The season so far has seen these two teams make very different starts. Arsenal have pulled out our best defensive start to a season since 1924 with regards to goals conceded…0!
Southampton on the other hand have lost all three of their games so far.
Despite how it looks on the surface, it would be unwise to suggest the game will be an easy win.
New boys keep us guessing
Arsenal haven’t played Southampton since 2005, the year Southampton were relegated from the top division.
Although both games that season between the two teams ended in a draw, the fact it was so long ago makes this almost irrelevant.
The team Southampton had then bares no resemblance to this weekends so past meetings throw very little light on anything.
Despite this it might be worth noting that Arsenal haven’t lost to Southampton in 6 consecutive matches including a hard fought FA cup semi final in 2003.
The Unluckiest team in the league
The start Southampton have made looks dreadful but when you look at the games they have played they have been devilishly unlucky.
It took two very late strikes from that man Robin Van Persie to stop Southampton gaining a famous three points against the titans of Manchester United.
They were also unlucky to lose 3-2 against Manchester City in their opening game, another match where Southampton went ahead unexpectedly.
Despite these tremendous feats of effort, Southampton did lose at home to the much lesser Wigan Athletic that suggests not all of Southampton’s misfortune can be put down to bad fortune.
A very different Arsenal
If there’s one point usually made about Arsenal it is very rarely that they’re solid at the back but struggle to score goals, in fact it’s usually the other way round.
However, this season we see a very strong defensive and a centre forward in the form of Giroud who can’t catch a break. Despite the Frenchman’s woe’s Cazorla and Podolski showed last week against Liverpool that they are more than capable of scoring from midfield.
Southampton’s beast
Described by match of the day as a big man with skill, Rickie Lambert has guided Southampton through two successive promotions and in my opinion will provide our defence with the sternest test it has had so far. The way in which Lambert jumps for headers will no doubt provide him with the smaller figures in our defence, Kieran Gibbs especially.
Arsenal’s unexpected favourite
If someone had told me that 2 days before a Premier League game, Arsenal fans would be praying that Abou Diaby is fit for the weekend I would have laughed.
But finally it seems that Abou might finally have finally become the Vieira we all knew he had the potential to be.
The way Diaby strode down the pitch at Liverpool filled me with joy and I really hope he’s fit as he is in tremendous form.
Keep it on the floor
The main tactical points to be made are that the game is likely to be played on the ground for large parts, we know that we will pass it and at times Southampton appeared to out pass Man U.
However, even Nigel Adkins might decide that trying to out pass an Arsene Wenger team is simply to much and could be tempted to utilise the height and strength of Lambert that I mentioned.
Crowded midfield
Although I would love Diaby to be fit it does seem that he might not be fit in time. Therefore a problem lies in who will replace him.
Most people seem to feel that Arsene will decide on Arteta, Cazorla and Coquelin in the midfield.
Personally I believe that Aaron Ramsey is more likely to start than Coquelin. But this debate completely ignores the presence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. It seems that Wenger is spoilt for choice in the middle of the park.
Likely line-up
Sczcesny, Gibbs, Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Cazorla, Arteta, Ramsey, Podolski, Chamberlain and Giroud
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