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Arsenal vs. Saints - Build Up & Match


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8 minutes ago, nta786 said:

For some reason think Bellerin and Xhaka being out for them is a blessing.

However, if Cedric starts then I’d fancy Djenepo on the left to do him for pace. 
 

I’m going to predict 1-1

I have a feeling Aubameyang is going to score an absolute screamer 

I don't know about a screamer, but you can bet your house on him getting at least one to end his goal drought!

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1371972/Mikel-Arteta-Pierre-Emerick-Aubameyang-Arsenal-goal-drought-premier-league-news

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So nervous for this. This is a great chance to really show what we are made of and put our boot on the Arsenal throat. I seem to recall that our great start a few years back was halted by Arsenal and City and brought us back to earth with a bump.

We have a fantastic chance to get our first ever league win at the Emirates. Don't go all MLG on me but it's hard to break the mentality as a fan that we'll somehow snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with some clogger smashing in a worldie at the death. The draw at their place last year was ludicrous, we had plenty of chances to go 3-1 and Martinelli was the only Arsenal player who seemed to be going for that last gasp equalizer. Lacazette barely reacted to scoring it (they wanted Emery fired), annoying.

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2 hours ago, Saint Keef said:

it needn't cost anything if you remember to cancel after 30 days

You can actually 'cancel' the prime membership immediately after setting up the trial. Cancellation doesn't stop access  to Prime there and then, rather it halts the automatic renewal at the end of the 30 days. So, you don't need to remember, per se. (Not that I do this all the time, of course... ;) )

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5 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

Wow after the 2 results tonight I’m even more nervous!

Come on Saints, another night like one at Anfield when we won through to the league cup final would be just the ticket! 

Steady on. We’ve got a chance to be another place or two higher for a few days, depending on other results, that’s all. It’ll be an exhausting season if we’re clinging to every match day like that.

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Saints fans of all people know exactly how Arsenal will react. We've seen our team do it pretty much every season at some point.

They'll raise their game, that you can guarantee. Lose to Saints and they are seriously adrift. Reputations are on the line. Players will be talking to agents etc etc.

Strategy will be play hard, the mission 'first don't lose'. Arteta says be brave, that means go for it.

This has a draw written all over it. They may be stuttering, but their side is packed with expensive talent. Takes just 10 seconds for Willian to remember how to play (be arsed) and that's our dreams gone.

But

Saints are the real deal at the moment and should win. If the press is as strong as recent games, then hopefully Arsenal attempt to reboot their season will wither quickly.

Going to be a fascinating match. All Ralph has to do is tell them it's a league cup match.

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4 hours ago, macca155 said:

Saints fans of all people know exactly how Arsenal will react. We've seen our team do it pretty much every season at some point.

They'll raise their game, that you can guarantee. Lose to Saints and they are seriously adrift. Reputations are on the line. Players will be talking to agents etc etc.

Strategy will be play hard, the mission 'first don't lose'. Arteta says be brave, that means go for it.

This has a draw written all over it. They may be stuttering, but their side is packed with expensive talent. Takes just 10 seconds for Willian to remember how to play (be arsed) and that's our dreams gone.

But

Saints are the real deal at the moment and should win. If the press is as strong as recent games, then hopefully Arsenal attempt to reboot their season will wither quickly.

Going to be a fascinating match. All Ralph has to do is tell them it's a league cup match.

If Arsenal score early we could be in for a long night. They are just lacking confidence at the moment but their team is still pretty especially up front.

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3 hours ago, skintsaint said:

If Arsenal score early we could be in for a long night. They are just lacking confidence at the moment but their team is still pretty especially up front.

Yes that's key. They'll come out all guns blazing, but if Saints can hold tight, their confidence will evaporate and  it will be game on.

Remains a very tough game imo, a real test for Ralph and the team.

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This will be a very tough match. Arsenal have quality all over the pitch but have not started well and look disorganised and certainly lacking the sort of automatism that we have developed this season. They do not seem to be playing with a clear plan. That cannot change overnight and they may need to rely on their more creative individuals to work out how to nullify us and develop little patterns of play that can hurt us.

The pattern of the game may be that we start fast with our high press and off-the-ball possession recovery that might stun Arsenal even though they might be expecting it. As time goes by they will learn how to deal with our tactics and the second half might see us under pressure as their more creative players start to get a grip in midfield and  push us back. Our defence wasn't tested much last time out but they have far more super talented players up top who can not only hurt us but destroy us. With Vestergaard pinned back in defence then of course our attacking threat will be reduced.

We must start fast and we must start well and take our chances before the break. If we can go in at HT 2-0 up then we have a chance of winning but only if our defence plays at the top of their game.

2-2 seems to me to be the most likely result even if we can go 2-0 early on. If we don't take our chances first half we will lose.

Edited by Charlie Wayman
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Experience says that an opportunity like we have tonight ends up as a disappointment. 
But the team is NOT the old Southampton. If my Mum was doing this fixture on her football pools coupon, she’d see the team in 4th away to the team in 15th and put it down as an away banker. I reckon my Mum would have it right. 

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2 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

This will be a very tough match. Arsenal have quality all over the pitch but have not started well and look disorganised and certainly lacking the sort of automatism that we have developed this season. They do not seem to be playing with a clear plan. That cannot change overnight and they may need to rely on their more creative individuals to work out how to nullify us and develop little patterns of play that can hurt us.

The pattern of the game may be that we start fast with our high press and off-the-ball possession recovery that might stun Arsenal even though they might be expecting it. As time goes by they will learn how to deal with our tactics and the second half might see us under pressure as their more creative players start to get a grip in midfield and  push us back. Our defence wasn't tested much last time out but they have far more super talented players up top who can not only hurt us but destroy us. With Vestergaard pinned back in defence then of course our attacking threat will be reduced.

We must start fast and we must start well and take our chances before the break. If we can go in at HT 2-0 up then we have a chance of winning but only if our defence plays at the top of their game.

2-2 seems to me to be the most likely result even if we can go 2-0 early on. If we don't take our chances first half we will lose.

That's this evenings match report sorted 

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20 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

Two years to the day that Ralph got his first win for Saints. 3-2 vs then 22 game unbeaten Arsenal...hmm

Ralph has gone a lot greyer in those two years. Although I suspect much of that happened on a certain Friday evening in October last year!

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8 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Ralph has gone a lot greyer in those two years. Although I suspect much of that happened on a certain Friday evening in October last year!

Great watch that! Too funny after the first goal Ralph sneaking back to the technical area, "nope, nope, didn't just go ballistic and run out of the area, that wasn't me...calm down everyone!".

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2 minutes ago, Totton Saint said:

 Once one has subscribed to Amazon prime how do you call up the Arsenal game on your TV or computer please. My remote only has an Netflix button

Our match will be here on PC, I think build up starts from 5pm:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B08H7VM3Y2/ref=atv_hm_hom_1_c_xbwjFo_3_4

 

If you have a smart TV (likely if you have a Netflix button), you'll need to find your way to the app store (probably home button, move around until you find app store or maybe Google Play store) and search for Prime Video and install it. Once done, you can launch it from your Home screen and link it to your Amazon account via phone/PC - the instructions on the screen should be fairly clear.

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Arteta has done a fantastic job in developing one of the most successful PR exercises in football. A coach who has never managed before got what is still one of the biggest jobs in world football based on....well based on this idea that he is a master tactician and deep thinker. A master tactician who often starts with 250m worth of purchases and has led them to 15th with barely a goal from open play and has alienated a number of players. Whenever I see Arsenal play, it seems to be largely focused on keeping organised at the back and slinging crosses into the box. Crosses targeted at one of the most lethal finishers around...whose heading is not his strength. But because Arteta is suave and well spoken, it's all part of this 'master plan'. If he was built like a builder with half his ass crack hanging out, people would be calling his tactics archaic and clueless. 

Onto the game itself, judging by Cedric's twitter it looks like he is starting today. We know there is a real opportunity there. Neat and tidy on the ball, but we've seen before how he loses his head under intense pressure. Opportunity for Vestegaard to play his quarterback role and get some balls into that space for someone like Djenepo, Redmond or Walcott to get onto and run at him. Could see someone like Benarek scoring today off a set piece as well. Gabriel (who does look good) will be trying to keep our flying Danish juggernaut quiet, which means someone else good in the air could target Cedric. I know there is Holding as well, but think he is quite poor.

Overall feeling reasonably confident going into this. If Auba decides to wake and play well it could be a difficult game. But if Arsenal focus on crosses, then I feel we have one of the best centrebacks in the league to see that out. Didn't think I would be saying that 12 months ago given our issues with heading! We have quite a few different routes to goal with Che and Ings playing beautifully off each other, set pieces, or even pinged long balls, and 1 goal might be enough here as weird as that seems. 

 

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Had a dream last night where I was checking the scores with about 10 minutes left, and we were 3-0 down. Weirdly, all Arsenal's scorers were Sheffied United players.

And Liverpool were beating Spurs 2-0.

If there are any premonition fans out there - something to stew on maybe...

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I have a more Arsenal supporting friends than any other team (bar Norwich but that's my wife and her family so don't count) and it's a very good chance to spank them today so I'm naturally nervous. I think the last time I really rubbed in a result was when Cuco Martina smashed in his curler a few Christmasses ago when we demolished them. (Not so much the early Hasenhuttl win as we were only taking baby steps forward at the time). One of my closest Arsenal-supporting friends is a notoriously bad loser, he can dish it out if Arsenal win but cannot take it if Arsenal lose. We are the form team and really should be able to beat them at our best, but the United result recently showed that no matter how good we can be, players of quality (which Arsenal do have) can come and haunt us.

How tasty would it be to keep pace with the top of the league as Christmas approaches!!??! Still, I have no balls (figuratively speaking) and therefore would take a draw tonight. 1-1. 😲 Fortunately for Saints fans everywhere, I'm not Ralph and he'll be after all 3 points!

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1 minute ago, Plastic said:

Just saw that Walcott to score is 11/2. Worth a try.

I've been doing quite a lot of bets lately cos some of the odds flying round seem crazy. Spose it's cos the season is so fucked up, and bookies is struggling to adapt. I got 9/2 on Wolves home win last night.

I don't think 12/5 is bad odds for Saints win tonight. I might risk the wife's christmas present on it. I also think 7/2 on Spurs doing one to Liverpool ain't bad value either.

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Feeling more confident than I did against Brighton and Sheffield United.

 

As long as we stick to our game plan we really should win this, they may have some quality individual players who would walk into our side, but they're not a team and once you get into a rut, it all goes downhill quickly. I can honestly see them getting into a relegation battle as long as Arteta stays there.

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2 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Feeling more confident than I did against Brighton and Sheffield United.

 

As long as we stick to our game plan we really should win this, they may have some quality individual players who would walk into our side, but they're not a team and once you get into a rut, it all goes downhill quickly. I can honestly see them getting into a relegation battle as long as Arteta stays there.

If we bet them they're well in it. With potentially huge games against Brighton and WBA over the Christmas period. 

They play Us, Everton (A), Chelsea (H), Brighton (H), WBA (A)

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1 hour ago, qwertyell said:

Had a dream last night where I was checking the scores with about 10 minutes left, and we were 3-0 down. Weirdly, all Arsenal's scorers were Sheffied United players.

And Liverpool were beating Spurs 2-0.

If there are any premonition fans out there - something to stew on maybe...

Haha, You really need to stop eating strong cheese before you go to bed,

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