On Saturday, Saints take on Arsenal at The Emirates Stadium in their fourth game of the Premier League season after a week away from the league because of an international break.
Arsenal will be seen as the favourites for this fixture but there is no reason why we can’t cause an upset and nick a point or three with the confidence from last season’s performances against the Gunners.
Picking up four points and conceding zero goals across two matches against a so-called top four side was a fantastic achievement for Southampton last season. No Saints fan will forget the 4-0 thrashing at home on boxing day with the goal of the season from, Cuco Martina.
For one of the best teams in the league, Arsenal probably haven’t started the new season the way they would’ve like to. An opening day defeat at home to Liverpool after conceding four goals but managing to score three, followed by a 0-0 stalemate away to Leicester but then getting their first three points last time out away at Watford with a 3-1 win. With other great teams like Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all having 100% records, it isn’t the perfect start for Arsenal.
Both sides will have new players since the last matchweek, Arsenal signing Shrokdan Mustafi and Lucas Perez and Southampton breaking their transfer record to get the signature of, Sofiane Boufal for a bargain of £16m. It is believed that all three will be available to play for their new clubs.
More confidence in the away side will come from the guaranteed return of, Ryan Bertrand after missing the opening three games due to injury, and Fraser Forster who had to leave the England camp early with an arm injury. Don’t get me wrong I think Targett hasn’t been terrible as a replacement for Bertrand but as soon as he’s fit (now) he needs to play.
My team: (4-3-3) Forster, Cedric, Van Dijk, Fonte, Bertrand, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Davis, Redmond, Tadic, Long
With the opponent being well known for their wide play, playing in the narrow diamond formation that the team are becoming accustomed to would be a guaranteed defeat. Saints played a 4-3-3 against United and there were no problems except for the fact that there wasn’t much firepower upfront when chances came. For me, Long should play only due to his recent form in games against Arsenal; he could’ve easily gotten a hattrick on Boxing Day but had to settle with a brace. I don’t expect Boufal to start but will be very welcome to the idea, depending on who gets replaced.
The game hasn’t come at a great time for Southampton with the awful record after international breaks. Arsenal have a fantastic team as we all know and are a different side at home than they are away. Stranger things have happened than us leaving with all three points but I don’t see it realistically happening. However, if we play the right formation and actually give the home side a run for their money, I fancy us to leave with a point so I’m going to go for a 1-1 draw, and that’s being an optimist.