Arsenal v Southampton Preview, Line Up and Score Prediction

So Arsenal are aiming for their 20th game in a row unbeaten against Southampton at the Emirates tonight, and it is fully expected that there will be another slew of changes from the weekend’s game against Bournemouth. The Saints are sitting comfortably in mid table so I expect them to play their very best team in an attempt to reach the League Cup semi final, so it will certainly not be an easy one for our makeshift side. “It’s an opportunity to try to win something,” the Saints boss Claude Puel said. “The last game against Everton was a fantastic game, with good intensity and a good physical level.”

His team haven’t progressed past this round in the last 7 seasons so will be keen to make amends, but then again, the last three times that Arsenal have faced a Premiership team in this competition they have been beaten 1-0, so which record is set to be broken?

Tonight’s Arsenal team will be very hard to predict considering Wenger’s promised rotations, but I will have a good go…. Obviously Emi Martinez will be between the sticks as he said earlier: “The boss told me that I would play in the League Cup at the beginning of the season and I trust him,”

“I’m playing every game so I’m really looking forward to Southampton. We have had two big games already, with Forest away and Reading at home, and Championship sides are tough sides in this competition because they’ve got nothing to lose.”

Arsenal are decidedly short of right-backs at the moment, but Jenkinson will get given another opportunity to impress. Maitland-Niles is a back-up to Jenko, but I think he will be returned to the middle, where he played against Reading in the last round, while Gabriel should be moved back to the centre to partner Holding, with Gibbs (probably captain?) returning to the left.

I’m thinking one of Xhaka or Elneny will be playing in the centre alongside the youngster, but with Ramsey only playing 15 mins at the weekend he may start tonight, but where?

We are also short of strikers if Alexis is rested and Giroud unavailable, so I’m hoping that Wenger feels that Lucas is ready to start a game. Behind him I expect Reine-Adelaide to play as he has in the last two rounds. Iwobi was rested at weekend so should start, and Ox is a certainty to be there as he has actually scored our last three League Cup goals!

So here is the predicted line up……

Martinez
Jenkinson – Gabriel – Holding – Gibbs
Maitland-Niles – Elneny
Ox – Jeff – Iwobi
Lucas

As for the score, I am not being opimistic tonight and think it will be a very close thing. I’m going for 1-1 at 90 minutes, with Wenger’s reserves making the difference in extra time…..

What do you think?

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7 Comments

  1. Rambo need to play in the cam role..let him prove himself there..hasn’t been the best season for him but his 15 min there on the weekend didn’t look too bad..xacka man need to play too wenger said he need to get use the the pace of the English game..nothing like a good old league cup tie to get him there..he’s been rested enough.

  2. ……….Martinez
    Jenk..Gabs…Holding…Gibbs
    …..Ramsey…..Eleney
    Ox…….Adelaide……..Iwobi
    …………Lucas

  3. what is that? do you know how difficult it is for our best XI to beat Soton, now u wanna field Elneny etc?

    Ospina
    Jenks-Gabriel-Holding-Gibbs

    Xhaka-Coquelin

    Ox-Ramsey-Iwobi

    L.Perez

    Let’s take this game serious. soton are one of our boogey teams

  4. With Carzola injured- I’d test Ramsey in that position

    I know he has a lot of critics but he brings hunger, pace and some creativity in midfield

    Hope Lucas has a great night up top

    #COYG!

    1. I’d rather see what Coquelin, Xhaka and Ramsey can do. I don’t think we’ve seen that combination this year. And have to disagree, I don’t think Ramsey has the discipline to play in Carloza’s role. A free role at number 10 is the only viable role I see for him.

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