Southampton venture into north London for a Premier League match for the first time since 2005. Having been on a downward spiral, successive promotions under the guidance of Nigel Adkins is a tremendous achievement and quite rightly, he is getting praised for that. If he manages to keep The Saints in the top flight, no matter what anyone else achieves, he will deserve Manager of the Year. And that is a tall order for the South Coast team. You’ll have gathered I have a bit of a soft spot for them.
It has been a baptism of fire for them; three games, three defeats on paper looks like relegation form and yet the only disappointment will have been the 0 – 2 home defeat to Wigan. Expecting the newly promoted side to take any points off either of the Mancunian sides would qualify as unbridled optimism, even if the matches offered that hope as they unfurled. As it is, they will be looking to avoid defeat today; to return home with anything from this match would surely offer them confidence going forward.
The international break came at an inopportune moment for Arsenal. Having won at Anfield, the manager would have wanted to build on that and create momentum going into a busy run of fixtures. Then again when is an international break ever convened at an opportune moment? Arsenal need to win. City, United and Chelsea will undoubtedly overcome their opposition; I know that last season, they had problems with their respective opponents but lightning rarely strikes twice in these fixtures. Of the three, City’s looks the toughest but Stoke City were no great shakes a three weeks ago, their reputation is based more on column inches if that performance is anything to go by.
Arsène’s press conference revealed little surprise in the team news, certainly as far as injuries were concerned. There is little logic in playing Diaby even if he is passed fit, let him rest and be ready for Montepellier and Manchester City. It is not as if we are short of numbers in midfield, according to the manager. That is stretching it at the moment but even so, Aaron Ramsey or Francis Coquellin will surely be able to drop in seamlessly to the triumverate in the centre of the park.
If the young Frenchman replaces Diaby, his untimely outburst during the international break will bring his performance under the microscope; he is not quite on a hiding to nothing but will definitely face derision if he is deemed not to be up to standard. Ramsey on the other hand, will quite rightly feel he has as much chance of playing, probably more so given he has been the used substitute this season. I suspect that he will find himself in the starting line-up; his inclusion precludes moving Arteta further forward, giving a more settled feel to the side.
Changes will be made in the back five though. Mannone will make way for Szczesny but the Italian need not be downcast. As I observed yesterday, I think this spell means that he has usurped Fabianski as N°2 goalkeeper at the club, with the likelihood increasing of Lukasz being loaned or sold this winter. The other choice is whether or not Mertesacker retains his place. Such deliberations did not seem likely last season given Koscielny’s form but the German has responded to that this season being part of the so far unbreached Arsenal defence. On that alone, why would Arsène make a change? Probably on the same basis as goalkeepers; you play your best players.
It was interesting reading the comments about the training session photos, divination by bib suggests that Olivier Giroud might struggle to join his predecessors in breaking his duck against today’s visitors. It would be harsh if the Frenchman were dropped to the bench but equally understandable. The formation today will need to stretch the Southampton defence, ensuring the full width of The Ashburton Grove pitch is used with a recall for Gervinho and Podolski moved centrally. That is the harsh reality which Giroud faces with the personnel available although scoring today would certainly bring some confidence to the forward, as well as getting a monkey off his back.
I expect the line-up today to be:
Szczesny; Jenkinson, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Ramsey, Cazorla, Arteta; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski, Gervinho
It leaves an extremely strong bench to choose from with Walcott and Arshavin offering different attacking options if needed. Had Walcott not been ill during the recent international week, I think today he would been playing from the start. As it is, a familiar feeling of sitting on the bench for the former Saint.
Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it.
’til Tomorrow.
atm Chesney is competing against Vito though, and Vito has had two clean sheats, and he has not done a howler like this for a long time. He also usually manages to kick the ball out so it hits an Arsenal player. Vito will kick Chesneys ass to the bench if he does not straighten up and that fast.
Poodle, it may be that the coaches agree with you this week
Poodle, the interview Arsene gave on Skysports suggested that he thinks the competition between Szcz and Mannone is extremely close so maybe the latter will be given the nod this week.
Yeh well, we should support whoever is guarding our goal imo. It will be an iteresting battle between Vito and Chesney though. I think everybody though Chesney was the obvious choice as a GK but Vito has done his stuff well. Chesney is up for one of the biggest challenges in his arsenal career me thinks. A fit, abituous and very confident Vito that grows with every match…
THen again, a potential wordclass keeper will shrug things like today off and not loose that no1 spot. After all it is Chesneys to loose…
Will be an exciting season thats for sure
oh and you know they are desperate over at Anfield when their new posterboy is a 17 year old kid with 2 games to his name. What happend to all the Liverpool stars???
I think competition will be very good for us as a team. Even though Fabianski did well after Almunia was dropped, after his injury Szcz had the number 1 spot secured and Fab couldn’t really put any pressure on him because his cup appearances were good but ordinary. On the other hand Vito now has some momentum for his cause and it oviously plays into his cards that Szcz comitted that howler today (if he had comitted it further down the season after the memory of two good Mannone performances wasn’t so fresh it wouldn’t have made much of a difference). And poodle is right, a true world class keeper, especially someone with the confidence of Szczesny should shrug it off and be ready to show that he is deserving of his place in the team. This “fight” will have a positive effect on us. Definitely very exciting times and oh to be a gooner!
I love it..keeper duel
agree with u poodle..exciting season indeed!
poor B.Rodgers,
management failed to add quality bodies before Sept 1.
how he fares till new year is anyone’s guess.
6-1..no injuries…3 subs…Gerv brace…my motm was Santi.
btw YW,
I believe you jinxed Szcz with this picture you headlined today’s post with.
He looks like a little twerp not a world class Arsenal keeper…shame on you.
lol
Aman – I wouldn’t say he looks like a twerp but he looks young, which is not surprising. Yes, he was unconcentrated today – easy to get that way when you’re 4-0 up. I think we’ll see a much more focused player in the next two matches.
. I think the teams against Montpellier and City will be defence focused, looking for the quick break, as we did so well against Liverpool. Couldn’t make up my mind about MOTM so voted for Giroud just for fun!
When Bacary is back, I don’t think AW will have any hesitation giving him his place back, especially if Jenks persists with those crossfield passes into no man’s land which put us under pressure. 3 against Liverpool, at least 1 today. He needs some instruction in what to do when the opposition are pressurising him and he can’t find an outlet because at the moment he’s not playing the percentage game (down the line – get the throw). He’s going to be under a lot of pressure next Sunday for sure.
That aside, a splendid team performance – got the 6 goals I was hoping for at Anfield
In Arsene We Trust.
Goodnight RASERS!
Cazorla is way better than Song. Podolski scores when he wants. Same old Arsenal!
So – the top 4 after 4 games are the teams in the CL this season. I know it’s early days, but I can’t quite see any other team breaking in. Liverpool are struggling and Spurs are weighed down by AVB’s bullshit theories. Who else is there?
Oh, to be a gooner!
It’s great we’ve able to debate about situations like this when, compared to the last two seasons it was more a “I hope * doesn’t get injured or our season is over”
Bring on Champ’s league.
I can see Ramsey, Santos and Kos getting the nod for midweek
@CFP
Good point. Last season it was always this player or that player is so important that if he gets injured, we are done for. But this season, I don’t really have the feeling about any player this year. The depth we suddenly possess is staggering.
If I may reprise a line from 2 years ago: 4 games to decide the top 4 and 34 more games to arrange them in alphabetical order.
(Didn’t quite work last time – but looks promising at the moment!)
Fantastic game today. Gervinho scoring twice is huge for this team. Podolski looks like our top scorer but we need to spread the goals around the rest of the front 3 and a few from Santi and the midfield will be needed as time goes on . Cazorla is brilliant, Arteta is awesome and another solid performance from the deeeeeeeefense. Hard to maintain concentration when you are ahead 4 – 0 so losing our run of clean sheets in that situation was understandable and meaningless. Hopefully Theo will be returned to his rightful spot on the right in the CL game against the evil blue Mancs.
best goal differential in the league. Keep it up Arsenal!
Fabianski,May yet be No.1
Man o man. Nice blow out. Look who’s on third.
I really thought it would be a tougher game. .
Would have guesses 3-1 to the GUNS
makes me want to break out in a song
Oh when the saints
Go marching in
Oh when the ain’ts go marching in
I want to give my gunners a big. Hug
oh when the ain’ts go marching in
Thank you
thank you very much
TH scores with a corner shot: http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/09/15/goal-thierry-henry-olimpico. Master class!
Henry….wow…
Oh Thierry! He didn’t even score one like that for us! I’d be all open for another loan move in January btw. Even if we don’t need him! Give him 10 sub appearances and he picks up another winners medal when we (if we?) win the league.
Yes Fabianski never really had a chance to prove himself in recent months. If he is able to recover from his injury he could also start pushing for No. 1.
I would put down Chesney blunders to a lack of match practice. But we cannot afford to commit those blunders in tighter games.
No, Thierry didn’t score one like that for us because there are no goalkeepers like that in the Prem.
on Szczesny’s error for Southampton’s goal…
I think he was disappointed. That’s the negative of the day, that we conceded a goal, but we can swallow that. You have to concede at some stage but it happened like it happened.
Olivier Giroud admits it will be “special” to face his former club Montpellier on Tuesday night – but says he will keep any potential goal celebrations to a minimum.
Strength in depth – our second string back four (at present):
Yennaris (or Coquelin); Djourou; Koscielny; Santos
Most Prem managers would give their right arm for that line-up.
Plus of course we have Bacary to return soon.
In midfield we have so many: AA, TR, AD, JW, AR, EF.
In attack, yesterday showed how AW can use different formations for different games.
But the big questions have yet to be asked – Liverpool was a great win, despite their current problems adjusting to what their new manager wants. Man City away and Chelsea at home will be very exciting.
After another two minutes, Arsenal got their fourth. Again the supplier was Gibbs, only this time his swinging cross was turned into his own net by Clyne.
The Southampton defence was now on a hat-trick.
Mancity have not found their footing yet and chelsea will not like to attack us TBH I believe we can take all 6 points;worst case 4 points
Yogi I’m very disappointed with your decision to use that picture for the article.I can see 2 judases Dutchman and Song.Please use only images that contain Arsenal current players and ex-loyalists.
oh Chelsea at home. So looking forward to that. I think we will absolutely pelt them. They dont’ know what a defence is. They neither have one nor have they faced one in their games so far. They will be in for a double disappointment.
And I hope that this season will be the first where we can take proper revenge on the red Mancs. They’ve had our number for far too long. It’s time to strike back.
It’s here
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/?p=9503
Today’s musings