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Arsenal vs SOUTHAMPTON Build up thread


Saint Garrett

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The biggest test of our season so far.

 

Lose this one and a relegation scrap beckons.

 

As some of the Arsenal fans are saying, it's a "must win" match.

 

If that's true for them, it must be doubly true for us (as we are already 3 points behind them...and to fall six points behind might be tough to overcome in our remaining 26 matches).

 

Must, must win.

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Lose this one and a relegation scrap beckons.

 

As some of the Arsenal fans are saying, it's a "must win" match.

 

If that's true for them, it must be doubly true for us (as we are already 3 points behind them...and to fall six points behind might be tough to overcome in our remaining 26 matches).

 

Must, must win.

 

Relegation? I very much doubt it. Arsenal have not been relegated since 1913 :)

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It's a shame that we're probably going to get 0 points from our next two games and slide out the top 6. Could have done with spreading the tougher games out a bit, but oh well.

 

I don't see it that way, there's no pressure on us and mountains of it on Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea in the next few games. We can afford to be determined and fearless, that will in my opinion see us get something out of these matches.

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No fear from me either... and I actually feel that the way we've developed and moved on even since last years wins over Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool, means we are even more likely to get something.

 

MoPo admits himself, our high line and high press DOES carry risks... so we will lose again at some point soon, probably to a team who have the ability to move the ball quickly to cope with our high press, and expose us before we can get numbers back behind the ball. Chances are that will be a team like Arsenal or Chelsea, with sharp players with a good touch. Either that, or we will have games where we're not up to our usual standard, or a bit of luck goes against us. But we have performed pretty consistently in recent games, which gives me confidence that the players know what is required and are more able to deliver it nowadays.

 

The key then is whether we can score at the other end. That's the area I think we can still improve more, our movement and interplay, and the creation of chances.

 

If we're on top of our pressing game, then I can see it being a tight game, which either side could win by a single goal, depending on who is able to get the better of the opposition defence and take their chance.

 

So, after all that, my prediction...? 1-1.

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We should go to the Emirates and give it a real go, no-one expects us to get anything out of it so the pressure should be off to an extent.

 

When I look at any possible Arsenal combination whilst there is undoubted skill I keep on wondering where are their gritty ball winners?

 

Schneiderlin and Wanyama should have a huge role to play in this game, strangle their supply and our defence should be able to mop up the rest. I'd love to see Cork in there but he just hasn't had enough time out there to be brought into such a high profile game IMO.

 

I'd like to see Ossie play up front with Lallana behind, this should be his kind of game against a skillful but penetrable defence. Sooner or later he's going to click and when he does we'll get a big boost. Ricky and JRod on the bench for an impact in the last 25 mins.

 

Boruc

Shaw Lovren Fonte Clyne

Wanyama

JWP Schneiderlin Davis

Lallana

Ossie

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http://www.goonersworld.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=26371&start=15

http://arsenal-mania.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=323769

 

More respect than fear admittedly, but it is there.

 

I'm strangely confident at the moment.

 

Thanks for these links, nice to see that fans supporting the traditional big teams are being respectful of what Saints are achieving at the moment! Man United fans were generally very complimentary of us recently as well.

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Lambert has to play over Ossie. 2 assists and a goal last game. Been playing so well as a front 4 over the past month and last time we played away against a big team (united) Ossie up front didn't work. Lambert will hold the ball up and allow us to get numbers forward on the counter which we do so quickly. Plus, putting him on Gibbs at the far post would be a great opportunity like Adkins used to have him do.

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I think this will be a very exciting game and I can't wait (this internaitonal break already seems like forever damnit). Two strong footballing styles coming together. Arsenal coming off the back of a disappointing loss to United and we're coming off the back of the best all-round performance I have ever witnessed vs Hull.

 

I think par would be losing by the odd goal. A draw would be a very good result and a win would be incredible. Losing by more than one would be very disappointing.

 

I am more confident about our chances when we play Chelsea.

 

I am tipping Arsenal for the title this year. I'm sure they'll still be up there come the end of the year and they will buy a striker in January. That said, I don't think they'll run away with the title and I can see 6 or 7 teams all fighting over the top spots to the death, based on every team having apparent weaknesses.

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Our tickets arrived this morning, and I can't wait!! At the start of the season, I said to my brother and my 2 Saints mad teenage sons that we needed to equal or better every result season on season to make progress. So anything better than a 6-1 hammering is good!! That isn't going to happen, and I am quietly optimistic. The last time I saw Saints away at Arsenal was when Paul Davis floored Glenn Cockerill and broke his jaw!!

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A top of the table clash awaits and a chance to leapfrog them and go top if Liverpool fail to beat Everton and we win by 2 goals.

 

Hopefully all our boys come through the international break unscathed. Would be tempted to start the same team again, although there is arguement for Osvaldo to start instead of Lambert for this one as we may be playing a bit more on the counter attack than normal.

 

-----------Boruc------------

Clyne--Fonte---Lovren--Shaw

-------Vic------Morgan------

JWP------Lallana-------JRod

---------Osvaldo-----------

 

Davis Chambers Gaston Davis Cork Hooiveld Lambert

Startong Osvaldo would upset the chemistry of the team. I believe that we would have a hard time scoring with him in the starting 11

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to be honest i don't really care who he puts out. i think he will get it right on the day. yes, know who i would prefer, but it will be at about 5 o'clock when we know the rights and wrongs, and maybe travesties of it.

 

either way, i am not too worried about the result this weekend. for me, the biggest test is the first week in december. yes the next two games are arsenal and chelsea, but look beyond that. we will have a good week off from the arsenal game, win lose or draw, but then we have an extremely hard six day period of chelsea, villa then man city. that, to me, is going to be the real test. come through that, anywhere near the top 6 and then i think we can start getting a little bit exccited!

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Our tickets arrived this morning, and I can't wait!! At the start of the season, I said to my brother and my 2 Saints mad teenage sons that we needed to equal or better every result season on season to make progress. So anything better than a 6-1 hammering is good!! That isn't going to happen, and I am quietly optimistic. The last time I saw Saints away at Arsenal was when Paul Davis floored Glenn Cockerill and broke his jaw!!

 

i wrote an essay on that at school about the injustices in the world!

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Startong Osvaldo would upset the chemistry of the team. I believe that we would have a hard time scoring with him in the starting 11

 

You have to question things when our two most expensive signings aren't good enough for the starting eleven (admittedly Osvaldo hasn't had enough time yet whereas G.R has)

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You have to question things when our two most expensive signings aren't good enough for the starting eleven (admittedly Osvaldo hasn't had enough time yet whereas G.R has)

 

Not really, as it's down to the form of others rather than their lack of form. If Lambert hadn't scored all season and was playing sh*te and the attacking midfielders weren't firing, they'd both be getting chances I reckon.

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There's a mention on the Arsenal fan site that both Walcott and Podolski will be fit to return by the time we play them. If so, that's not good news IMO because that wide duo is the only threat I really fear from Arsenal. It's not so much that they'll give Shaw and Clyne the runaround, but that their presence would limit the ability of our FBs to push forward as they must if our system is to work.

 

I still think we can get a result up there but this certainly wouldn't help our chances. My hope and my hunch is that, while Walcott may return, they'll be much more cautious with Podolski; hamstring injuries are pigs for going again just when you think you're over them.

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Fitness doubts remain over Lambert, Osvaldo and potentially Lallana after his knock this evening - though the latter seems to have escaped unharmed.

 

Rumours that Shaw is carrying an injury too, though we'll find out more in the coming days.

 

Maybe this 'international' malarky isn't so good after all...

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Fitness doubts remain over Lambert, Osvaldo and potentially Lallana after his knock this evening - though the latter seems to have escaped unharmed.

 

 

Not sure, I'm concerned. Have had a couple of injuries where you think **** me that hurts, then the adrenaline kicks in for 10 mins, but an hour later you can't walk.

 

Want to see photos of Lallana training tomorrow!

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The Lallana one was worrying yesterday. Always worse when a player goes down after not being touched. Looked like an awkward one and he's got a bit of history with injuries. Just hope it's not his troublesome groin.

 

It wasn't with no one near him though was it? It looked as if he challenged someone but then took an air shot. He was on a good while after going down so I'm sure he's ok.

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There's a mention on the Arsenal fan site that both Walcott and Podolski will be fit to return by the time we play them. If so, that's not good news IMO because that wide duo is the only threat I really fear from Arsenal. It's not so much that they'll give Shaw and Clyne the runaround, but that their presence would limit the ability of our FBs to push forward as they must if our system is to work.

 

I still think we can get a result up there but this certainly wouldn't help our chances. My hope and my hunch is that, while Walcott may return, they'll be much more cautious with Podolski; hamstring injuries are pigs for going again just when you think you're over them.

 

See what you're saying, counter theory is neither walcott or podolski do tracking and defending particularly well. So if we have more of the ball (the difficult bit at the emirates) in the right areas of the pitch our full backs could be more attacking than defending

 

Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

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See what you're saying, counter theory is neither walcott or podolski do tracking and defending particularly well. So if we have more of the ball (the difficult bit at the emirates) in the right areas of the pitch our full backs could be more attacking than defending

 

Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

 

Right, and therein rests the key chess match. If we're brave enough to apply the full press early, wide opposing players who don't track back become our friends rather than our enemies; we could sneak a goal or maybe two. However, that leaves them free and lethal if Arsenal penetrate our press, in which case the goals could go the other way. Having said that, there are few FBs better equipped to get back fast than Shaw and (especially) Clyne.

 

This is going to be a fascinating game if either or both of Walcott and Podolski are fit, and I think fortune will favour the brave. I hope that's us, but it needs large gonads to try to play Arsenal largely in their own defensive third when they have two pacy wide-men out there.

 

I'm optimistic. I'd be more so if only one of the two is fit, and even more so if neither are.

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writing this before the Germany game (where any of our three will be glad to get on as second half subs. )....I'm expecting a " back-lash " from them at the weekend to show Roy that they do have the nous

 

As someone who has seen decades of humiliating defeats in games v. Arsenal... (though I was at Highbury 1968 ..won 3-0 and without Ron Davies that day)...I'm going for a win at The Emirates.

 

A two goal margin would see us top of the table for the first time in 25 years. (Sept. 10th 1988)

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I'm expecting a " back-lash " from them at the weekend to show Roy that they do have the nous

 

I'm fairly sure Adam has shown that. And he knows what Rickie is all about.

 

 

A two goal margin would see us top of the table for the first time in 25 years. (Sept. 10th 1988)

 

Only if Liverpool fail to win at Everton.

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Sadly couldn't get tickets for this but coming down to Southampton from the north to do the st Mary's tour and then hoping to watch the game in town

after. Can anybody recommend a decent pub to watch the game? I know it will be on a stream but any suggestions would be much appreciated. Cheers

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Sadly couldn't get tickets for this but coming down to Southampton from the north to do the st Mary's tour and then hoping to watch the game in town

after. Can anybody recommend a decent pub to watch the game? I know it will be on a stream but any suggestions would be much appreciated. Cheers

 

The Royal Oak, Houndwell Pl, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 1HU

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know it's unlikely, but is there anyone with a spare ticket for sale please?

 

It really depends on just how desperate you are to go, I'd think you could find a ticket from an agency but it's going to cost you upwards of 150£. There's an agency that sells Arse tickets to French tourists and I'm told that they have a decent number still available for Saturday.

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