AWAY TO ARSENAL

Can Saints get anything from this one?

I would like to think so as going to game but have an uneasy feeling that the international break has not been kind to us. lallana has missed training due to an injury, rickie had an injury at England, Ramerez only back in training today, Cork now out injured so depth of squad beginning to show. Down to Osvaldo and Ramerez if he plays to step up to the mark, if they don't may well be some January movement especially for Ramerez.

Plus Ozil didn't play, Wilshire played much less than Adam and the French contingent didn't also seem to get picked.

Would be delighted with a point but think could be a 2 nil defeat.

  Such a pessimist Matty!! My crystal ball is predicting a win for Saints (maybe 1-2) or at least a point. Hoping it's got it right this time.

At the moment feeling that this will be followed by a sound beating at Chelsea to bring us back to earth with a bump........

Oh dear, My crystal ball let me down. We were clearly second best. Another howler from Boruc, can't be doing his confidence any good. Thought Rodriguez looked our best player.

Hope my forecast for the Chelsea game was wrong too.......

Should we be glad that Boruc finds it funny???

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/jokes-southamptons-artur-boruc-uploads-a-picture-comparing-his-arsenal-mishap-to-the-cruyff-turn/?

Boruc is and always has been a complete nutcase. He was before he joined saints and will continue to be when he leaves but he is still by far our best keeper, just have to hope this one will make him less likely to take a risk. If you didn't laugh you would cry so I am not to worried he can laugh at it, think more be more worried if played on his mind. Still do not understand why we have not loaned out Gazzinger to give him match practice as sitting on the bench or playing for U21s is no way to tell if he can do the job.

As I did predict the England break did not help us. Lambert was lethargic and he actually had an attempt on goal and was caught offside on several occasions. Lallana looked tired first half just when he started buzzing he was taken off which was odd but may have been pre planned knowing his games for England. Only Rodrigues did not seem to be impacted and along with Wanyama our best player, plenty of surging runs and if he had a decent strike partner we could have salvaged something from this game as Arsenal were not that good. Osvaldo came on 2nd half and didn't do a lot, couple of decent runs and shots but always outside the box, lacking confidence to take into box and easy saves. Also gave away needless fouls disrupting our game.

we were not helped by Clatteneberg who again seemed well place to see the shirt pull from Fonte yet when 2 yards away from similar incident in front of us on 2 occasions with saints players being pulled back gave nothing. Also has a strange interpretation of the advantage rule, several times after we were fouled he would hold his hands out like a ballerina knowing full well our player who was fouled then had 3 or 4 arsenal players in front and lost the ball and never was an advantage. Wengers pressure always get to useless refs such as Clattenberg.

Lovren being injured was a real blow, Hoovield to be fair did okay but his distribution is poor and was always hanging a yard back from rest of back 4 playing them onside. Then lost Shaw, initial injury from a foul no action taken by Clattenberg, with Clyne going left back. Again he did okay there but was reluctant to get forward and does not like crossing with his left and we could see why.

Davis did well when he came on, Ward Prowse had a disappointing game for me apart from his set piece deliveries. Does for me expose the lack of depth in the squad, decent back up goalie , LB and striker needed Poch clearly doesn't rate Yoshida but I think a more versatile defender than Hoovield especially if not playing a team that play lots of high crosses.

If Lovren back and Shaw fit then think can still get a result at Chelsea, Lovren marshals the back 4 so well he will always be a big miss and providing Boruc has his brain in gear