Mari is facing months on the sidelines with a serious ankle problem and Luiz tonight completes a twomatch ban following his red card after coming on as a substitute against Manchester City last week.
In that game, he was badly at fault for one goal and conceded a penalty for another.
But at least Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has got him for another 12 months.
When fit, Cedric and Mari might prove to be a defensive foundation to build on and Luiz might have the odd decent game left in him.
But having tied down experienced defenders, Arteta’s priority has to be securing the future of the club’s most promising and most versatile talent, Bukayo Saka. And by the way the Arsenal manager talks, that seems to be on the
RALPH HASENHUTTL says his Southampton side cannot fare any worse playing at St Mary’s without supporters and has demanded a “reset” of the poorest home record in the Premier League.
The Saints have taken just 14 points from 15 home games this season – and scored only 16 goals.
Ahead of tonight’s behind-closeddoors visit of Arsenal, Hasenhuttl said: “We have absolutely the worst stats at home so it can only get better – it’s not possible to do worse. It could be a chance for a cards.Arteta said: “I am so excited with the young players we have.
“They just need the right environment around them to explode.
“Bukayo is doing that, even circumstances.
“The player and the family know how much trust I have in him and he is showing every week that his consistency levels are getting better and better.
“I am very positive that everything is going to be done with Bukayo very shortly.
“The communication between the club, the agents and the family has been going on for months. It is very fluent.”
Until the 18-year-old academy product, already coveted by clubs such as in difficult
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reset. When there’s an argument that we have sometimes pressure at home and play different, this argument is gone. “We can focus completely on what we do best and no one will have any arguments why it can’t work at home.”
Hasenhuttl, left, recorded his first Southampton win against Arsenal in December 2018 – and drew 2-2 at the Emirates in November after switching to a back four. He has also shared the same dilemma as
Liverpool, puts pen to paper,Arsenal fans – who seem distinctly underwhelmed by the contracts dished out this week – are bound to be concerned.
They have already seen young talent such as Serge Gnabry leave the Emirates and go on to flourish elsewhere.
Saka, who has already played in various positions, was Arsenal’s best player in the defeat at Brighton on Saturday, and his £7,000-a-week deal expires next summer. There would be no shortage of clubs ready to offer him 10 times that amount.
Saka is certain to start against Southampton as Arteta, looking to avoid a third successive Premier League defeat, grapples with his growing injury list.
Gabriel Martinelli has now joined Bernd Leno, Mari, Granit Xhaka, Calum Chambers, Lucas Torreira, Cedric and Sokratis on the sidelines.
You never know, Mesut Ozil might even get a look-in at some stage… but do not hold your breath.
Deals for Cedric, Mari and Luiz give club a boost
opposite number Mikel Arteta, with his captain declining to sign a new contract.
But while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has remained as Arsenal’s skipper, the former RB Leipzig coach has replaced Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with James Ward-Prowse.
“It’s important for the team to have a clear message of what we want to have,” said Hasenhuttl.
“The captain is in a special position because he is the leader. He is normally the one going forward and steps ahead of everybody. He tries to push everybody.”