Southampton v Arsenal the teams and a comparison with this moment last season

Posted on by Tony Attwood

By Bulldog Drummond

It has proven interesting in recent weeks to consider the league table as it was last season and as it is now.  Last year at this moment, with 33 played, here it is.  Last since in the last six at this point we had won 2, drawn 3, lost 1. 9 points.

P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Leicester City 34 21 10 3 59 33 +26 73
2 Tottenham Hotspur 34 19 11 4 64 25 +39 68
3 Manchester City 33 18 6 9 61 33 +28 60
4 Arsenal 33 17 9 7 56 34 +22 60
5 Manchester United 33 16 8 9 40 30 +10 56
6 West Ham United 33 13 14 6 54 42 +12 53
7 Southampton 34 14 9 11 45 35 +10 51

This season after 33 we have a last six that reads won 3, drawn 1, lost 2.  10 points.  The points total in the table is the same.  We have won one more game, but drawn three fewer.  However our goal scoring is up by nine, but the defence has been less secure, down 8.

P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Chelsea 35 27 3 5 75 29 +46 84
2 Tottenham Hotspur 34 22 8 4 70 23 +47 74
3 Liverpool 36 20 10 6 71 42 +29 70
4 Manchester City 34 20 8 6 70 37 +33 68
5 Manchester United 34 17 13 4 51 27 +24 64
6 Arsenal 33 18 6 9 65 42 +23 60
7 Everton 36 16 10 10 60 41 +19 58

What this table shows is that the five clubs above us have all increased their points tally at this stage of the competition.  Tottenham for example are six points up, Man City are eight up, having played one game more.   Man U are eight points better off this season than at this stage last season, again with one more game played.   Liverpool at this stage last season had 51 points now they have 70 – a major gain for them.

Here’s another snippet.  Claude Puel of Southampton played for Monaco in 1988 when Arsene Wenger was manager and won the French league.

And the last, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has seven assists in the league this campaign – as many as he created in the previous five seasons put together.

Here is the regular update on the top scorers list

Pos Name Club
Chosen country
 Goals
1. Romelu Lukaku Everton
Belgium
 24
2. Harry Kane Tottenham Hotspur
England
 21
3. Diego Costa Chelsea
Spain
 20
4. Alexis Sánchez Arsenal
Chile
 19
5. Sergio Agüero Manchester City
Argentina
 18
6. Dele Alli Tottenham Hotspur
England
 17
6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic Manchester United
Sweden
 17
8. Jermain Defoe Sunderland
England
 15
8. Eden Hazard Chelsea
Belgium
 15
8. Joshua King AFC Bournemouth
Norway
 15
11. Christian Benteke Crystal Palace
Belgium
 14
12. Fernando Llorente Swansea City
Spain
 13
12. Sadio Mané Liverpool
Senegal
 13
14. Son Heung-Min Tottenham Hotspur
South Korea
 12
14. Jamie Vardy Leicester City
England
 12
16. Roberto Firmino Liverpool
Brazil
 11
17. Philippe Coutinho Liverpool
Brazil
 10
17. Troy Deeney Watford
England
 10
17. Theo Walcott Arsenal
England
 10

So as a preview to the Guardian’s inevitable report at the end of the season that Arsenal have only two players in double figures this season I should add that one more goal to Giroud will see him rise into the group.   Liverpool and Tottenham are the only clubs with three, so I suppose this year the Guardian will focus on them.

If the recently injured pair are ok we should have as a team

Cech

Mustafi – Koscielny – Holding

The Ox – Ramsey – Xhaka – Monreal

Ozil – Alexis

Welbeck

But if Koscielny is out we could presumably bring Gabriel into the back line.  If Xhaka is missing then I would guess Coquelin would get the nod.

That would put on the beach gazing out fondly at the Isle of Wight, we might have Gabriel and/or Coquelin if Koscielny and/or Xhaka are not fit.  If both players are out the beach would have

Ospina, Bellerín, Gibbs, Elneny, Walcott, Iwobi, Giroud

Obviously if either is fit their replacement player will be beached.  It is also possible that Lucas, now recovered from injury might get a place on the beach but by then the beach will be getting crowded and there could be too many towels down.

But there is another approach.  If Koscielny and Xhaka are injured we could go back to a back four and end up with

Cech

Bellerín – Mustafi – Holding – Monreal

The Ox – Ramsey

Ozil – Welbeck – Alexis

No one seems to know and the newspapers are saying precious little or in some cases absolutely nothing at all.  Not a single mention in the Guardian that the match is taking place, for example.  Perhaps they are still looking for other teams with more than two players who have scored in double figures.   Still I suppose not writing about the team avoids being wrong.

Anyway, if you are there, watch out for the crowds leaving early as they trudge off to get on the last ferry back to the Isle of Wight.

Southampton v Arsenal

Southampton v Arsenal: the tactics, the statistics and past results

Southampton v Arsenal: 10 May. The Match Officials – from not very good to diabolically bad.

Southampton v Arsenal: the early injury news, plus the home v away record

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47 Replies to “Southampton v Arsenal the teams and a comparison with this moment last season”

  1. I’ve no problem with Gabriel playing, but presumably at some point Mertesacker should be able to play again.

    COYG!

  2. Cech, Holding, Mustafi, Monreal, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Xhaka, Gibbs, Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Welbech

    Subs: Ospina, Bellerin, Gabriel, Coquelin, Iwobi, Walcott, Giroud

    Is that right?

    3-5-2

  3. I like the calmness that Mertesacker brings to the back line…

    Missed his game this season. Can’t remember another defender(our times) who reads the game so well……

  4. And here’s a thought WBA are in 8th, and a lot closer to relegation than they are to winning the league. It’s getting like Spain

  12. You all watching the NBC feed ? Hope Tony isn’t, he’ll have a heart attack with some of the “facts” and “figures” (or not) these muppets have been spouting this evening ..

  16. A remarkably ‘clean’ half.
    I think we gave away one (wrong) free kick, Southampton gave three if I remember correctly.
    It looked as though the linesman on the opposite side missed a couple of offside calls, but I’m not too good a judge on that lately.

  17. Was it Colario who suggested writing down all the negatives and positives the commentators say about Arsenal during a match.
    Well in the first half the commentators didn’t disappoint finding negatives every couple of minutes and not many, if any positives, apart from a bit of praise for Cech.
    All the positives were reserved for Southampton.

  21. Unfortunately I am not able to watch live but commentary is poor so you guys are my commentators.

    Go on you Gunners & just get 3 points.

  25. Statistics (from LiveScore) are not suggesting a lot of excitement. Southampton have 7 shots (3 on target) and Arsenal have 3 (1 on target). We are losing 2:4 on corners. We are winning 2:5 on fouls committed. Goal kicks are even at 7. And the Ox needed treatment.

    COYG!

  32. Hahahahahahah….

    Our commentator is living in the future. Says…”ARSENAL​ have not won here in the league since 3003″…

    Oinks!!!!

  33. Mustafi is offside? That’s almost like saying Cech is offside, isn’t it?

    COYG!

  36. Shane Long used arm to keep it in…..in front of the linesman…. nothing given

  38. Na na naaaaaaaa

    Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh

    Good assist Rambo

  40. Did something happen? because the 5 live dude was bullshitting & then suddenly mentioned Giroud!!!!!!

  44. Match report is on line. I’m faster than Bellerin, Theo and Alexis combined 😉

  45. Of course, Arsenal need to commit more yellow card fouls than the other team. Have to give 😈 Mike Riley ammunition to keep Arsenal in order.

    COYG!

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