Arsenal Vs Southampton
Saturday 23rd November
Kick Off at 15:00
Emirates Stadium
Referee: Mark Clattenburg

A Test of Desire

Premier league returns after a 2 week break consisting of some dramatic and interesting international break. But drama is something that is of a regular occurrence in the premier league however what is important is that Arsenal are finally back in action. The gunners host Southampton on Saturday in a match that will be vital in many ways. The first is the obvious test of whether we can bounce back from the defeat against United at O.T before the international break. It's a test of desire. How badly does the team want to win this. Can we do something which is different from the past seasons and bounce back to winning ways and keep the top spot? These are the questions that will be asked if we don't while they should be answered on the pitch. The match is also vital because we are going against a team that has been doing extremely well in the league. Southampton are unbeaten in the last 6 PL matches while their last defeat came in August. They also have the best defensive record in the league. Saying that, we are at the top of the PL for a reason and we have to show that against them on Saturday

Saints

As mentioned before, Southampton have done really well in the PL this season in every way. They have players who are playing Internationally for big nations while quite a lot of them might as well be playing for a bigger club with all due respect to Southampton. They can easily hurt us if we make mistakes. We find it difficult when teams score first and with their defensive record, it will be a massive task to overturn the deficit. Southampton have won at Anfield while drew at O.T so that should give you some indication. Mauricio Pochettino deserves a lot of credit for it obviously. He is a manager who has been playing some excellent football with them while also playing the type of football that you normally see in Europe. In some way we should find it easy to play against but that is only if the players pay Southampton as much respect as they would to another top team.

Team News

For Arsenal, the big news is that Walcott is back. He is fit and only lacking sharpness. But he is fit enough to start and we may see him make his long awaited start against his former team. No other fresh injuries. Flamini is suspended.

For Southampton, they will be without Jack Cork (ankle) and long-term absentee Guly do Prado (knee).

Probable team for Arsenal

--------------------------------Szczesny--------------------------------------

Sagna---------------Mertesacker-------------Koscielny----------------Gibbs

--------------------Arteta----------------Ramsey--------------------------

Walcott/Rosicky*----------------------Ozil-------------------------------Cazorla---

----------------------------------Giroud----------------------------------

*Walcott could either start or come off the bench. I'd rather he start.

Probable team for Southampton

----------------------------------Boruc--------------------------------------

Clyne-------------------Fonte-------------Lovren----------------------Shaw

Ward Prowse-----------------Wanyama-------Schneiderlin----------------Lallana

--------------------------Jay Rodriguez------Lambert--------------------------

Match Facts - FourFourTwo

• Arsenal have not lost a home league game against Southampton since November 1987, winning 13 and drawing five of their 18 matches since.
  
  
• Only Arsenal (22) have won more points in the Barclays Premier League since the start of September than Southampton (18).
  
  
• Southampton's win ratio against Arsenal in the Premier League (14%) is the lowest of any side they've played more than three times in the competition.
  
  
• The Gunners have not failed to score in two successive Premier League games since August 2012.
  
  
• Arsenal have the chance to win five successive Premier League games at the Emirates for the first time since April 2012.
  
  
• Southampton have conceded just eight goals in their last 14 Premier League games and have never conceded more than once in a match during this run.
  
  
• Southampton have faced fewer shots on target than any other side in the Premier League this season (31).
  
  
• Southampton have conceded six or more goals in six different Premier League games – the last two of which have been away at Arsenal (Sept 2012 and May 2003).
  
  
• Of the seven players to have a league-high four assists so far this season, three are Arsenal players (Giroud, Ozil and Ramsey).
  

Final Say

Should really win this.

Great preview RG...
a good international break without injuries and some much needed rest for key players bar Giroud and Sagna..
i think this will be like we play against Swansea.. both teams not able to dominate in the opposition final third.. and first team who scores wins the match.. the perfect match to have Walcott back.. width and pace needed.. or we may look toothless trying to break through their double DM midfield.. and a good game to look at Schneiderlein.. hope we can pull out a 1-0 or 2-0 win.. it will difficult to get 3 points if we concede first and set pieces need to be watched out..

latest injury updates..

the boss confirmed that Lukas Podolski was still three weeks away from fitness while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yaya Sanogo won’t feature until the New Year.

“Podolski is not too far away, I would say three weeks. He is doing fitness training on the pitch. He starts to do some ball work too, he still needs two or three weeks before we see him on the pitch for Arsenal.

“Chamberlain is at least one month, Sanogo is January too, Diaby will be March.”

There’s also a chance Tomas Rosicky won’t feature on Saturday with the boss revealing the Czech international is still overcoming the effects of flu.

“Tomas was ill, he had one or two [normal] training days, he could be in the squad as well on Saturday. We have a final test on Friday.”

so i think the squad is short again for this game with Rosicky ill, Flamini suspended and Wilsheres injury (?)...
we are never going to enjoy the leisure of having depth..  

Wilson37 wrote:latest injury updates..

the boss confirmed that Lukas Podolski was still three weeks away from fitness while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yaya Sanogo won’t feature until the New Year.

“Podolski is not too far away, I would say three weeks. He is doing fitness training on the pitch. He starts to do some ball work too, he still needs two or three weeks before we see him on the pitch for Arsenal.

“Chamberlain is at least one month, Sanogo is January too, Diaby will be March.”

There’s also a chance Tomas Rosicky won’t feature on Saturday with the boss revealing the Czech international is still overcoming the effects of flu.

“Tomas was ill, he had one or two [normal] training days, he could be in the squad as well on Saturday. We have a final test on Friday.”

so i think the squad is short again for this game with Rosicky ill, Flamini suspended and Wilsheres injury (?)...
we are never going to enjoy the leisure of having depth..  

We already are enjoying the leisures by being capable of fielding a strong squads despite our ridiculous injury room! I'm pretty excited about this one, Giroud, Ozil, Cazorla,Walcott, Ramsey, Arteta - In theory this should be our best squad and Southampton shouldn't just park the bus. Could be in for a cracking game!

I'm seeing all the updates and suggested starting teams but I'm not seeing Flamini's name.

Has something happened to him that he cant even make the bench???

Kwame2u wrote:I'm seeing all the updates and suggested starting teams but I'm not seeing Flamini's name.

Has something happened to him that he cant even make the bench???

Flamini has completed his quota of 5 yellow cards.. and will have his one match suspension tomorrow..

Great preview RG.

Thank god boring international games are over and EPL is back, life nearly back to normal. Southampton have been great and wont be a easy game. We are at home and there should be no excuses for not getting all 3 points. Our players are well rested and hungry for this game.

Great that Theo is back but we will miss Flamani, hoping Giroud gets on the score sheet, his confidence is low.

Only a win will do.

Arsene Wenger says Jack Wilshere must be 'managed' to get him through the season

'We play 60 games per year and Jack will certainly have to be managed - unless his pains go completely, then he will be used when needed,' said Wenger, who will have forward Theo Walcott available again following a two-month injury absence when Barclays Premier League action resumes with the visit of Southampton on Saturday.

'If there is an alert on his ankles, we will of course take advice from the medical department and use him when he can really be used.'

Wenger continued: 'I have been told by the medical team that there is no concern in the long term. He is just still recovering from his inflammation.'

Wenger still updating us on Diaby

Lex wrote:Wenger still updating us on Diaby

He really believes in that man.

Great Preview RG
Gibbs said

"We have coaches who are on top of us a lot and informing us about opponents; what to be careful of, when we can afford to take risks - there is a lot of analysis that helps us improve".

One of their Roots to scoring has been diagonal crosses to outside and then someone winning header on edge of six yards box providing it across the face of goal for 3rd man runners to arrive and Score

on that Front i fully trust Bac
Gibbs can be guilty at times on his Blind side and they may target him
i hope with what he said above we are prepared to deal with such situations

i watched their match vs Liverpool and they forced lots of errors and hosts needed some last ditch defending and although quality of their final ball was lacking at times

we have some out-ball in Giroud so we can play it to him under situations

they looked Vulnerable on counters and in space behind Clyne
but as of late it seems Ward-prowse and their Mid dou will cover width of the pitch better

seems like we should Target Wanyama when on the ball and he may make mistakes

big Test for Arteta and Aaron to see how they perform when closed down quickly

COYG

Nice work RG.

This will be a tough game, that's for sure. I've seen Southampton several times under Pochettino, their pressing game is well-documented, whilst their quality both at the back and in the final third is outstanding at times. Lovren has been a terrific signing, whilst Shaw and Clyne have gained even more experience. Boruc has been superb this season too, whilst Wanyama and Schneiderlin provide a fantastic base in the midfield, protecting that back four. Ward-Prowse, Lallana, Rodriguez and Lambert - the 4 Englishman! - are a huge threat, all capable with the ball at their feet.

For us, I think Walcott and Rosicky, after injury and illness will start on the bench. That means midfield of:

Arteta Ramsey

Gnabry Ozil Cazorla

Wilshere, Walcott and Rosicky provide us with options from the
bench.

Fancy us to win 2-1.

So pumped for the match. Arsenal back in action and the game just has a fun, fast-paced, open feel to it.

Southampton needs to be put in their place imo, and we need to do that today. Even though we just had a international break, we have a lot of players that are actually well rested except Giroud. So I expect us to be quick and intense today.

RG's final say says it all. We really should win this. C'mon Arsenal.

Not watching so I can be rested for DW 50th ._.

More interested in this game than the Merseyside Derby tbh. This could be a cracking match.

Think it will go to Soton 1-0.

Mersey derby will shite all over this match

Merseyside derby has seen more 0-0's than any other Premier League fixture.