Team news:
Arsenal: Speaking ahead of the trip to Southampton in the Emirates FA Cup, Arsene Wenger said: "We have Theo Walcott back in the squad."

Per Mertesacker and Mathieu Debuchy are also back to full training but will likely miss the trip. Xhaka is suspended, Elneny remains with Egypt and Cazorla is still out. Oh and Wenger will probably not be present at all, so it will be up to Steve Bould to get us through here.

Southampton: Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk is a slight doubt (edit: Definitely out according to Puel) with an ankle injury, as are Sofiane Boufal (knee), Ward-Prowse (ankle), Jay Rodriguez and Steven Davis (knock). Charlie Austin remains out until April with a shoulder injury.



THE MANAGER
Claude Puel is something of an Arsène Wenger protege, having played under him at Monaco. After stints at Monaco, Lille, Lyon and Nice, he joined Southampton last summer as a replacement for the Everton-bound Ronald Koeman. A manager who likes structured and positive play, Southampton have occasionally been excellent on the break. The 2-0 aggregate victory over Liverpool to take the team into the EFL Cup final shows his tactical nous.

FORMATION
Southampton tend to play an unusual system that is probably unique in the Premier League. There’s a conventional back four, protected by three central midfielders - holding player Oriol Romeu, right-centre Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and James Ward-Prowse, who plays to the left. These three generally keep to their positions.

Further forward, Nathan Redmond, Dusan Tadic and either Shane Long or Jay Rodriguez have plenty of freedom. Sometimes it looks like a 4-3-3, sometimes more like 4-3-1-2. It’s almost a 4-3-?, and Arsenal must be wary of the movement of Saints’ attacking trio.

STRENGTHS
Southampton are particularly strong in the centre of the pitch. With Romeu patrolling the defensive midfield zone and putting in some crunching tackles, teams struggle to counter-attack through the middle.

DANGERMAN
Dusan Tadic is a hugely-elusive, talented playmaker capable of creating space for himself and tying opposition defenders in knots by cutting inside and out before crossing dangerously. Arsenal must watch him carefully.

AREAS TO TARGET
Veteran centre-back Jose Fonte departed for West Ham last week, while Virgil van Dijk could miss out through injury which leaves Saints exposed at the back. Having kept a clean sheet without either at Anfield on Wednesday, however, Arsenal won’t find it easy to score.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20170127/scouting-report-southampton-v-arsenal

I have a feeling we'll be going out tonight.

Southampton are a team we've struggled against since they've come up. They're a very disciplined team and seem to know exactly how to stifle our play. Without Xhaka or Cazorla I can't be confident that our midfield will have the craft to play through them.

I am confident that we will not play through them. Romeu is gonna be a unbreakable wall.

Southampton had an extra game on Wednesday, plus they are missing a few important players (most notably Boufal and van Dijk) so hopefully that will make a difference today.

I'd like to see this team:

Ospina; Bellerin, Mustafi, Gabriel, Gibbs; Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Perez, Özil, Welbeck; Alexis;

However, Wenger will most likely rest Özil, Alexis, Mustafi too so expect to see Holding, Jeff, Maitland-Niles etc...

Arsenal team:

Ospina; Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Gibbs; Chamberlain, Niles; Walcott, Jeff, Lucas; Welbeck

Martinez, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal, Iwobi, Alexis

That midfield...

Four defenders on the bench, Coquelin and Ramsey excluded entirely.

Yup, we're going out

They are bantering us off aren't they? Where's the real team?

Southampton's team:

Lewis; Martina, Gardos, Stephens, McQueen; Reed, Clasie, Hojbjerg; Sims, Isgrove, Long

Clearly neither team gives a shit about the FA Cup

The new Mickey Mouse Cup.

Not surprised how many time Wenga's won it.

Wenger just said Coquelin and Ramsey "aren't available".

We now have no available senior midfielders.

Early signs suggest it's a 4-3-3 with Jeff alongisde Ox and Niles holding. Lucas is down the middle, Welbz on the left.

WELEEEEEEEE 1-0

Great move. Niles with a great forward pass into Lucas. Lucas with an even better first time pass round the corner.

Welbeck again

Loving this front three. Good on the ball and movement in behind.

Theo 3-0.

Playing some excellent football tonight. Putting this Southampton B team to the sword.

Lucas Perez is my favourite signing this season. How he hasn't made the first team yet is really bizarre.

He's had good, in form players ahead of him tbf. Though I agree he really should get more minutes, even if off the bench.

This is one of the few times we've physically dominated a team. The midfield and front line are all athletic and quick. Jeff looks like a more agile Diaby.

Alexis on for Welbz. Because why not.

Alexis assist, Theo's second. Walcott now just two goals away from 100 for Arsenal.

Walcott hat-trick. Alexis' second assist.

Walcott with his 5th Arsenal hat-trick and is now on 99 goals...

What a ridiculous game. Even Theo managed a hattrick.

Chamberlain has been sensational tonight. That outside of foot pass

More games in the middle for him?

that was fun
Chambo midfield masterclass

Happy for Theo and Welbz

Why cant Chamberlain Play like this every week???

Sri wrote:More games in the middle for him?

Not if everyone else is fit and available. He's pretty much emergency cover there.

Still, just shows the ability he has.


This'll be tough on Giroud who's scored important goals last month, but I want to see this team going forward:

Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Xhaka, Ramsey; Walcott, Ozil, Welbeck; Alexis

Swap out Theo/Welbz for Lucas when appropriate.

We have a really great attack, not just the first team but depth too. Wenger moving Alexis centrally and signing Perez has taken us to another level.

That's probably our best XI Jay, but be assured that they'd spend time getting injured and passing each other like ships in the dark - just as it has been all along since we signed Alexis and Welbeck.