Goonersphere's match preview page covering all first team matches. Previews include up to date injury lists, match facts, interesting stats, opposition analysis, head to head records as well as line-up and score predictions.
Jon writes weekend match previews for Goonersphere but you can catch his excellent regular blogging on http://woolwich1886.blogspot.com
Midweek matches are written by Goonersphere collaborators. Please get in touch if you would be interested in writing midweek match previews.
Arsenal begin the defence of their, as we're so often reminded, solitary trophy of the last 9 years against the same opponents they eventually overcame in last year's final. An already glutted festive fixture list sees the 10th day of Christmas gifting Arsenal a 3rd round FA cup match against Steve Bruce's Hull City at Emirates Stadium.
For as we might lambaste Chelsea or Man City for poaching our best and brightest, we might owe Southampton a bit more of a tip of the cap. After all, if the stars were to align correctly, three of our own starters on Thursday would come from Southampton—Chambers, Walcott, and Oxlade-Chamberlain. I’d say that Thursday’s match would be like looking into a mirror, but that would do a disservice to the work they’ve done over at St. Mary’s. Be that as it may, there is little time for sentiment when all that separates us on the table at the moment is a few goals scored or conceded.
If you had asked me back in August whether I would worry about West Ham, I’d’ve laughed in your face. West Ham? Sam Allardyce? The club to which we sent Jenkinson so that he’d get some time on the pitch? Bosh. Flimshaw. Fast-forward to the present, and a vibrant West Ham side - featuring Jenkinson and, former Gunner, Song - is riding high, playing attractive-ish football and sitting above us on the table. Will wonders never cease?
