10 Goals In 17 Games: How Do Arsenal Stifle Gonzalo Higuain?

This summer started as one of frustration for Arsenal. Their desperation for a striker saw them fail with a bid for Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and were supposedly interested in Argentine goal-getter, who was at Real Madrid at the time, Gonzalo Higuain. While the former stayed at his club, the latter opted for a move to Napoli where he has scored 10 goals in his opening 17 games, and he has the chance to show Arsene Wenger what he is missing out on when the Gunners travel to Italy for their Champions League clash. But how do they stop him?

He’s a predatory player in and around the box and nine of his 10 goals have come from inside the area. He has the movement and the intelligence to cause Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny some real problems should he feel like it and it may necessitate an agile player in midfield to track his runs.

Perhaps Jack Wilshere could play alongside Mathieu Flamini to add some energy into the pivots and keep Higuain on a tight lead.

The Napoli forward isn’t the most domineering player and has struggled in the air this season, so perhaps packing the midfield and squeezing the Italians in their own half would force them to play more direct. The Arsenal centre-halves can deal with balls coming at them in the air all day long so a high-pressing game could work well.

However they intend to stop him, it won’t be easy, and Wenger will be praying that his men can retain him tonight.