Claude Puel is targeting 20 years in the Premier League – by copying mentor Arsene Wenger.
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Although they won just one of their five home games against sides that finished 6-10 last season, the Saints are performing much more like a bottom-half club this term where Arsenal won eight of 10.
Puel is hoping the addition of Lille winger and Morocco worldwide Sofiane Bufal, signed for a club-record £16 million before last week’s transfer window close, will be able to partner with Shane Long and Charlie Austin to end the side’s goal-scoring woes.
Puel took charge of a Premier League club for the first time in his career, and prior to moving to Southampton he says he spoke to upcoming rival Wenger asking for advice on the Premier League.
It is said the Gunners approached the Spaniard last season after he made a flying start to the 2015/16 La Liga season, scoring 12 goals in his first 16 games for then-club Deportivo. “Certainly I haven’t had a squad of players [like this] for a long time, who have enough experience to compete”.
This option would allow Wenger to keep using Giroud’s main strengths as a target man up front, but would condemn the likes of Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to more time on the bench.
However, Puel said attacking midfielder Sofiane Boufal, signed last month, is unlikely to make an appearance at the Emirates Stadium.
“We will see and know very soon, but what they do in training is promising”.
Mesut Ozil scored in Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Watford, but has not scored a league goal at the Emirates since December.
As the Arsenal match starts the run of a very busy period, they will be very keen to ease the pressure on them by trying to come away from the game with the full three points.
He added: “Arsene Wenger was my trainer during seven years at Monaco”.
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Saints have not keep a clean sheet in their last 15 games, all of which were in the top flight.
