After back-to-back defeats since resuming, Mikel Arteta will visit St. Mary’s for another tricky away fixture in Southampton. And Arsenal already have some defensive issues to contend with as Pablo Mari is expected to serve the sidelines until November joining likes of Calum Chambers and Sokratis in the nursing table. David Luiz serves suspension he picked up against Manchester City, accompanied by his contract situation – he could also have played his last match for the Gunners. Which leaves Shkodran Mustafi the only fully fit senior defender alongside Rob Holding who played his first since January against Brighton. Harmonizing with the sporadic defenders, Arsenal also face scarcity between the posts with Bernd Leno injured and expected to serve the injury list for a long time.
Forbye the defensive issues Mikel Arteta face, Arsenal’s defence will come up against Danny Ings this Thurday. The Winchester born ace netted is sixteenth goal of the season in Southampton’s 3-0 win against Norwich City on Friday. Ings’ strike made him the first Southampton player to net more than fifteen goals in a Premier League season since James Beattie’s twenty-three in 2002-03 campaign. Danny is in hunt for Premier League’s golden boot apace with Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy, among others.
Owing to his awe-inspiring run of form since joining Southampton, Danny Ings has been linked with Arsenal to fill in for either of Alex Lacazette, who is linked to Atletico Madrid or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose future is in the air amid contract situation at the Emirates. There is plenty of speculation over who the Reds from North London could bring in at N5 as his replacement if the Gabonese does choose to jump ship – could Ings be a readymade option?
Eversince Arsene Wenger left, Unai Emery followed by Mikel Arteta have initiated pressing from the front and Danny Ings has flourished in Ralph Hasenhüttl’s pressing system. Ings averages 2.6 recoveries per 90 minutes in the opposition half under the former RB Leipzig manager. The Austrian’s system of using two strikers, complemented with higher intensity of pressing, has helped Ings as it forces the opposition into mistakes for the striker to capitalise on, something Arteta is trying to implement at Arsenal.
Ings’ has been a stereotypical poacher this season with his intelligence and awareness being the major factors in his success. Lacazette was hoped to be what Danny Ings is when he was brought to London in a record move from Lyon.
Arsenal have to face him in the midweek, but majority of the Gunners faithful won’t mind having him in their front line next season.
