Heading to St. Mary's this Monday, looking for all the points, Vieira is getting better. Henry is back scoring goals. 2-1 to the Arsenal is my thinking. Pires and Henry will find the back of the net.
We could do with the win, but, I'd be happy if we leave with a draw. Not an easy one. Come on you Gunners!!!
Definitely not an easy one but, having dropped points to Bolton and Leicester, I think this is one we've really gotta win. ("Undefeated" is less impressive when we've dropped points in a third of our matches.) I would stay with the same back four, despite the fact that Lauren and Keown are both ready because, with Cole missing the match through suspension, I like Toure's attacking presence on the wing. I'd also rather see Edu start than Gilberto, but apparently AW sees this one differently. Oh well. More than most, I think this is our match to win or lose; it depends on whether we come out inspired or not and with the discipline not only to create goal chances, but to convert them. If we do, this is an easier match than it perhaps should be; if we don't, it could easily be a 1-0 loss. I think we win 2-0, with a 89th minute goal making the match seem less close than it actually was.
It really comes down to this: at some point we will likely go ahead as Southampton are remarkably poor offensively when you consider the people they have, and will likely concede the play to us as teams do to ManU. And what will decide if we take all three points is 1)Do we get the two-goal lead, and 2)If not does Wenger pull Bergkamp or Aliadere for Edu or Parlour and concede the play to Southampton and let them go at us and almost inevitably equalise if he does. This year draws are eerily similar to those of two years ago-and I guess if it ends like two years ago we won't mind too much come May. But its no good for my nerves right now. Let's put the matches away then worry about defending...
oh what the hell.. how bout 5-1 romp at st mary's!!!!!!!! come on you blasted gunners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you still drunk from all the egg nog, phishy? You're starting to sound like an Arsenal fan off his nut...
I think this will be a tough game for us. Southampton have a great defence and play well at home. 1-0 us or 1-1 would be my guess. Freddie will do the damage for the gunners. Happy New Year Everyone! gp
I'm all for a last minute substitution of Edu starting for Gilberto Silva. And I still think I'd take Lauren in the back, but what the hey. I think Southampton is vulnerable right now if the midfield moves to attack. Let's see if Freddie is awake in the first half. I suspect So'ton will simply double team Henry the whole match, and they do play excellent defense, so the goals will have to come from somewhere else. Ah, for the days of the 4-2-4.
Hoping for the win but expecting a draw. Sorry if all my pre-game predictions sound the same....product of being an Atlanta sports fan, I suppose.
Wenger is sounding like he is taking this game as seriously as I think we should. I hope its picked up by the players and translate into our play. If we come with the same attitude we come with when we play at Anfield, Old Trafford or St. James park then we'll win it. Not easily but we should win. We'll do it with ball posession and passing. And if Paddy controls the midfield with whoever he partners with. The back four is probably Lauren, Toure`, Campbell and Clichy. A very fast back field who can deal with Beattie. If our attitude is wrong as it was at Bolton, we could lose or draw 1-1, if we come to play, then we'll wint 2-0 or 2-1. Man Utd have won 5 straight and are 4 points ahead right now. We can't afford any more distance than 4 points. That is the line I think with the way all the sides are playing right now.
See, even Wenger is not taking Soton lightly! http://www.arsenal.com/sportsappcon...e&type=com.sportapps.news.NewsItem&id=4252706
Rayzer gets the nod ahead of Gilberto and Edu! Now lets see what he can do beside Paddy? Come on you Gunners!!!
63% possession. 6 shots 3 on target you have got to make this tell .oh and you have comitted most fouls naturally!
Rayzer and Paddy looks a decent pairing. Not perfect, but better than Gilberto. DB10 seems to be reverting to last term form? Hope he can pull it together 2nd half. His lack of edge is probably the main reason we aren't 3 or 4 ahead. Freddie working hard but not not particularly effective. DB10 and him are the wrong way round! Service from Freddie with Dennis in the box = no good. DB10 serving em up and Freddie tapping them away is what we need! Come on you Gunners!!!
Nice 1st half! Vieira looks better. Pires and Henry are looking aggressive. Dennis really should have put that header away. I love our possession/passing with the aggessive pushes when the opportunities arise. Come on you Gunners! BTW, Nick Webster (FSW) is HUGE Arsenal fan. I have emailed him a few times...very nice lad.
So'ton 0- Arsenal 1 Full time. Whew. Reminded me of the Fulham game, not in a good way, but I'll take it. The Gunners totally dominated the game, but could only score one. Still, it's three points, and it isn't easy to take three from the boys at St Mary's. If only Boro hadn't conceded that stupid own goal...
Not always Pretty, but I'll take it. We got all the points (and that's all that really matters now doesn't it?), but should/could have scored another goal. We dominated time of possession, but couldn't finish the numerous build ups we had. Lehmann has really entrenched himself in the Arsenal lore with his tough/never back-down presence in goal. I'm glad Wenger signed him. Phillips, YOU pig stomping on my man's (Lehmann's) foot AFTER you had just been lectured by the Ref....tisk, tisk, tisk. Then, another Soton player (still bitter from us beating them in the FA Cup Final) had to come down on Jens shin...not good, not right. That's ok. We can take it. When Soton come to Highbury, I hope we CRUSH them!!!
Well, 3 full points and keeping on pace with ManUre. Arsenal played great the first half, but not surprisingly, seemed to slow down a bit in the second. Dissapointed in Dennis missing that easy header. It was a gift from Henry, who beat 2 defenders. Freddie also looked out of sync. His touches were kinda poor actually. Great pass from Henry for Super Bob's goal. Could've scored himself on that free kick. Didn't think he'd even come close from 31 yards out, but man was I wrong. I thought Cygan looked bad in the first, but seemed to be much better in the second. Lehmann didn't get sent off after the game did he? I thought I heard the announcer say that he might've been, but it didn't look like it. Well, I guess it's time to recapture that FA Cup glory next.
Yeah I've heard horror stories about Lehmann's temper but he didn't retaliate, for that cowardly challenge, right away at least. Did anyone see what the ruckus was after the match?? Anyway I thought Clichy had a strong game (he gets back to cover his runs doesn't he!), he reminds me of Cole when he filled in for Silvinho with better instinct on positioning. The jury's still out, but I was impressed. My man of the match was Toure hands down.
No, Lehmann was not reprimanded at the end of the match. The announcers did say something to that effect, but no card was given. Men of the match: Henry, Vieira, and Clichy. Henry looked great as usual (loved that "maybe he is human" comment from the announcer after a missed shot), and Vieira had a couple outstanding plays in the middle. Clichy really stepped up in Cole's absence. I was surprised Wenger started him in place of Lauren, but I think he has now earned more starts. Gilberto and Wiltord weren't even on the bench for the match. I know that pleases some of you, but that did surprise me a bit. I knew this game would be a close one, as Southampton rarely scores or is scored on, so a 1-0 win is fine with me.