Necessarily Brief, A Saints Preview
Dec 9th, 2017 by 'holic
So, it’s ten to nine and I have the first not so wee dram of the evening for company. What better way to preview a Sunday midday kick-off on the south coast?
We are looking to create a first. The first team to beat Southampton away from home three times in a calendar year. It’s not beyond us although we should remember before this year Southampton have made a habit of giving us a tough time at St Mary’s.
The team news is that we will be without long-term absentee Santi Cazorla and Skhodan Mustafi who sustained a thigh injury against Manchester United. The fact that Per Mertesacker did not play in Thursday’s six goal demolition of Bate Borisov suggests that he will deputise for his fellow World Cup winner. Saints have doubts over defender Soares and our old adversary, Shane Long. Missing the latter would mean another who has enjoyed moments against us, Charlie Austin, will start.
Will that performance on Thursday persuade the manager to make any further changes to his perceived first eleven? Jack Wilshere certainly knocked on the door very loudly, but Mesut Ozil has been in good form lately so we can probably expect the other ten to remain unchanged. The current formation will make it difficult for Jack to return, but were we to switch to a back four there is an argument to play him as a partner to Mesut. That isn’t likely, however.
The ‘holic pound
It’s become tougher this season to get which Arsenal is going to turn up but despite the defeat to United last week we have been performing superbly since the North London derby and I have to believe we will come out on a mission again at St Mary’s. Austin may get his goal but my money is on 1-2 to the Gunners at 17/2.
So, brief and to the point. The glass is empty and I need it to be full. If you are going tomorrow wrap up warm, and if you are travelling by train there is, I understand, a bus replacement service from Eastleigh.
Have great one, ‘holics.
79 Responses to “Necessarily Brief, A Saints Preview”
First! And I read the post too. Noting to argue with; good luck with The Pound.
COYG
Huge thanks Chris, from all of us.
https://i.imgur.com/vEgixVO.jpg
You’re welcome, ‘holic. A Kool Yule to all Holics everywhere.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a back 4 starting against the Saints, which could leave a place for Jack in a 4:3:3.
Just so long as we win, stay above the LWCs, take advantage of the Chav’s loss and perhaps get back in top 4 if Poo slip up.
Losing could see us slipping into a proper midfield mire, so let’s have none of that. 1-3 to the away side.
I may end up missing this game depending on the amount of snow that falls overnight.
I suppose it is silly to hope for a back four, but hope I do.
A doff of Santa’s hat to Max, Chris.
Short and sharp preview, ‘Holic. 1-2 sounds about right, though if the right Arsenal turns up it could be 1-5 (and you can get 100/1 on that).
Where does Kolasinac play in a 4-3-3? At left back, displacing Monreal? Or on the left side of the pivot, displacing one of Xhaka or Ramsey? Or does he drop to the bench?
It’ll be a back 3 of course but
anyway I think you’re right guvvy
– 2-1 to the good guys
Holic
I think 2-1 to us is a decent bet and would be mine as well if I had any money. Re your question re St.Oswald in the last drinks I don’t think there is a link.
Spoke to a friend of mine wh9 watched Chelsea lose today. He reckons we will have our work cut out against tte Hammers on Wednesday so we need to win tomorrow.
TTG@47 in the previous drinks. Thanks once again. Always loved Per. For want of a better phrase, he gets it. One of the very few that whatever the result or crowd reaction, would always go round to show his appreciation. The cup final story, whilst shocking, is far from a surprise. One of the many reasons I started to fall out of love with the game.
On to Sunday. Again, which Arsenal side will it be? Who knows? I’m meant to be engaged with a day of egg chasing again. However, the forecast down here is for heavy snow for the majority of the day. The country will be in lock down. If it’s not 60 degrees and light drizzle then we really don’t know how to deal with it.
Good luck everyone.
No bus replacement service for me, that I can tell you.
Re: NBN @7. Personally, I would put Xhaka on the bench and bring in Elneny. It might not make any sense to the cognoscenti but I’d like to see it.
Cech
Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Elneny Ramsey Kolasinac
Ozil Lacazette Sanchez
I watched part of Southampton’s game against Bournemouth last week and was impressed by the play of Boufal in midfield.
I could go with yours, bt8, but with Jack for Elneny.
oops, Musti is injured, so Per in his place.
Per for Mus is the only change.
Bench: Osp, Coq, Jack, Iwobi,
OG, Danny, Ash M-N
No place for Elneny, Theo, Rob
Amazed Theo can’t even get on the bench after Thursday’s display, if he’s not injured.
He needs to get out of the place in January.
Waking up to a solid 6 inches here.
Is the game on TV anywhere??
BT sport. Just found it
let’s go boys – 3 points any old how!
looks bloody freezing
fuck me that was a bad start
for Mert
Great start
Wake up ffs we are playing a game a real game not a training drill
Looking strong and well organised at the back???
them?
Why we dont close them at the back like they do us??
Our counterattacking sucks
What a bunch of over paid divas!
Thank God we have the utter goal machines Iwobi and Welbeck on the bench to save us.
Mert will nod one home
2nd half to make up for
that I hope.
Defence looks doggy on every Southampton breakaway. After last week’s early defensive blunders why oh why didn’t we learn from those errors, makes you want to weep.
Need to break more quickly and get behind their full backs, going through the middle looks like trying to batter your way through a brick wall. Here’s hoping for a positive 2nd half.
COY
Defence looks doggy on every Southampton breakaway. After last week’s early defensive blunders why oh why didn’t we learn from those errors, makes you want to weep.
Need to break more quickly and get behind their full backs, going through the middle looks like trying to batter your way through a brick wall. Here’s hoping for a positive 2nd half.
COYR
Pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass (oh we’re back where we started) pass pass pass pass pass
Please someone take off Sanchez
cynic,
you forgot the bit where Alexis
gives the ball away
Too narrow and too pedestrian.
Ozil looks the only player with genuine quality.
Laca is starved of service. Alexis is a waste, selfish and useless
Think I must be watching a different game to you, Steve. I was about to strike up a chorus of “We’ve got our Ozil back” he’s been so ineffective.
Iwobi for Ramsey, Theo for Alexis but it will not happen and Giroud as second striker for Xhaka. But I see Welbz is warming up, we are fucked
It’ll be giroud and 4-4-2 in a bit
I guess. What we’re doing now
certainly isn’t working
FFS bringing on Welbeck… WTF for?
Theo is not even on the bench to bring on, Gunner_KS
Wrong again, it’s Danny.
Lacazette is hemmed in by two or three defenders all the time and everyone knows what Alexis will do. Limits his effectiveness. We haven’t looked threatening at all today partly because they know how to play us.
COYG.
We’ve got away with murder so far, should be at least three down
And they are closer to scoring next
Clear foul by Kos there and should have been a red card as last man. What is going on?
Lucky that lad’s useless
Wilshere in place of Xhaka, about time.
Looks like Jack – he’s going
to need to be super to pull
this round
No penetration, we are scarcely getting in the penalty area after umpteen passes. I think we ought to think permanently about switching to four at the back .
Like to see the Tank whipping the ball in left- footed
And OG as a last throw
Bellerin isn’t utterly useless
Taking off Lacazette when we need goals, doesn’t make sense. He would have more space with Giroud around.
Wenger bitching on the sidelines pathetic
Just two goals and holic pound is on, ?
I’d kill for a point here
Out of 3 shots on goal only Ramsey’s was decent.
Our subs made no difference whatsoever
we haven’t looked any better
with the 3 subs
bad passing, poor crossing
oh – wot ATG said
bang this free kick ib
Exactly what Osaka said ?
Shoot yourself in the foot in the first couple of minutes, chase the game, lose it, REPEAT
Next year please, sorry, the year after when AW is gone (hopefully)
This is worse than last season. 28 points from 16 games is pathetic. If we are not looking for a new manager now we bloody well should be.
Giroud!!!!
Don’t deserve anything from this game but we’ll take what we can get.
Get in OG come ooonnnn
Oh, great work Ozil. You don’t get ten minutes to make your mind up when you’re breaking late in the game ffs.
Alexis gives the ball away so often, it is a crime.
Ramsey can hardly move, effectively playing with ten men.
Well done OG!!
Never thought we’d score today
Apart from the assist Sanchez awful today!
That was poor.
A point is better than none. We are slowly giving up whatever chances we had of a fourth place finish.
A point is a point. Looked very average at best. I genuinely can’t see any of the big boys being too worried.
Ozil, Wilshere and OG for the goal the rest of them totally useless!
Bellerin should be dropped he just doesn’t cut and feels too comfortable in his role at the moment! Sanchez terrible apart from the assist!
We got lucky as Kos should have been sent off!
Wenger these players were rested get your fucking act together and prepare them properly for the next game!
Rant over
Played poorly, got a point.
Could be worse I suppose.
Garbage. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I must find something to exterminate ! Good old HFB. First ball into the box for ages . It puts us above Tottenham but nine goals away from home all season , five of which came in one game , tells its story. Time to play Wilshere instead of Xhaka. I thought Sanchez and Bellerin were pants