Arsenal – Southampton Prediction & Picks (08.04.2018)

Arsenal and Southampton meet at Emirates Stadium, in a match for the 33rd round of the Premier League. The two teams tied (1-1), on 10-12-2017, in the previous match for this edition of the league. The history of direct confrontations played in this stadium is favorable to the home team, which in the last 6 matches won 3, drew 1 and lost 2. But the last time these two teams played a game in this stadium, in 30- 11-2016, for the League Cup, Southampton won by (0-2). J. Clasie (13 ‘) and R. Bertrand (38’) scored the match goals for Southampton. Particular attention is required for the home / away condition, since both teams present significantly different results at home and abroad.

Arsenal:

After 15 wins, 6 draws and 10 losses, the home team is currently in the 6 th position, with 51 points won. In the last match, they have won at home against Stoke City by (3-0), after in the previous match they have won (3-0) at home, against Watford. This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 4 wins, 4 draws and 7 losses in away matches; against 10 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses at their stadium. The team comes to this match after a home victory over CSKA Moscow by (4-1). For the championship, Arsenal won 20 points out of 30 possible, after 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in the last 10 matches they played in their stadium. They have not been very strong defensively, since they have suffered goals in 8 of the last 10 matches, but their offense has scored frequently, since they have scored goals in 8 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their away matches there is a tendency for goals, since 12 of the last 16 matches for this competition have ended with Over 2,5 goals. In 31 matches in this competition, they have only won 2 of 11 matches in which they have conceded the first goal.

Arsenal arrive at this motivated day, after having added a victory over CSKA, by 4-1, thus adding the fifth consecutive win in several competitions. It is important to underline that in the last game for the championship, the owners beat Stoke 3-0. The games in his stadium have been completely dominated by Arsenal, an image of this are the averages of goals scored and suffered: scored on average 2.63 goals and suffered 1.06 goals per challenge. In this game, coach Arsène Wenger must play in 4-3-3, privileging ball possession and positional attacks: Ozil will be the team’s master, being the team responsible for organizing and creating the offensive process. On the other hand, Alexandre Lacazette is the best Arsenal marker in the championship, with 10 goals scored. Everything indicates that the French coach can not count on Santi Cazorla.

Southampton:

The away team is currently in the 18 th position of the league, with 28 points won, after 5 wins, 13 draws and 13 losses. In the penultimate match, they lost in an away match against Newcastle United, by (3-0). In the last match, they lost in an away match against West Ham United, by (3-0). This is a team that usually gets better results in away matches than at home, since in the last 30 matches they register 4 wins, 5 draws and 6 losses in away matches, with 16 goals scored and 25 conceded; against 3 wins, 6 draws and 6 losses at their stadium, with 14 goals scored and 19 conceded. For the league, Southampton won 7 points out of 30 possible points, after 1 win, 4 draws and 5 losses in the last 10 home matches. They have not been very strong defensively, since they have suffered goals in 9 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In 31 matches in this tournament, they have conceded the first goal 17 times and have only won 1 result.

Southampton is making a very negative English championship and currently occupies the relegation zone, with 28 points won. In the last game, the visiting team failed and lost to West Ham, 3-0. In this game away from home coach Mark Hughes must act in the usual tactical system, that is, in 4-4-2, benefiting the middle or low block and counterattacks, especially through the right flank: Redmond a very fast player and I exempt when exploring the space in the defensive line of the adversary. Number 10 Charlie Austin is the best score of Southampton, with 6 goals scored. For this game the foreign trainer can count on all his players.