Our long international nightmare is finally over. Players have been released from the shackles of their national teams and are free to practice with, and play for, the clubs that pay them their salaries. They will be called up again in October, then November, and then January, February, and for good measure March but until they get the call they are free to play for us, the actual football fans.
Arsenal’s players usually suffer injures from these international breaks and this time was no different as Abou Diaby picked up a slight knock and Theo Walcott contracted a virus. Diaby is almost certainly not playing tomorrow and Theo is doubtful.
Other injuries might not be superficially apparent but sting no less: Olivier Giroud was booed by the French “fans” who apparently suck at everything in life. Responding to the boo boys, Giroud responded “When you are a forward you need time and try to not listen to the fans, above all at Stade de France, where the audience is always a little special.” Special indeed, still, Giroud could use their boos as motivation and has spoken about the need for strikers to have “tenacity and dedication”. Both qualities which will suit him well as he looks to break his duck on Saturday against Southampton.
Interestingly, there have been a number of Arsenal players who have gotten their first goal against Southampton. Most famously Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp got their first goals against the Saints. And most infamously so too did Jermaine Pennant. Let’s hope more of the former and less of the latter as a career arc for the big Frenchman, if he does score.
Oxlade-Chamberlain played for England as well and while he wasn’t booed off the pitch, Hodgson did his level best to run the youngster into the ground, playing him a total of 125 pointless minutes as England flopped around looking for redemption against the Ukraine. Given his time on the field for the Lions and Arsene Wenger’s very careful management of the young man’s playing time, you might as well treat him as returning from international duty as “slightly injured”. His inclusion tomorrow will almost certainly be as a sub if at all.
In a turn of events, Wojciech Szczesny actually used the international break as a chance to get healthy. His replacement for the last two weeks was Vito Mannone who did a fabulous job, especially against Liverpool. But despite his performances and Wenger saying that it’s a bit of a difficult choice between Vito and Wojciech I can’t see any choice but for the manager to pick the Pole: you don’t lose your starting spot due to a short injury. Long-term injury, sure, but a two week injury bumping a starter would be just plain unfair, especially when the young man shows such great promise.
Having Vito looking hungry and ready to challenge Wojciech is a good thing for Arsenal. I never rated Fabianski as a keeper and clearly Szczesny doesn’t feel especially threatened that Lukas will take his spot. That’s the main reason I wanted Arsenal to buy an experienced keeper, someone to push Szcz for his starting spot. So hopefully Mannone can fill that role.
That means I see Arsenal playing with the following lineup (baring any late-minute injuries):
Szczesny
Jenkinson Murdersacker Vermaelen Gibbo
Gervinho Arteta Ramsey Podolski
Cazorla
Giroud
I’m sure you’ll all disagree and put Ox in there and say I’m being mental about the 4-4-1-1, but meh, that’s what blogs are for: I give you my well researched opinion and you tell me I’m mental.
As for the Saints, they are an interesting matchup for Arsenal as they play a sort of wide-open style of football and gave both Man U and Man City a run for their money. The Man U match was particularly telling of their style. They managed 15 shots to Man U’s 20 which is very respectable, and playing in a 4-3-3 (which reverts to a 4-5-1 when they don’t have the ball) played a lot of crosses in to their big forward Ricky Lambert.
But hearing about a big forward and lots of crosses you might be tempted to think they are long-ball merchants, they aren’t. They are dead last in aerial duels won and in long balls per game. Even weirder, Soton play the ball down the wings and have two wingers that like to cut back inside. Look for their record signing Gaston Ramirez (played for Bologna last season) to cut in from the right and shoot with his left. On the other side of the pitch, Puncheon will look to get crosses in to Lambert as he drifts extra wide to challenge Gibbs rather than mix it up with Mertesacker and Vermaelen.
Lambert also provides an outlet for Southampton when they do try to close up shop. Against United, Nigel Adkins removed Ricky Lambert and the Southampton team shape went to pot. They had a 2-1 lead and tried to defend but without Lambert winning aerial duels their clearances just came right back into the box. Eventually, United got the winner after thumping in 6 shots in the last 20 minutes.
Defensively, the Saints rely on playing the passing lanes more than crunching tackles. They lead the league in interceptions and their holding midfielder, an Alsacian named Schneiderlin, is second in the League in interceptions per game. In the 4-5-1, Schneiderlin is given freedom to roam and as such the Frenchman will be tasked with breaking up Cazorla’s attacks. If Ramsey starts, as I think he’s going to, he will have the job of threading the ball through a very crowded Southampton midfield and trying to find Cazorla in space.
Against Man U, Schneiderlin sat too deep and left Paul Scholes acres of space and time to create chances. It will be interesting to see if Arsenal play into Southampton’s hands and try to force the action near Schneiderlin or if they give the ball to Arteta and let him create from the deep lying midfielder’s position.
Arsenal’s defense, on the other hand, leads the League in both tackles attempted (76) and total won (59). This is part of the new-look Arsenal swarming defense which challenges the opposition all over the pitch for the ball. Case in point, Santi Cazorla currently has the fourth most tackles in this Arsenal team, a perfect 6 for 6.
It’s the talk of the town already but Arsenal have gone 270 minutes without conceding a goal, their best ever Premier League start, defensively. If they can make it just two minutes into the game tomorrow, they will move up two places in the all time best Premier League starts to a season. Southampton might be a good team to get that record against, in their only away match so far this season (Man City) the Saints could barely muster 10 shots and Arsenal at the moment are the stingiest team in the League in terms of shots allowed with just 9.7 overall and just 4 in their one home game. No matter how open they might try to be the Saints will find the Emirates a tough place to play.
Tomorrow’s match kicks off at 7am and is not available on terrestrial television in the States. You can watch the game live on Fox Soccer 2 Go if you have a subscription, if not check your local bar to see if they have a feed for the game. Our Man at the Match is Chary and he will be giving us a match report some time after the game tomorrow. I will be doing a By the Numbers post on Arseblog News later in the day and that will have to be your lot until Sunday.
See you then.
Did you mean to say that both Gaston and Puncheon will play on the right side of the pitch, challenging Gibbs on our left side?
Looking forward to a great home game and result tomorrow
Nope, Southampton’s wingers like to play opposite side of their dominant foot: Gaston is left-footed but plays on the right.
Sorry to nitpick, but Gaston to challenge Gibbs and Puncheon to challenge Jenkinson then
My apologies Tim. Puncheon and Ramirez both challenged Gibbs’ side. See you were right about something today after all
Arsenal arguably played a 4-4-1-1 as well, no one will believe me, so I will have to wait until Michael Cox says it to be vindicated.
Giroooooooooooud. Verminator has said he’ll score soon and so it shall be.
I never did understand why they pronounce it ‘baloney’.
I feel you’re right about Rambo, he will be working his socks off trying to bridge the gap between Arteta and Cazorla. I have to disagree with the 4-4-1-1 though, you mentalist. Micky will be much further back than Aaron with little interchange. What does that give us, a 4-3-1-1-1 I guess? Messy.
Good and thorough analysis and preview.
You ARE being mental about the 4-4-1-1, but you are proven smarter than the average bear or Gooner, so let’s see what Wenger who can be quite unconventional when is his wont, brings out tomorrow.
Agreed on Szczesny over Mannone. You gotta dance with those that brung ya, though your last two posts on our GK has put the fear of God in me.
All eyes will be on Giroud. If he doesn’t break his cherry against New Boys like Southampton, it won’t be long before the comparisons to Carroll and Torres will begin.
I say – and you read it here first – 3-nil to the Arsenal, with Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla scoring in that precise order. Three points, another clean sheet and no injuries.
“No more timing each tear that falls from my eyes
I’m not hiding the remedy to cure this old heart of mine
(Arsenal)…I can dream about you” – Dan Hartman
Also, re: Gaston Ramirez, from what I’ve seen him playing in Uruguay’s National side, he’s a real threat with set pieces too. I hope we don’t concede too much fouls in the dangerous area.
Murdersacker hahahaha looking forward to his first goal too!
(re: They will be called up again in October, then November, and then January, February, and for good measure March)
I thought there wasn’t any further international break after October until March. Aren’t Nov-Dec-Jan-Feb free of the interlull?
Also, I might be the only one saying this but there might be a chance of moving Arteta up, in the “Ramsey role”, and giving Le Coq a game?
Mental, i know.
Yes, I will also disagree with the team you suggest, mainly for the weakness it exposes. You failed to mention the other international that may have suffered a ‘mental’ injury – Ramsey?
If you include Gervinho thae he should be on the left, where he can be good. However, I think despite the time the Ox played he will start, and Gerv will sub him early second half. Possibly the same with Diaby, as early goals would be nice, but either way, Coquelin passes and tackles better than Ramsey, and more importantly, is a similar player, positionally and style to Diaby. But it is AW ‘s call, and I cannot see this match ending nil-nil.
I’ll have a Giroud brace please and yes I’d like fries with that.
Wenger must have got Own Goal from Man U as a ‘make weight’ in the RVP deal.
FK: King Poldi delivers what RVP only promised.
Bring back Mannone!!!!!!!!!!!
Agreed! 4 nill up just before half and a horrible lack of concentration by szczseny and you can feel the whole stadium and team deflated. His timing for mistakes like that could not be worse. But I digress. We look great overall.
A perfect 1st half of football and Szczesnsy goes and spoils it. He really pissed me off. I would drop him to the bench now because he made that horrendous error.
That would be a bit harsh at half but I’d come back with Don Vito for the CL this week.
I beg to differ. Szczesny also had as many giveaways if not more all the out field players combined. His was the type of performance that in a close game could have been the difference.
That was comedic from Szczesny. It was perhaps a bit idealistic to think our run of clean sheets would continue for much longer, but for it to end against So’ton? Off a stupid error? Disappointing.
Another goal would restore the nice cushion and allow Wenger to rest a few key players for Tuesday.
I worked two days to sing Szczesny’s praises and he repays me with this shit performance? No respect, no respect..
Unlucky Rambo. So far I’ve been wrong about everything. So I have that going for me.
I didn’t know we were starting the Capital One Cup today
Just moved to the West Coast and this was my first official 7 am kickoff. Thank god the boys put on a good performance.
My input from the game:
Feeling Hot Hot Hot Hot.
Great weather.
A balanced team at last…with Gervinho as a false Number 9. Who would have thought it?
That team in the first 45 minutes bought SEXY FOOTBALL to the Emirates. BUT I must say Southampton was in awe of us in the first half. Second half they played 4-4-2 and were steadier. I observed 10 minutes to the end they were shattered (reminds me of the Invincibles, when Arsenal use to tire teams out). What you may not have seen on the live TV were some Southampton players gasping for breath.
Three lovely things apart from the win; were the supporters singing (You never walk alone) at six minutes past three and The Paralympians (David Weir plus) were given a lovely ovation to say thank you and Santi received his Player of the Month Award.
Observation:
Steve Bould has his tactics on an IPAD….No longer a notebook or chart.
Our Goal Keeper was poor today… I wonder if he is well… he grimaced a few times.
What can I say about Santi Cazorla…..? He makes me purr. My personal MOM
G Force played as a false nine and having seen him in that role today I hope finally we stop all this negativity about him. Brave of Arsene to put him there.
Theo was a gentleman… both him and The Ox went over the Southampton fans and applauded them at the end.
Poldi was strong and what a free kick and Senor Arteta…I cannot praise him anymore except to say if I was going to battle he would be on my right side.
Gibbs tormented there left back and through his play we got two own goals.
Southampton: They have played all the big boys except Chelsea… now is the time for them to start playing to win games…. they are not a bad team.
Oh yes The PIE AND PINT for £5.00 promotion by Arsenal . Not great money for value but it filled the gap for some.
We are bringing Sexy FOOTBALL back…. Co Blimey….
Song: Cazorla…oh oh oh oh.. He comes from Malaga…to play with Arteta… Cazorla……
Excuse the grammar errors.
Always appreciate your reports from the game!
We are bringing sexy BACK!
It is only 4 games but what the hell, let’s have some fun:
We are sexy and we know it:
@LondonCalling 12
Echoing Tim – I resemble those remarks. Please do keep posting your post-match impressions whenever you have the wherewithal. Great stuff which you can’t possibly appreciate watching from 4,000 km away. A big thank you and thumbs up.
Great report.
I just arrived in London from Shanghai (home town in the 7am kick-off zone). Meandered over to the stadium this afternoon and then around the corner to The Herbert Chapman to watch the match. Looking at getting some tickets to some matches over the next couple months (leave in January) and would love some Gooners to meet up with before or after. I have an email on my website which I hope will be at the top of this comment.
Cautiously excited about this squad: come on you Gunners!
Great to have you back my fair lady and hope all is well.
Gervinho did not surprise starting as the false 9 as he did that in the pre-season and Poldi is way more effective coming off the left wing.
Great game assisted by a few pitchers of Guinness did the soul well.
By the numbers is up:
http://news.arseblog.com/2012/09/arsenal-6-1-southampton-by-the-numbers/
that…that guy…!!! with some cadbury legs..or something
what do they call him…??? that guy man.!!..don’t you remember…?!?!??he kinda got some golden boot and shit..
Man..c’mon!…he was on freekicks and penalties..
Boy…could he curl some onto the crossbar or what…and sometimes the sidepost..!!
Purse..puss…..ahh fuck it man…
anyway…kinda feel I dont need to remember that name..
oh…wait..!!!
I…think I got it…!!
…….ahh…No man…not Sammy Nasty..this is some other guy….ahh…neway…fuck it..
just buzzing right now.soo glad gerv got a brace,will boost his confidence.
never thought id say this…but fair play to you stoke
Great win. And completely off topic but anyone else find Mark (Wenger should’ve shook my hand!) Hughes saying that pre-match handshakes are “fundamentally flawed” and could be done away with a bit hypocritical.
Mark Hughes he shakes hands when he wants…