I think it’s a first for us this season as we face a side who will be playing their first home match under a new manager. I never like these games. Players, certainly those who have previously been frozen out of the team, have a new lease of life as they aim to impress the new guy and cement their place in the team. Hasenhuttl has been in place for ten days, hardly enough time to change much one would think, other than morale within the camp and as we know, that alone can often work wonders. Initially anyway but like Unai Emery at Arsenal, the Swiss manager has a lot of work to do long term.
Whenever this fixture comes around, my mind always drifts back to another season when Southampton had been struggling. It was Boxing Day 2015 when Koeman’s team thumped us 4-0. A win would have seen us overtake Leicester as league leaders. Best forgotten I reckon but clearly I can’t.
A lot has changed since then though, for both clubs. Hasenhuttl wants to get St Marys buzzing again, he wants his players to up the tempo, keep the ball and become a team which is difficult to beat. A victory today would soon have the fans back behind his team he believes. Basically, his task ahead pretty much mirrors what Unai Emery has been doing for the last six months.
Southampton will be confident of getting a result today knowing that we have just one first team centre-back able to play in this game and that’s Laurent Koscielny. Jenkinson or Medley to join him perhaps? If it’s between the two, I think I’d lean towards the latter as he looks more composed and he’s a natural centre-back. Tall and strong too but no slouch. We’ll see soon enough as it’s not long until kickoff.
Unai Emery was asked in his press conference about how important is having both Laurent Koscielny and Mesut Ozil back fit:
It’s very important for us to have Laurent Koscielny back because he’s our captain, he has experience. He’s, for us, one important player in the group. Him coming back is very important for us because he’s been training with us for the past month. But we also need to start with him helping us on the pitch in the games, and it’s very important for us that he can play with us.
And Ozil? Nothing other than wait and see tomorrow if he starts, but that was a reply to a different question. Personally, I don’t think this is a game for the German. He couldn’t boss a poor Qarabag side so having him in a team which is already light on defensive players would be a disaster in my opinion. Thankfully Emery has plenty of other options in Ramsey, Guendouzi or even Elneny who might not be the greatest player there is, but will work hard. I’d rather see the industrious AMN’s or Willock than Ozil but I know that’s probably out of the question having both played 90 minutes on Thursday.
I’m not expecting anything other than a really tough match today so if we come away with all three points, it’ll be a great result in my opinion.
Enjoy your Sunday guys…
On the subject of crap pundits watching the back end of football focus yesterday.
And I couldn’t believe the amount of praise the tiny tots got for their injury time winner and how tight the top of the league is. If man city or Liverpool slip up its there’s for the taking they kept saying.
Martin keown was worse than Garth crocks by the way
‘There’s for the taking’ – think they’re living in cloud cuckoo land Mog…
Elneny kind of reminds me of the Ray Parlour situation , he isn’t nor ever will be the most talented member of the team but he is a grafter and when he plays he just knits together much of what the team tries to achieve .I ,think his contribution is underated. He’s definitely a player worth keeping around.
Exactly Rico you can understand a delusional spud like crocks but it was keown who started it crocks was playing it down to start with. No mention if we win today we’re only 2 points behind them. Chelsea to for that matter i’m not for a minute saying we’re going to win the league.
By the way read your comment the other day about 300 people get emails but never comment so thought i’d join in. Good morning by the way.
I like Elneny, he’s a Grimaldi type too. Agree he’s underrated, seldom does he make big mistakes..
Glad you decided to Mog and morning to you too, the more the merrier.
Did Keown forget how easily we beat the Totts I wonder. I get there’s a lot about their game which can be good but league champions just isn’t going to happen for them any time soon imo.
Happy noon-time to one and all, Rico I think Nacho Monreal could be in the starting eleven to play alongside Koscielny and Lichtsteiner if we go for three at the back with Bellerin and Kolascinac as wing backs. I don’t fancy Jenkinson as a central defender, I’d rather see Elneny there if necessary.
Morning Gooners
Morning Rico.
Nice post Rico, it’s easy to underestimate Southampton, not only because they’ve been playing so badly but because our minds are easily distracted by the impending League Cup NLD in a few days time.
I guess the question for Unai Emery is does he go with a back four today or a three?
He’s got four fit full backs and one fit centre back, unless we include Zach Medley and the ‘reborn’ Carl Jenkinson. That’s assuming that Koscielny hasn’t suffered any reaction to his comfortable run out vs Qarabag?
Mustafi is rumoured to be out for the League Cup, he’s probably also doubtful for Burnley on the 22nd, so the only change vs Tottenham will be the availability of Sokratis…
Emery will need to weigh up his defensive options and juggle his resources for 3 games in 7 days. And still no Mavropanos, what is going on with him?
Yes Cicero, that’s the defence I’d go with today, it would put less strain on Koscielny having two partners to help him carry the load it also allows for Bellerin and Kolasinac to be able to push into midfield if Emery decides to go Ramsey and/or Ozil.
We’ll probably also start with only one striker saving the other one for Tottenham on Wednesday.
Apparently Nketiah and Saka are also in the squad today with Medley.
Afternoon Kev, Cicero.
Makes sense to use Monreal etc, but I was wondering if Medleys cameo on Thursday was in preparation for today…
Thanks btw Kev.
Good to see Saka and Medley in the squad.
Lichtsteiner alongside Kos it seems..
our line up:
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Lichtsteiner, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Torreira, Guendouzi, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Aubameyang
Our subs today: Cech, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Ramsey, Ozil, Nketiah, Lacazette
A back four, I didn’t see that coming but it’s so Emery and good for him…
5 in midfield is interesting with Aubameyang up front.
No Medley or Saka is a shame, no Kolasinac either.
Watching Sky Sports, you wouldn’t think there’s any other game being played today other than dippers v Utd….
Waste of a sub with Ozil on the bench…
The centre back pairing of Koscielny and Lichtsteiner looks a bit risky to me. I’m sure Lichtsteiner has the ability to play in the position, but their must be a nagging doubt about Koscielny’s fitness and form. We must hope that the midfield trio don’t go walkabout, Bellerin and Monreal need to attack in turn, not both at the same time.
Really poor from our captain..
Mkhitaryan earning his corn.
Nice goal. Good from Iwobi and Nacho.
That’s all he’s done Cicero lol
He got kicked by inngs just before off the ball, not even a booking. 1-1 good cross and header.
Bloody hopeless defending , same old same old.
ref doesn’t seem to be aware of off the ball incidents
Three centre backs such a waste caus Ings given free space anyway. Really poor. Iwobi off half time for Laca please. Flat back four and bring Ramsey on. Oh dear, not even drawing half time. Are Southampton world beaters. Oh, 2nd bottom without a home win. Struth.
Really poor from our captain.. Rusty and showed for the second one too . No understanding between the three of them.
We are flat.
We are sideways and backwards in attack, and not shutting down the delivery in defence and wide open through the middle of the park.
Two free headers with a defender a few feet away not following the run.
Horrible performance and the formation didn’t work.
Let’s hope our run of second half form continues.
Koscielny hardly got off the ground for their second goal. Too soon for his comeback?
No one left ,I think. If we are to win this we need to take it to them with more drive and pace.What happens aat the back will have to look after itself.
We do not have height in the center of the defense as it was obvious.
They’re tearing us apart through the middle.
This is Arsenal at our worst.
Stop the delivery or at least put some pressure on it.
Both times, the delivery was too damn easy.
A 6’ 4” Medley might have beaten Ings to the ball. #just saying… lol
Iwobi should have settled it
Total, total shambles of a defence, as bad as at anytime under Wenger.
Twenty two match unbeaten run comes to an end.
Had to happen at some point, but we just had a shocker.
In recent years, when we were poor defensively, it’s because we offered no resistance in the centre of the pitch and that’s exactly the case today.
3 goals from breakaways, all headers and all we had was a few defenders around the penalty box.
Soton got numbers back much better than we did.
On to next week.
The game was lost when Ozil entered We started to play with 10. In the goal he loses the ball and he stares. Uncompensate the team and a free Saints player.
There are players who are at the end of the line.
Absolutely awful today.
Really poor. I don’t care if I never see Ozil in an Arsenal shirt again…
Jm, I totally agree re Ozil coming on. We had a bit of momentum before then which disappeared…
Wrong starting eleven in my view. When so short of centre backs, why to we HAVE to play with three instead of two? Just doesn’t make sense to me playing people out of position. Van Dyke doesn’t look too stupid an over priced deal now does it?
Think being honest, we knew this would happen at some stage. Lucky to get deflected equaliser and we still cock it up. Poor from Leno.
We need to make further changes in January. Unfortunately Ramsey must go if we can get a fee, Ozil, take any offer although can’t see who would pay wages. We really need a commanding CB. And a winger, so with a flat back four we have true width.
Catalogue of defensive errors mainly due to players not having time together.They played as if they had never met. Xhaka not coming goal side on the first ,Bellerin down for the second and Litch not picking up both times the ball over Kos head with Ings free. The last one keeper half comes ,goes back and sells himself. Players dropping llike flies as they Soton were allowed to commit follow through fouls.
Having said that we didn’t deserve much from it .We played a lacklustre ggame and Emery has to find a way to get Laca and Auba out together.
I do not understand how the area defends itself against the zone and not the man. A team that favors the aerial game, we have low central defenses. Obviously they understand how they will play. Southampton scored 1/4 of the league goals against Arsenal ..
Wenger should have got him before he went to Southampton Andrew.. cheap as chips then..
Agree re Ozil, Iwobi isn’t far behind either..
The bigger picture , we are where we should be 5th :- 8 points clear of 6th . It is possiible that with this squad this is Emery’s level.
We can’t win the league but we have a cushion and need to concentrate on the cups . Since we beat Tottenham in the league we have been a disaster whereas they have picked up and driven on. We play them again midweek and team selection will be interesting . Do we go for their throat again or pick a team to allow players to get back on trasck for the next league match . Seems that Bellerin is out until after the New Year.
That’s bad news re Bellerin, our injuries are coming thick and fast.
I think he’s no choice but to play our Europa team or something similar on Wednesday
A very poignant comment our Portugese correspondent “There are players at the end of the line”…
Eu nao poderia concordar com voce mas JM….
No Rico, I think Emery should pick his strongest team available, I’d hate to see those Middlesex tossers lording it on our pitch, we’re a cup team we aren’t quite good enough to nick 4th spot, Tottenham still have an edge, not much of one but enough to finish above us.
Chelsea are a bit inconsistent but they have Hazard as their game changer, we have Ozil as our game changer and so that’s that….
As Potter said 5th is probably where we’ll finish unless Chelsea implode.
It’s all aboard the Europa Express if we’re to sneak back into the CL moneyball…
To me Ramsey and Ozil have no future at Arsenal, how we move on Mesut is another thing?
Mkhitarayan and Iwobi have their critics and I can understand why, but we can’t flog everyone and given time they might up their game.
I’ve seen the goals and we really missed Holding, he would have cleared the two crosses Ings scored from, he just does the boring stuff that doesn’t catch the eye but you miss him when he’s not around, a bit like BFG…
Leno should have cleared the 3rd goal, it was poor from him, but he wasn’t the reason we lost.
Hiya Kev,
We just had a horrible day out from top to bottom.
We’ve done very well on occasions to play poorly and still win, but this time, it caught up with us.
Emery has had one transfer window, and I reckon we all agree he needs 3 or so.
I believe he got things wrong v Soton, but that’s easy to say with the help of hindsight and no pressure 🙂
Can’t win them all, but we are winning our share.
Well Kev, when you put it like that, how can I disagree. Makes sense as we’re arent going to win the league so go for the cups..
New post up now