Official teams and preview of Arsenal v Southampton

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger got some good news on the injury front ahead of this crucial Premier League clash with third placed Southampton, as the injuriy doubts on Kieran Gibbs, Nacho Monreal and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain proved to be false.

So the former Southampton star Chamberlain joined another former Saint Calum Chambers in the Gunners starting line up to face his old club, with the just fit again Olivier Giroud dropping to the bench and Danny Welbeck going back into his favoured centre forward position.

That gives Arsenal a front three full of pace with Alexis Sanchez in the other wide forward role. Wenger prefers Monreal to Gibbs, perhaps to give the England international the rest he wanted to give him in the last game.

Martinez
Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal
Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla
Alexis, Welbeck, Chamberlain

subs: Macey, Gibbs, Bellerin, Rosicky, Podolski, Sanogo, Giroud

Arsenal should be well up for this after recent performances and the Saints may struggle after a heavy defeat and the loss of their midfield general Morgan Schneiderlin. If we get a good start and approach this in the right way, it should be a good night for the Gunners.

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76 Comments

    1. Ramsey has been sh*t. He is not offering himself as an outlet from the back. Also oxlade should slow down a bit and use his head. He should learn to cross the ball like Chambers because nothing comes out of his rush most of the time. He does not have to cut inside all the time. Flamini only knows how to pass back.

  3. I’m glad Giroud isn’t starting. He will be useful in defending set pieces in 2nd half when we are keeping our usual 1-0 lead.

    1. OG gives us a player to make runs off of. Instead of running onto balls he can comfortably play with back towards goal. Ramsey and Carzola thrive on his prescence on the top of the box. To be honest I don’t see anything that Flamini brings to the table that Chambers couldn’t do better and Bellerin coulde take the RB role for a few games till the injured return.

    1. I bliv in Welbeck and I know he is still very young, but he really needs to relax and not be overly in a hurry to shoot and score.

    1. Watching Drogba score for Chelsea, I just wish that was Henry for us at the moment.

      I swear, even at his age now, Henry is better and Giroud and Welbeck put together.

      1. Damn, even without their main striker Chelsea is mauling Tottenham. To think about we barely escaped with a draw..

  11. the emirates is like a library tonight, very nervy.
    Lets hope Saints don’t actually start trying to the play in the 2nd half!
    Loving Wanyamma!!

  14. Sanchez has got to work on his ball retention. He sometimes hold on to the ball for far too long and causing us problems..

    Welbeck has the poorest first touch ever, the ball just seems to bounce off him the moment it gets to him..

    Ramsey has got to do more, he is becoming a liability in the team now..

    And our Kossy is looking a bit nervous and keeps playing players onside.

    Monreal and Flamini are just a bag of nerves..

    Lets come down and play some meaningful football..

    Come on you Gunners..

    1. Don’t forget Chamberlain’s extremely poor delivery. I swear he can’t even put out a simple through pass.

    2. BTW IS WANYAMA THE SAME PLAYER WHO WANTED TO COME TO US AND WE SAID no AND DECIDED TO GET FLAMINI INSTEAD?

      ROFL

    3. Hey GOONSTER,

      I wholeheartedly agree with your assesment, kinda begs the question though how Genuinely AVERAGE is this tean?

      EXTREMELY

  15. 1ST HALF ANALYSIS —–TYPICAL STRUGGLE AGAINST A DECENT TEAM!!!

    To be fair Arsenal has fought hard but this was Southampton beaten 3-0 at home against city. They are not invincible. A DRAW IN A HOME GAME IS A LOSS TO ME. I DONT CARE IF WE PLAY WORLD 11. VISITING TEAMS MUST GO EMPTY HANDED FROM THE EMIRATES TO SHOW WE MEAN BUSINESS.
    There is still a balance lacking in Arsenals play. FED UP OF ALL THESE NEARLYS. ONE WEEK WE PLAY WELL AS IF WE WILL CHALLENGE. NEXT WEEK WE ARE BACK TO FAMILIAR PROBLEMS. TOPSY TURVY ARSENAL. It was never like this before.

    If we will drop out of top 4 let it happen. Hopefully we will then see some changes and look forward to a new beginning

  17. I like RAMSEY but this season with him in midfield we are playing with 10 players, where is he? We are already 14 games in and he still looks out of it..

    C

  26. I cant imagine actually Paying the exorbitant ticket prices to see this feeble attempt to play attractive, convincing football. Wake me up when Le Prof and this merry band of misfits are gone.

  27. Hahah, there are only few players who have the privilege to come on from the bench before 80th minute. Golden boy Giroud is one of them.

    Others, Wenger disregards completely.

  41. This is how Arsenal FC looks like without Sanchez. When he is having a bad game, we are nothing.

    Good job Arsene building this team around one player.

  52. Told you haha…comenon arsenalllllllllllllllllll have fait…nothing is easy in the league we got a superstar he just doing what superman do save the world baby come on you gunnnnnnerssssssss

    1. @mobaygunner
      Even without Schniedelin they defending damn good. Hats off to em. Olivier was the game changer though.

  61. Phew 3 points keeps us in contention and Saints only now 3 points ahead.
    Cant help thinking we got lucky with Alderweild going off!!

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