Perhaps Unai Emery’s biggest task as Arsenal manager is sorting out the club’s defensive woes, after Arsene Wenger allowed that unit to decay in the final years of his reign.
In recent weeks he has enjoyed contrasting luck in terms of injuries at the heart of his backline; the return of Laurent Koscielny went some way to mitigating the blow of Rob Holding being ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Frenchman made his first league start since returning from that injury against Southampton yesterday, as Arsenal looked to extend the unbeaten run that had lasted since the third match of the season.
But it was not to be as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints reign got the shot in the arm it needed with a late 3-2 win, aided by some poor Gunners defending in the process.

Koscielny looked rusty and perhaps unaccustomed to the demands of Emery’s style of play at St Mary’s, as Arsenal struggled to keep out a side who have been struggling badly for goals throughout the season.
There was not much sympathy for the club captain, who some fans feel is done at the top level…
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