Arsenal are beginning to click now and the Gunners fans here in the Transfer Tavern are starting to think it could be their season to challenge for the title once more.
After a shaky start at home to Liverpool, the team drew away at the champions Leicester City before blowing away Watford at Vicarage Road.
That performance in particular, left people in awe.
When the Gunners are good they’re very good with the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil on top form pulling the strings.
If the club can keep at that level for the whole of this season they’ll have a real chance of glory come May, but it all starts with this weekend at home to Southampton.
The squad is settled now with the new signings bedding in, so it’s time to kick on against the Saints.
Our landlord likes what the Gunners are trying to do to and thinks if they go with this line-up on Saturday, there’s only going to be one winner…
Petr Cech
Barring injury Petr Cech is always going to start in goal for the Gunners and this weekend will be no different.
A consummate pro, the former Chelsea man very rarely makes mistakes and it’ll be up to the rest of the team in front of him to build on that and win the game.
Hector Bellerin
The right-back must be one of the first names on the team-sheet.
Not only is he Arsenal’s best in that position by a mile but he’s also one of their best players full-stop so his performance will be vital.
He gets up and down the flank like a yo-yo and very rarely gets caught out making him a vital cog in Arsenal’s wheel.
Laurent Koscielny
Arsenal’s best centre-half, Koscielny will be important as always to the Gunners chances this weekend.
If he can keep Nathan Redmond quiet the Saints will be in trouble and the Frenchman should have a fairly easy day at the office thereafter.
Shkodran Mustafi
He has to play. Mustafi is better than any of the other centre-halves to partner Laurent Koscielny, and you’re not telling me that Wenger has signed a player like him for considerable money to leave him on the bench.
He could be key to Arsenal’s title challenge if he performs and Southampton will have to think of a clever plan to get round him.
Nacho Monreal
It’s a bit of a surprise here in the Transfer Tavern that Wenger didn’t sign a left back in the summer but then again it’s Wenger so what did you expect?
Monreal will be expected to be as solid as he can be and get forward too to give the side some extra width on that big Emirates playing surface.
Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka is aiming to be the holding midfielder the Gunners needed but does need to watch his discipline.
The Swiss enforcer clearly likes a challenge and whilst that’s been missing from Arsenal’s midfield for some time, they’d prefer eleven on the pitch.
Good player though and will be important for this game.
Santi Cazorla
The Gunners missed Cazorla last season, naturally any side would.
His passing is arguably this best in the team and if Southampton want to get a foothold in the game they’ll have to knock him out of sync.
If not it could be game over very quickly indeed.
Theo Walcott
Walcott has undergone somewhat of a renaissance this season after being written off by many an Arsenal fan last campaign.
When his confidence is up he’s still a good player and he’ll be looking to continue that against his former side this weekend.
Mesut Ozil
The Gunners fans love telling anyone that will listen how good Mesut Ozil is here in the Transfer Tavern, so expect more of the same if he puts in a good performance.
Him and Alexis Sanchez together are formidable so Southampton need to watch it.
Alexis Sanchez
Sanchez looked in good form for the Gunners last time out against Watford and they’ll be hoping for more of the same from the Chilean this weekend.
He’s a world class talent which combined with his work rate makes him a real handful and after the Saints’ sluggish start to the season, they won’t be relishing coming up against him at the Emirates come 3pm.
Olivier Giroud
It’s time for Giroud to step up and show everyone that he can be a title winning forward.
At EURO 2016 he looked pretty decent at times for France and the hope at the Emirates is that he can find that form consistently this season up until May.
It all starts with Southampton this weekend and with the signing of Lucas Perez, he’ll be looking to set a high benchmark.
