Southampton Vs Arsenal Preview + Live

Southampton Vs Arsenal
Thursday 1st Jan: 15:00 BST
St. Mary's Stadium
Referee: Craig Pawson(who?)

Happy New Year

So, things are looking a bit decent for us aren't they? Not losing games too often, getting players back and climbing up the table. Well worry not, Southampton away will change all that! Arsenal travel to St Mary's stadium on new year's day to play a side who they have already faced twice this season with losing one and winning the other. It's more or less a final round(unless we face them AGAIN in the FA Cup) and something tells me it will end in a draw. But let's see. We are in a good run of form, despite the stoke result, and I think we have more than enough to beat Southampton who had a very difficult match against Chelsea 2 days ago. Southampton are a difficult side and despite the blip recently, they are very strong at home and that means Arsenal will have to play with high intensity and commitment just like they did against QPR and West Ham.

High intensity obviously requires fit players. There is concern regarding few of the players fitness wise, however fingers crossed we can do the job on Thursday and then rest some of the key players for the FA Cup game against Hull at home. We need to keep playing how we did against QPR and West Ham. Try to be conservative while hitting on the counter and make most of the chances. I know it's ugly and frankly a turn off but it's what we need to do to get results while our midfield returns. We are going to see Rosicky return against Southampton so that should improve our play while Cazorla is in great form too.

Final worry is the striker situation. Welbeck seems to be out with an injury. So who plays upfront? I don't think Sanogo is quite fit? if he is then might as well try him. But if he isn't then it's either Podolski up or Sanchez up. Latter seems more likely. We might finally see Walcott involved too after Arsene said he is fully fit but lacks match practise.

Team News

For Arsenal, Rosicky is back after being rested while no one else returns. No one apart from Welbeck got injured either so that's a bit of a relief.

For Southampton, Schneiderlin is suspended against Arsenal. Clyne is a doubt.

Predicted Arsenal Team

---------------------------------Szzcesny-------------------------
Debuchy-----------Mertesacker-----------Koscielny---------Gibbs
----------------Coquelin--------Flamini---------------------------
Oxlade--------------------Rosicky-----------------------Cazorla
-------------------------Sanchez-----------------------------------

Predicted Southampton Team

----------------------------Forster---------------------------------
Yoshida-----------Fonte--------Alderweireld---------------Bertrand
------------------Ward-Prowse------Wanyama-------------------
Tadic----------------------------Davis---------------------Mane
------------------------Pelle-----------------------------------------

Match Facts(FourFourTwo)

• Southampton are without a win in 10 Premier League meetings with the Gunners (D4 L6).
  
• Olivier Giroud has scored three goals in two Premier League starts against Saints.
  
• Arsene Wenger has come up against Ronald Koeman on eight occasions, winning just two matches, drawing four and losing two.
  
• Arsenal have won seven and lost just one of their nine New Year's Day fixtures in Premier League history. The one draw came away against Southampton in 2013.
  
• There have been five red cards in just six Premier League meetings between Arsenal and Southampton at St Mary's.
  
• Arsenal have lost just one of their six trips to St Mary's but the last three have been draws.
  
• Arsenal have scored two goals in each of their last three Premier League away games (and have won one, drawn one and lost one).
  
• Alexis Sanchez has only scored one goal in his last five Premier League appearances.
  
• But Sanchez has scored or assisted 47% of Arsenal's Premier League goals this season (16 of 34).
  
• Southampton have faced a league-low 174 shots at their goal, while Arsenal have conceded the next fewest (191).
  

Final Words

Let's start 2015 with a win please

How many injuries do we need for Podolski to finally start?

What formation/tactics/setup do we need for Podolski to start?

With the current one, clearly, he offers too less. More so with an inexistent midfield. I love Poldi, have always done. But I don't want my bias color my judgment of how well/poorly he fits the current setup.

Has come to a point now where I always get a mini-headache when I learn we will play against Wanyama. He is always such a thorn in that midfield against us, we find it hard to build up attacks and keep the ball when he's playing.

I don't like Sanchez starting uptop, I feel he is too 'confined' in that position. And he whole balance between midfiled and attacks will be messed up, so if we can play someone else there (Akpom, Podolski) I say why not. But this is Wenger and he likes to play the same team and stick with what he knows, so I don't see that happening.

This match has the feel of a draw all over it, but I hope we can start the year with a win. I don't know how many of our opening year matches we've won recently but I can only remember the draw at Soton last year and a loss to Fulham maybe about 4 years ago now.

Nice work RG.

I think we can win the game, but I take a point now.

Rumours that Joel might start

Happy New Year everyone. Lest start the new years with a big win, lets go Arsenal.

RealGunner wrote:Rumours that Joel might start

As striker?

Confirmed team:

Szczesny; Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Coquelin, Chambers; Chamberlain, Cazorla, Rosicky; Alexis

Subs: Martinez, Monreal, Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Campbell, Walcott, Akpom

"@arseblog: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Chambers, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Rosicky, Alexis"

Not enough goalscorers. This will be one tough game.

So Podolski is gone.

Podolski posted on Instagram that he left training yesterday with an injury; other sources claiming he threw a tantrum and left. So take that as you will.

Walcott will definitely get minutes today, being the only senior attacker on that bench.

Chambers in midfield? now thats what i always wanted to see. Lets hope he does well there.

djoe26 wrote:Chambers in midfield? now thats what i always wanted to see. Lets hope he does well there.

You wish, more like Mert playing DM and Chambers as CB. You know Wenger loves to try out new things.

Happy New Year

difficult away game
and while kos is back
we are trying a midfield pairing never tried before

hope it goes well

COYG

Nice preview RG,

Very interesting line up with Coq and Chambers in the engine room. I hope it works well for us and I reckon it could. Will be a very difficult game but COYG!!

Also Podolski came out and denied the newspaper reports pretty aggressively.

He even wished the Daily Mirror a happy new year and more luck with correct headlines in the future

I love that guy haha

We so lucky to be only down by a goal, long second half coming up.

We are also unlucky to not have buried 3 goals.

in 2nd half pls

I feel bad for Chambers, should take him off soon and bring on Theo.

Woke up late after new year's festivities - what the hell!?

Don't worry though, guys, my prediction from after the Liverpool match about a week ago still stands:

Guys I have reached a zen state overnight, aware of our flaws, optimistic about our strengths.

Here is what my enhanced consciousness tells me:

Expect no big signings in January. With injured players coming back ... Arsenal are going to have one more horrifying result in the next couple weeks, and then the guys will turn it around, finish strong, get to the CL semis & a respectable 3rd in the table behind Chelsea/Man City.

Time will tell if I am another Boyzis ... or just bogus.

This match though

This team man. This bloody team

Arsenal cant handle the pressure in important matches.

Is it me? but I dont think we have been bad going forward, just think not having a focal point has killed us, if we had one of welbeck and giroud we would have thrashed this team. For me the midfield passing has been crisper than i though it would.

Defending has been bad but I think they are a bit tired, they'll improve on that.

I think our run againsts the lesser teams starts now, our tough away games against boggy teams are finished. we've had swansea/westham/southampton/stoke all away. next half with all our injuries back I can see us going on a massive run a securing 3rd/4th so im just bothered.