Arsenal 6-1 Southampton: Tactical Analysis

Often, the first match after an international break can throw up a disjointed team performance as players struggle to settle back into groove after exertions with their national sides. Yesterday though, Arsenal looked like a well-oiled machine, one lubricated by quality, spirit and determination.

Despite the good run of form that secured third place last season, not since the 5-2 thrashing of the wannabe neighbours in February have the Gunners looked so fluent and potent in attack. Admittedly, Southampton’s defending wasn’t of the highest quality but you can only beat what’s in front of you and Arsenal were full value for both the three points and the emphatic scoreline.

As expected, Arsene Wenger chose not to risk Abou Diaby and handed a start to Francis Coquelin in midfield alongside Mikel Arteta. In defense, Szczesny returned in goal while Mertesacker’s impressive early season form consigned the fit-again Koscielny to the bench. The surprise of course was up front, with the manager opting to hand Gervinho the role of the central striker.

The visitors named the same team which troubled United a couple of weeks ago so new signings Gaston Ramirez and Maya Yoshida had to be content with a place on the bench.

The Gunners found an early rhythm as all four attacking players combined well in the opening minutes. There were warning signs for the visitors as they first allowed Podolski time to shoot from outside the box and then presented acres of space to Oxlade-Chamberlain down the right to make a couple of deliveries into the box. Neither attempts were successful but Arsenal were certainly in the ascendancy in the opening 10 minutes.

The first goal came soon enough, the opportunity created by fantastic determination from Lukas Podolski. The German fought for the ball midway in Southampton’s half, seemed to have lost the battle as he fell to the ground but sprang up quickly to win it back, then shrugged off a shirt tug, motored towards goal and found Kieran Gibb’s run down the left. The English youngster’s shot from 6 yards was deflected off the keeper and bundled into his own net by Hooiveld.

Friday Ramble: New Deal For Arsene, Big Deal For Arsenal

It’s been six months since Arsenal Depot joined the Gooner blogosphere and now seems like a good time to host a guest writer on the site, something I’ve considered in the past but never followed through with. Not only will it give me a day to catch up with life outside of WordPress but more importantly, it will break the monotony for you, my precious reader.

So starting today, the Friday Ramble will feature articles by a fellow Indian Gooner, Vivek Arulnathan. Vivek is a 20-year-old Engineering student who’s blogged with other sites in the past. He shares my belief that Arsene Wenger and Arsenal’s footballing philosophy will eventually lead to success on and off the pitch.

Without further ado then, here’s Vivek’s debut piece for Arsenal Depot. Enjoy.
                                                                                                                                                                                                               - Maverick Gooner

Ivan Gazidis is in the headlines presently, after his interview in the Mirror suggested Arsenal are considering offering a contract extension to Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman’s deal expires in two years time and the Arsenal board appear keen to tie down the manager to a long-term deal.

This is what Gazidis had to say.

It’s not a sense of sentimentalism, not a reward for our services, it’s a belief that we have an incredible manager who loves this club and is the best man to lead us forward.

We’re really confident about the direction that the club is heading. We’re coming through strongly and we believe we’re really well placed. We hope and believe that Arsene will be a part of that as we move forward.

I think he could stay on longer, absolutely he could. We haven’t discussed it yet but I believe he could. He’s fit, 62 years old, he’s in fantastic shape and he’s as driven as he’s ever been, as enthusiastic and excited as ever and I feel he can keep going for a long time.

Personally, this is a no-brainer. Just a glance around the world and you’ll find no one capable enough, Guardiola included, to replace Le Boss. Given the club’s transformation in the past eight years, it is crucial that Wenger remains at the helm. With the squad looking stronger than ever, it’s the first time in five years that Arsenal look capable of challenging for trophies so the last thing we’d want to see is for Arsene Wenger to pack his bags.

Does Theo Walcott Have An Arsenal Future?

The day begins with the unsettling news that Abou Diaby is out of France’s squad for tonight’s game against Belarus with a muscle strain. The injury might not be severe and his exclusion could be a precaution but Diaby and setbacks go hand-in-hand so it’s worrying nevertheless. With the Cazorla-Diaby-Arteta trio combining nicely in midfield, let’s hope the Frenchman is available for Saturday as Arsenal look to build on victory at Anfield.

Another Arsenal player to be sent home from World Cup qualifiers is Theo Walcott, the winger having picked up a virus on Sunday. Having already seen Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain take his place at Arsenal and England, the withdrawal is more bad luck for Theo as he tries to get back his starting spot for club and country.

In a summer dominated by Robin van Persie’s departure to United and subsequently the sudden sale of Alex Song to Barcelona, the fact Walcott has now entered into the final year of his contract has gone slightly under the radar. A day before the transfer window shut, Arsene Wenger confirmed the winger would stay at Arsenal and that a deal is being negotiated. Unfortunately, this is another situation that is likely to come back and bite the Gunners next summer – or even as early as January.

Deschamps May Risk Diaby, Coquelin Wants To Play And The Ox Admonished

It’s a weekend without Arsenal in action. The next round of World Cup qualifiers take place on Tuesday, subsequent to which players will head back to the Emirates. Hopefully all of them will return with bones, muscle, tissue and ligaments intact so we can continue our good start to the season when we host Southampton in six days time.

Didier Deschamps wants to play an exhausted Abou Diaby against Belarus, something which will concern Arsene Wenger. After a long period out, two games in the space of four days could prove too stressful for the midfielder. Les Bleus have enough options on the bench with M’Vila and Cabaye more than capable of filling in so the sensible thing would be to start without Diaby and introduce him later in the game if the situation demands.

But Deschamps is as enamored with Diaby as Wenger is and France’s new coach will be keen to build on Friday’s victory over Finland so one can understand his insistence on starting Abou. Many thousand Arsenal fingers will be crossed Tuesday evening, let’s hope the 26-year-old comes through unscathed.

Belated Thoughts On The Van Persie Situation

After a ten-day holiday in Yankee Land, I return today to blogging and matters Arsenal. What was planned as a flight to cooler climes turned out be an ill-timed visit during a particularly intense heat wave. Weather-wise, it felt like being at home, what with temperatures hitting 100°F most days. Still, it was a welcome break and one that recharged the batteries somewhat.

Of course, the fourth of July fireworks were dulled by the release of ‘The Statement’ by Robin van Persie, followed a day later by an opportunistic piece of PR by that other Arsenal billionaire, Alisher Usmanov. The temptation to knee-jerk and shoot off a post was strong – but better sense prevailed and hopefully today’s thoughts are a little more balanced than what I may have put down in the immediate aftermath of RvP’s condemnation of Arsenal’s vision.

Back in April, this author had suggested that Robin van Persie’s contract extension would be difficult to negotiate for both player and club. This was mainly due to the considerable difference in financial terms between what Arsenal could offer and what clubs such as Manchester City and Chelsea would be willing to pay. Van Persie’s statement seems to suggest that his mind was made up prior to the two parties entering into a financial discussion.