Southampton v Arsenal: the Cup runs and the teams

Posted on by Tony Attwood

by Bulldog Drummond

In the Cup we have progressed from 16 of the 20 FA Cup fourth round ties contested under Mr Wenger, losing only to Leeds (1996/97), Leicester (1999/2000), Bolton (2005/06) and Stoke (2009/10).  Better still we have won the last five away FA Cup matches in a row – although we have never in the history of the club (at least as far as I can work out) won six consecutive away FA Cup ties.

The key issue here could be what will happen to Southampton psychologically, having beaten Liverpool! to get to the Football League Cup.   Liverpool! however are in something of a decline of late, having lost one and drawn two of their last three league games, and at the moment I write this are having a little local difficulty dealing with Wolverhampton, so beating Liverpool! may not be such an achievement, but nevertheless the achievement of reaching the League Cup final could give Southampton a huge boost.

Although on the other hand that might count against them if Arsenal can get an early goal – especially given the amount of re-working of their team Southampton have had to do to cope with an injury list that is so big that the Independent has probably put it down as Arsenal’s.

We’ve scored 11 goals in the last four games and that too must be a positive point as compared to four goals in the last four league games achieved by Southampton.  Southampton also had a rather uninspiring Europa League challenge, scoring five goals in two of their games, and nothing in the other four to go out with Hapoel Beer Sheva going through in their stead.

In the FA Cup Southampton’s record against us is fairly poor…

Date Round Home Res Away
26.03.1927 Semi-Final Arsenal * 2-1 Southampton
19.03.1979 6th round Southampton 1-1 Arsenal
21.03.1979 6th round replay Arsenal 2-0 Southampton
17.05.2003 Final Arsenal * 1-0 Southampton

*Played on neutral grounds of course.

As for the League, the history of the games doesn’t look too wonderful from Southampton’s point of view…

Date Home Team Score Away team
02.02.2002 Arsenal 1-1 Southampton
23.11.2002 Southampton 3-2 Arsenal
07.05.2003 Arsenal 6-1 Southampton
29.12.2003 Southampton 0-1 Arsenal
10.02.2004 Arsenal 2-0 Southampton
30.10.2004 Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
26.02.2005 Southampton 1-1 Arsenal
15.09.2012 Arsenal 6-1 Southampton
01.01.2013 Southampton 1-1 Arsenal
23.11.2013 Arsenal 2-0 Southampton
28.01.2014 Southampton 2-2 Arsenal
03.12.2014 Arsenal 1-0 Southampton
01.01.2015 Southampton 2-0 Arsenal
26.12.2015 Southampton 4-0 Arsenal
02.02.2016 Arsenal 0-0 Southampton
10.09.2016 Arsenal 2-1 Southampton

We can see three Southampton victories here, highlighted in bold, but not much else for them to get excited about.  Except of course that they beat us in the league cup this year as they did in 2015.

For the league cup defeat this season our team was

Martinez

Jenkinson Gabriel Holding Gibbs

Coquelin Elneny

Reine-Adelaid Ramsey Iwobi

Lucas

 There is no chance of a team like that playing today.  So, who might we have?

I will go with

Giroud

Lucas  Iwobi  The Ox

Ramsey Coquelin

Gibbs Mustafi Gabriel Bellerin

Ooooooooooooooooooospina

I don’t think Theo will come straight back from a lay off, and although it won’t please him I suspect Alexis will be given a break to play with his dogs.  Likewise Koscielny needs a break and I think Ozil will be given a rest too.

There is no beach as such at Southampton – at least as far as I have seen – but there is a ferry to the Isle of Wight where the subs can play in the sand.   So on the beach far away we might have

Martínez, Walcott, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Monreal, Welbeck,  Reine-Adélaïde

However this doesn’t really accord with Mr Wenger’s comments about using one or two youngsters, (unless he was only talking about the beach), nor with the thoughts of playing Welbeck from the start, so it could just be possible to play Welbeck up front instead of the Ox.

We shall of course see.  We’re all having a jolly good smile at the defeat of Liverpool! to Wolverhampton; let’s hope we still have those smiles by 7.30.

Art3

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76 Replies to “Southampton v Arsenal: the Cup runs and the teams”

  1. I’d like to see Welbeck start, he’s going to have to sooner or later anyway, and he looks quite fit. But Ox in midfield has often been the source of goals against us due to him being turned over too often, so stick with Ramsey/Coquelin or promote one of the youngsters. I think Wenger will go for a very strong (but not the strongest) side, and this touchline ban isn’t so terrible, he’ll still be in the dressing room before and at half time and able to communicate with Bould via mobile phone.
    All this is my opinion, so no sarcastic comments about my managership aspirations please.

  2. off topic… but its nice to see my League club take the lead against the Spuds. 0-1 to Wycombe!!

  3. I love watching Akinfenwa out there…He’s listed at under 14 st…but his legs alone probably weigh that!!! Sp*rs will probably score 3 or 4 today but if Adebayo crushes a few of them, I’d be satisfied!!

  5. GGG

    I actually saw him play a few times for AFC Wimbledon. Massive fans favourite and such enthusiasm. He uses that mass very effectively to control the ball.

  6. I don’t think Le Prof will risk starting a makeshift team against the Saints team that had knocked us out from one Cup competition already this season. Moreover, he said during his press conference last Thursday that he’ll play a team mostly comprised of top senior Gunners for this match to avoid being embarrassed again for the second time this season in the Cup competition by Southampton.

    Using the crystal ball of my insight, I believe I have already on Thursday gazed into Le Prof’s thoughts to know what starts and bench he’ll likely have for this our away FA Cup game against Southampton today that’s taking place at ST Mary’s Stadium this evening.

    The starts:
    Ospina
    Paulista Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
    Coquelin Ramsey
    Sanchez Ozil Perez
    Giroud.

    The bench:
    Cech Bellerin Holding Gibbs Chamberlain Walcott Welbeck.

    I’ve decided to rest Iwobi for this match because I noticed he was jaded and fatigued in our last PL home match against Burnley. I also decided to start from the bench the quartet of Bellerin, Gibbs, Walcott & Welbeck as they’ve just recently returned from the short and long term injuries they had and they might not yet deeply be healed to start this will likely be a tough FA Cup match against the Saints so as not risk any of them having a reoccurrence of the injury he had.

    I think Liverpool’s 1-2 FA Cup home lose to Wolves this afternoon is a good omen for Arsenal as the Reds will come out in full force to redeem themselves by beating Chelsea at Anfield next weekend

  8. Beaches

    Martinez Jenkinson Mertesacker Gabriel Monreal Iwobi Alexis

    Clear message from Mr Wenger: Untold’s previews are not very good at predicting the team

  9. Irrespective of what happens I think it is now completely clear that Mr Wenger sees Maitland Niles as this year’s breakthrough player, and he retains huge faith in Reine-Adelaide.

    If this comes off Mr Wenger is going to be lauded for his insight and ability, if not he will be accused of throwing away a good chance of a trophy.

    Good to see Jenkinson is still in his thinking

  12. Yeah! Makes my team selections look a bit limp too. I do not like the look of that midfield pairing one bit.
    Good to see Danny picked to lead the forward line though, and Theo back, and Lucas deserves this also

  16. I’m a bit nervous about a MF of AMN, ‘Jeff’ and Ox.
    I’d have gone for a little more experience in place of Jeff, but I guess the boss wanted to give Theo, Danny and Lucas a run out.
    Never the less, they’ve all got the talent, they just need to show it 😀

  17. Tony

    “…….if not he will be accused of throwing away a good chance of a trophy”

    Possibly Tony, but then again I was under the impression the FA Cup wasn’t a trophy anymore.

  18. GGG – I thought the last goal by Spuds was off side. But then again it was not shown as a replay. Wycombe gave them a run despite their select spud officials.

  19. Dirty cheat Shane Long captains the saints. Let’s see hoe well the PGMOL officials do their work.

  20. Come.on Gunners.

    Your names in the team sheet, you are good enough.

    Efff the doubters…

    Come on.

  23. Danny boy. I was just about to say that our approach play was as good as I’ve seen all season, and it just needs the final ball to be more precise. And then he goes and scores

  27. 🙂 firing on all cylinders so far.
    Can we get the 3rd quick, to break the Saints spirit completely…

  29. It kind of sounds like Welbeck has inherited Girouds accuracy this season as well. Guardian had a note, that Long may have slightly pulled a calf muscle early into the game.

    COYG!

  30. Yes Mr Attwood, Le Prof has taken me by surprise with his boldness to start 3 junior Gunners and 3 injury returnees for this game. To me, this looks like a gamble taken by him. Let’s hope his gamble will payoff for us by whatever scoreline victory in our favour at full-time.

  31. Maitland Niles & Ox have been solid, and I think they both had assists on the goals. Proves me wrong again

  32. Mustafi will be really disappointed to miss that header unchallenged so close to goal.

    Long seems to be limping slightly when he’s walking but it’s not really noticeable when he runs. He’s still a really annoying git 😀

  36. Welbeck wins so many balls with his defensive work. As I Remember it was how he injured himself against City last season. Now he’s turned provider for Theo. That must be game over

  38. Despite Friend & his free kick for a Long dive, Arsenal are playing Wengerball with smiles

  43. Where did 2 minutes injury time come from.
    One incident with Ospina couldn’t have taken a whole minute…

  44. Selective vision at work as Gibbs get pushed to the floor by Martina.. blatant cheating by thr Pigmob

  46. Shall we just give motm to Welbeck right now, know there’s still the second half to come but….

  47. Such a deliberate push & pull by Martina to drop Gibbs but the cheats of PGMOL ignore the foul to attempt a goal scoring chance to the saints.

  48. Even 3 – 0 is not safe with Friend in charge for 45mins. He can destroy us with game management & strategic whistle blowing.

  49. My only concern now is that Puel gives his team a shouting at about being a yard quicker to the ball/closing down, which the players take to mean lets make silly tackles… Hopefully no nasty injuries for us.

  50. Menace
    Just said the same to my brother; i reminded him we once led 4-0 at newcastle before a pigmob rep decided to intervene.

  51. Hope the team keep their shape ,and then bring on Jenkinson and push up Bellerin . And Monreal in and push Gibbs forward.

  54. Is it me or is Reine-Adelaide similar to a young Abou Diaby. I think I’m seeing lots of similarities; the build, graceful movement, vision, everything…

  57. So Alexis comes on for Danny because he wants some goals…. And gets an assist for Theo.

  58. Diaby lookalike sure he is. That control, silky smooth movement and that 180° turn….All Diaby.

    Lucas has an awesome game too. And Maitland Niles….Has he announced his arrival.

  67. A good run out for players who are rusty and recovering.
    A comfortable win and most important, squad is BIG! 🙂

    Come on Arsenal.

  68. Comfortable win really, and no problems with the officiials. It was interesting to see six English players start for us
    I bet Danny’s well pissed with Theo getting the hat trick he looked likely to get himself

  72. Ok, know it’s difficult to take motm from a player that has had a hattrick but think I’ll stick with my earlier choice.

    Reine-Adelaide may not have scored but am tipping this boy for big things,a real talent. An almost perfect weekend spoiled by the 7 minutes of added time in the match featuring you know who.
    Well done Arsenal. COYG!!

  75. The Jeff is slowly coming into his own. A diaby reincarnation. I cant wait to see how he eventually turns out. I really hope he develops to be the player that diaby could have become, and some more. Tht will definitely paliate the lingering pain that loss of diaby wrought.

  76. @Menace, 28/01/2017 at 6:24 pm:

    You are a menacing fiend!… I am nearly choking on my tea laughing. What is “game management & strategic whistle blowing”? You make it sound like a boardroom thing. 🙂

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