UNAI: THERE’S NO DEFENSIVE CRISIS.. I HAVE MASTER PLAN
UNAI EMERY insists he has a plan up his sleeve to cope with Arsenal’s lack of options in defence.
The Gunners are down to the bare bones at the back for tomorrow’s trip to Southampton.
Rob Holding is out injured for the rest of the season, while Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi are both suspended.
That leaves Laurent Koscielny as Arsenal’s only fit centre-back, and he only made his return after seven months out with a ruptured Achilles, in Thursday night’s Europa League win against Qarabag.
Arsenal’s medical staff will wait to see how Koscielny responds to his first competitive action since May before making a call on whether he can follow it up with another start. Emery’s other senior options include full-backs Nacho Monreal (left) and Stephan Lichtsteiner, who have both filled in at centre-back in the past.
Emery said: “We haven’t got Mustafi, Holding or Sokratis. But I believe in my players and we can use others as centrebacks.
“I have one idea, but we need to work on Friday and Saturday and to know how they will recover physically, for the possibility of playing Sunday.
“I think every player is now OK to help us in the position we need.”
Further forward, Emery expects to be able to call on Mesut Ozil, who also made his comeback after a back problem against Qarabag, and Aaron Ramsey who has missed the Gunners’ last two games.
He said: “Mesut was good. After his injury he came back with good work against Qarabag.
“With Ramsey, we think yes. The doctor said to me Friday and Saturday he can train and be OK.”
Arsenal will be the first visitors to St Mary’s since Austrian Ralph Hasenhuttl took over at Saints.
Emery added: “They have very good players with quality. It’s a surprise they are in this position.” RALPH HASENHUTTL wants to turn the jeers to beers by buying Southampton fans a pint before tomorrow’s clash with Arsenal.
The new Saints boss has sent a free-drink voucher to all 19,000 season ticket holders as part of a letter asking them to support a brave new era on the South Coast.
His side have been booed off during recent home games after winning just ONE Premier League game at St Mary’s in 13 months.
Hasenhuttl said: “I’m a guy who always brings everyone to roll with us and it is very important to have a good relationship with the fans. You have to build up your credit.
“It is like an account, if you always take money it is off and now we have to put money in the account.
“You can feel every day that Southampton is a very important part of everyone’s life in this area and everyone wants to keep this club in this division.
“It’s a big chance to help and get lucky again. We want to make it possible to have fantastic moments again and emotional moments.
“If the fans can celebrate with a win on Sunday they should do it and I’m the first to congratulate them.”
In his letter, Hasenhuttl also promised to “push the players to their limits”.
The hardline Austrian scrapped a day off following last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Cardiff in his first game in charge.
Hasenhuttl added: “We cancelled the day off and met to speak about things we want to change.
“That was very important for us. The players appreciate that and we spent this time really well to perform better in the future.
“It was necessary to know what we are facing. There are a few steps to go and when you play against the big teams like this weekend we have to do it very well.
“We saw an intention from every player to work hard, follow us and they are very interested in all this stuff.
“We all should feel the same commitment about the team working together. When they do so that is the first big step direction.
“They should invest everything they have to bring a good result.
“This week I have had 12 players sitting on my couch for one-to-one speeches with me.
“By the end of next week, I will speak to every player eye-to-eye. I want to know all about them, their history and what we ask from them.
“It is very necessary to know every player. It was a good investment from our side and I think they appreciated that.
“In the future if they have questions I want them to come to me. We can have good arguments.” in the right