please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Venue: Emirates Stadium Tuesday, September 23rd 2014 KO Time: 19:45 BST please log in to view this image Head to Head Against Southampton: Played: 75 Won: 37 Lost: 16 Drawn: 21 Goals For: 127 Goals Against: 77 Goal Difference: 50 Last 6 Meetings: Southampton 2-2 Arsenal Arsenal 2-0 Southampton Southampton 1-1 Arsenal Arsenal 6-1 Southampton Southampton 1-1 Arsenal Arsenal 2-2 Southampton please log in to view this image Starting XI: please log in to view this image Bench: Martinez Ajayi Gibbs Mertesacker Oxlade-Chamberlain Cazorla Akpom
One of the big things I'm looking forward to is seeing Campbell play for us. I was very excited when we first signed him and have tried to keep tabs on him during his loan spells as much as possible (thank you sky and last season espn for showing so much foreign football). It's games like this that he'll have to use as a platform to force his way into the first team squad. We have a squad packed with forward options and the only way he will stake a claim to his place is by playing well when he gets the opportunities. Excited for him.
I also agree that diaby may well get his first start for a while today. If he can overcome his fitness issues he's such a quality player. If he plays then the main thing I'm looking for is for him to come through the game without agitating any injury.
Quite looking forward to seeing Ospina in goal too. He had a really good World Cup. I'd start one of Wilshere or Ramsey in MF though. Coquelin and Diaby have zero game time between them and I think Soton could exploit that.
This will be my first visit to the Emirates. I've gone past it on the train and it looks superb so I'm massively excited and we're taking over 5,000 fans so we should generate a cracking atmosphere.
My Saints predicted team: Forster, Clyne, Fonte, Gardos, Targett, Wanyama, Schneiderlin, Ward-Prowse, Davis, Long, Pelle
I have a feeling the Saints are going to own us, but obviously pray that I am wrong. Be nice to see more of young Bellerin & Hayden.
From wengers comments it sounds like bellerin, coquelin and Hayden may be playing with Akpom, zelalem and ajeyi possibly in the squad too.
Shame that Gnabry won't be fit for this game as I think he would have featured from the start. It will be an interesting line up, with a lot of youngsters in it. Wenger has said today that Akpom, Bellerin, Hayden and Ajayi are likely to play.
Sounded like Bellerin, Coquelin and Hayden will start. Akpom possibly, although I think it more likely Campbell or Podolski will play up front. Ajayi will be the defender on the bench, as I doubt he'd play 2 youngsters together.
Wenger has confirmed diaby will start, woooooo! Diaby, diaby,diaby! Also rosicky, podolski and Campbell all likely to play according to the bbc article.
What do people think if this is our team? It's an inexperienced back four but a decent midfield and attack with plenty of quality, but out of practice quality.
