An international break is rarely a great thing for clubs; and with Arsenal flying high after their victory against Liverpool in their previous English Premier League game, Arsene Wenger would have much preferred to continue with the momentum, rather than endure a two-week break.
However, apart from a slight knock for Abou Diaby and a virus for Theo Walcott, Arsenal came pretty much unscathed from the international break - very pleasing by recent standards, where key players generally have picked up long-term injuries.
Wenger dismissed speculation surrounding Didier Drogba, as well as saying that signing a new contract was not currently on his mind; he is only concentrating on the game at hand against Southampton on Saturday.
Diaby and Walcott will be assessed Friday, and a decision will be taken based on how they react to training. The smart thing to do would be to leave Diaby and Walcott out for the game against the Saints, with the Gunners facing their opening UEFA Champions League match against Montpellier on Tuesday.
Diaby has been a revelation this season, and seeing him marauding through the middle with those long legs and brilliant technique is a sight for sore eyes if you are an Arsenal fan. There is no doubt that a fit Diaby is a big asset for the Premier League side, and Wenger might be keen to just rest him on Saturday.
"He will have a test on Friday morning and we will go from there," Wenger told reporters at his pre-match press conference. "At the moment he is 50:50.
"It is a small muscular problem that is very minor. But of course we are in the situation that, because we play so many games now, should we take a gamble or not with him?"
Walcott has not constantly featured for the Gunners this season; whether it is because of the contract situation or the manager's preference for either Gervinho or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to play on the right can be debated.
Oxlade-Chamberlain or Aaron Ramsey might be the option for Arsenal down the middle, if Diaby does not start, with Wenger playing the talented teenager in that position during preseason. The other option is to bring in Francis Coquelin, and let Mikel Arteta play a more attacking role. I would prefer to play Oxlade-Chamberlain, and let Arteta continue playing the defensive midfield position, where he has excelled.
Up front there are not too many decisions to make, and expect the new signings - Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla to start. Giroud is due a goal, and the Gunners faithful will be hoping he opens his account for Arsenal against the newly promoted side, who have been extremely unlucky not to pick up a point so far in their three games. Wenger will ask for more of the same from Cazorla and Podolski, both of whom scored in the last game at Anfield.
Nigel Adkins' team have been impressive, and but for some late-game capitulations, they would have had the scalps of Manchester City and Manchester United.
"We have to impose ourselves," Adkins told the club's official website. "Arsenal keep the ball more than anyone else and can wear teams down with their retention of the football.
"Importantly when you have the ball you need to keep it and create opportunities for yourself to go and score goals.
"Arsenal are a great counter-attacking side, a lot of teams might sit back at the Emirates because they have so much possession and they have been the masters of it for many years, but we tend to be good at that as well."
The Gunners can expect a tough game from the Saints, with Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana in particular, impressing in their first season in the top flight. Lambert will pose a constant threat in the air, and Thomas Vermaelen and Per Mertesacker will have to be on their toes to nullify the aerial threat.
Expected line-up: Arsenal: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, Podolski, Cazorla; Giroud.
Southampton: Davis, Clyne, Fonte, Hooiveld, Fox, Schneiderlin, Ward-Rowse, Davis, Puncheon, Lallana, Lambert.
