Three points from nine exposes weaknesses in Gunners’ armoury as Southampton deny mistake-ridden Arsenal

Arsenal 3 Southampton 3    
Premier League   
Friday 21st April 2023 8pm

Taking a cold hard look at Arsenal recently, this is not a team displaying title form. They have conceded seven goals in three matches – five of them against relegation contenders. Three points from nine matches is the equivalent points-wise of losing two of them. 

 

The late Gunners’ equaliser provided cause for celebration at the end of normal time, but more because it provided hope of a chance of another late, late winner. That didn’t come, with Thomas Partey firing over the bar in an attempt to score an injury time Hollywood goal when he had Odegaard in space to his right for a simple pass was a moment that summed up the lack of cool-headed thinking required to negotiate pressure games.

 

And that is it in a nutshell – these players have sadly made too many poor decisions under pressure. Football is a results game and they were dominating the first two of these three draws, but then allowed the opposition to take back the initiative. Against Southampton they simply gave away poor goals, the first within 30 seconds. Too often, players try and be too clever. They pick the wrong moments to do this when simpler options are there. So against West Ham, Martinelli made himself available for a pass from Partey in his own half, but Partey decided to try and mug Declan Rice instead, which led directly to a West Ham penalty. 

 

As for Mikel Arteta – he’s done well this season, no question, but you have to ask about his thinking of Fabio Vieira. Is this a player who anyone thinks is going to impact Premier League matches? Due to illness, he filled in for Granit Xhaka, but surely Emile Smith Rowe could have done a better job. What the hell is going on here? This was a selection decision which was obviously a bad one and should have been rectified at half-time at the latest. Vieira is not going to make it at Arsenal no matter how many games he is given to prove me wrong. Why can’t Arteta see this? It was a game against the bottom team in the division at home. How easy do you want it to be?

 

The shocker of the first goal – which to me stunk of complacency as Ramsdale’s pass was too easily read – was compounded when Odegaard’s pass in midfield to Vieira a few minutes later was intercepted and led to Theo Walcott scoring Saints’ second against his old team. It felt like a case of ‘Et tu Theo?’ but at least there were 80 minutes left to put things right. Martinelli’s volleyed goal after Saka’s cross made it 2-1 before the game was a quarter way through, which meant  plenty of time to score the two further goals required for a win.

 

However, that didn’t account for the poor defending on a second half corner that saw the visitors regain a two-goal lead. Set pieces have been an area that has hurt Arsenal badly in recent weeks, as certain players are not challenging for the ball and been found guilty of ball-watching. In terms of physical stature, well, this is some way short of the Invincibles. Sometimes, you have to do the ugly stuff well, and this is an area where more work is required, because it really looks likely to cost the team the chance of a Premier League title. Scoring seven goals in three games is enough to take maximum points if you do the basics correctly. All of the goals Arsenal conceded were avoidable.

 

The late rally provided hope, and indeed a point, whic might just prove critical, but right now, it really feels like City’s title unless Arsenal can win at the Etihad next week. The Gunners have a five-point lead, but City have played two games less. Cut that to two points and two games in hand should City win, and things start looking even more ominous than they did on the opening Saturday of the season when Haaland knocked in two at West Ham. 

 

Due to a combination of factors, I’ve always considered that City would be champions again, but of course, Arsenal’s wonderful season has given hope of a first title since 2004, and on paper, they looked to have a great chance even after the draw at Liverpool. But the point about that Anfield game is that the attack proved it is good enough to win matches anywhere. It was the defence that didn’t do its job. 

 

William Saliba has been a huge loss more so for the confidence he gives the team on the ball when they bring it out from the back. Were he in the side, perhaps Aaron Ramsdale might have played his opening pass to him instead of Zinchenko. Defensively he’s a bit quicker than Holding, but ultimately Holding is not the sole reason that so many goals have been conceded. That is a collective failure, and some of it a consequence of Arteta-ball. 

 

Individual form is a factor. Just as Odegaard has improved lately, Partey has gone the other way, far less influential. The strikers have done ok, and scored the required goals to win matches. Last night was a different kind of failure. Instead of losing control of a match, they were on the back foot from the start and trying to regain parity until the end of normal time when they did make it 3-3. It was a situation they should never have been in.

 

It's too early to write the epitaph for a season – which feels likely to end in disappointment based on the possibilities that Arsenal had with nine games to go. Football should at least teach us that. It can surprise. Arsenal probably need to win next Wednesday evening in Manchester, although whether or not they can acquire enough points in their other games, even if they do, feels less than certain. 

 

A lot of stuff has worked very well this season, but the reality is that this project is a long term one that has borne fruit earlier than anyone could have expected with a credible title challenge. We have plenty of time to unpick the areas where further improvement can benefit, so with disappointment the prevailing mood, I will leave it there for now.

 

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