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Southampton 1 Arsenal 1: Olivier Giroud rescues a point after Charlie Austin terrorises chaotic defence
The Arsenal supporters who were delayed prior to kick-off at least had a good excuse. A combination of the typically erratic Sunday rail service and weather-induced traffic chaos was their explanation but, for the second successive week, their team’s defence was also inexplicably absent at the start of the match.
Yes, super-sub Olivier Giroud did later arrive to rescue a point with an 88th-minute header, but it was no exaggeration to say that Charlie Austin could have scored four times for Southampton in an extraordinary eight-minute opening burst.
The similarities to Arsenal’s match against Manchester United last week were impossible to ignore, and after seeing his team drop valuable points despite again having around 70 per cent of possession, manager Arsene Wenger even admitted that the problem may have been psychological. “I felt that the Manchester United game played a bit of a part in the heads of our defenders,” he said. “They were a bit apprehensive to start. That’s why sometimes it’s not too good to talk about a problem because you create an even bigger one.”
The positive for Arsenal was the benefit again of having such a distinct option off the bench as Giroud, whose goals to minutes ratio continues to overshadow most of his team-mates. With the January transfer window fast approaching, Wenger again also reiterated his opposition to the French striker leaving. “Why should we lose an important player?” he asked. “It’s up to us. He will start games.”
Austin had been similarly frustrated at a lack of starting opportunities at Southampton until his recent recall coincided with a wider improvement, and he finished emphatically here after three minutes. Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker had come back into the team following a thigh injury to Shkodran Mustafi but was easily dispossessed by Austin who then exchanged passes with Dusan Tadic before shooting confidently past Petr Cech.
The presence of Mertesacker seemed to have disorientated Arsenal defensively, and Southampton could and should soon have been further ahead. Austin was then released by Tadic after Mertesacker had again been caught, but Cech got down well to save his low shot.
The Southampton striker was then only marginally offside after again getting behind the Arsenal defence before also hitting the post from a narrowly offside position after running onto Ryan Bertrand’s cross.
Austin has now scored four goals in his past four games but admitted that Southampton missed their big chance in that opening salvo. “We get the second and it’s over – one’s not enough in the Premier League,” he said.
Arsenal remained defensively vulnerable throughout, but they did eventually at least settle into a passing rhythm that allowed them to dominate possession.
Alexandre Lacazette had again been preferred to Giroud as the main striker and wasted an excellent counter-attacking chance when his heavy first touch just gave Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg sufficient time to make a goal-saving block.
Aaron Ramsey did also almost equalise, but his low shot was quite brilliantly saved at his near-post by Forster following Sanchez’s cross.
The pattern was set, and while Arsenal continued to have most of the ball, Southampton’s defence was solid and they also always retained their threat. Cech made another save from James Ward-Prowse, and from the resulting corner, a header back across goal by Bertand was almost inadvertently turned in by Granit Xhaka. Oriol Romeu also shook Cech’s crossbar with a powerful dipping shot from 25 yards.
Arsenal’s supporters were becoming increasingly frustrated, and there were persistent chants for Jack Wilshere. But Danny Welbeck was Wenger’s choice when he did make his first change after 64 minutes, predictably replacing Mertesacker as Arsenal switched to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation.
They were almost immediately punished, with Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal getting themselves into a mess and fortunate that Bertrand just lofted his finish wide after lifting the ball over Cech.
Wenger did then bring on Wilshere for Xhaka in an attempt to add some cutting edge. Southampton, however, are a class above BATE Borisov, and Wilshere had nothing like the time or space that had allowed him to exert such influence on Thursday.
The more telling change was Giroud, whose introduction for Lacazette was still greeted with groans from Arsenal fans. Sanchez, who again kept losing possession, had just tested Forster with a curling free-kick before producing a perfectly weighted cross for Giroud to glance his header past Forster.
“We missed players in the box so I tried to bring it. This was a good point,” said Giroud, whose 17th goal as a substitute places him level with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the all-time Premier League list.
It was just about what Arsenal deserved – but there is little doubt now that their Premier League season will again be about no more than fighting for a top-four place.
Full time
Arsenal salvage a point after looking all at sea in the first 15 minutes. They spent most of the second half huffing and puffing, probing around the box, and eventually made the breakthrough by virtue of a substitute's skill in the air. Plenty of positives for Saints, not so many for Arsenal who scrapped for their point but did little to persuade they can go any higher than fifth.
90+3 min
Gabbiadini goes up for the corner but is taken out by Cech who claims the ball before toppling the Italy striker. Arsenal break and are awarded a free-kick.
90+2 min
Francis Benali anoints Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as man of the match and it is he who earns Saints a late corner with a fizzed pass from centre down the left.
90+1 min
The first of four minutes of added time end with Wilshere charging down a Boufal shot.
90 min
Ozil dawdles on the ball during a break, taking too long to assess his options and ending up lost down a cul de sac when Welbeck had peeled off into a promising position on the left. He was waiting for Bellerin, I assume, who was detained
89 min
Wilshere goes through Gabbiadini from behind and cuts him off the the ankles. Yellow card.
88 min
That's a terrific header from the substitute, who leapt to steer it deftly inside the left post when picked out by Sanchez's artful inswinging right-foot cross from the left.
GOAL!!
Southampton 1-1 Arsenal (Giroud)
86 min
Gabbiadini on for Austin who leaves to a hero's ovation.
84 min
Daft, yellow-card worthy foul from Romeu on Wilshere gives Arsenal a free-kick maybe 23 yards out, just left of centre. Sanchez takes it and bends it over the wall. Forster leaps to his right to claw it away as it threatened to sneak in under the crossbar.
82 min
Arsenal try to pass their way through the crowd in the Southampton box, first Wilshere, then Sanchez, then Ramsey but to no avail and Southampton break briskly. Boufal takes it on and hurries through the centre-circle. He should take it on but instead passes to Austin, who was offside and then inadvertently, I think, elbows Monreal in the face when the centre-back was trying to get the ball back to restart quickly.
81 min
Stephens is booked for dallying over a throw-in.
79 min
First booking of the match goes to Bellerin for manhandling Boufal with an octopus armed block after being beaten on the inside. Saints chip it into the box, beyond the Arsenal defensive line that let Van Dijk through solo. But the ball eludes him too as it sails towards Cech.
77 min
Arsene Wenger is involved in a heated discussion with the fourth official but I can't see anything to quibble with the referee about. Quibble with his own players, yes. Ah, it's timewasting he's protesting. Fair enough but even educated bees do it.
75 min
Southampton sub: Boufal replaces Redmond. Van Dijk is awarded a free-kick when he has his achilles clipped with an impolite stab of the boot.
74 min
Rubbish cross from Welbeck on the right, beats everyone in the box bar Ward-Prowse whose first touch flick it over Kolasinac and sets him off on an upfield run. He then picks out a tremendous pass up to Austin whose first touch from his suddenly cemented boots bludgeons it too close to Cech.
73 min
Last Arsenal sub: Giroud on for Lacazette.
72 min
Tadic shoulder barges Wilshere, cutting across the Arsenal midfielder and catching him in the chest to send him sprawling. Free kick.
70 min
Wilshere's second touch is a chip over the top for Ozil's run. He was about five yards offside. Giroud is stripping, too.
69 min
Arsenal substitution: Wilshere on for Xhaka.
68 min
Monreal has a dig and bends a shot on to the left post and behind for a goalkick.
66 min
Bertrand misses from 12 yards. A difficult chance after being found by Tadic's lovely reverse pass in from the left. Cech was closing him down as he hit it on the angle with his left and it flashed wide of the post. Koscielny's errors again to blame.
65 min
Welbeck goes out to the right and Ozil drops into a central No10 role. Koscielny gives the ball away and invites Southampton on to them.
64 min
No, it's Mertesacker who comes off and Arsenal revert to a back four.
64 min
Danny Welbeck sia bout to come on. Ozil or Sanchez, surely?
62 min
Romeu, on a rare sortie, crashes a right-foot shot on to the crossbar.
61 min
Saints break and have a three v three with the usual suspects but horse up the support work so they are eventually outnumbered. Arsenal counter swiftly but once more Sanchez, in rime shooting territory, goes for another threaded pass that misses the eye of the needle.
59 min
Pellegrino in his technical area shows him precisely how to stun a ball with a lovely right-foot cushion when the ball flies out. Xhaka shoots from a corner, walloping a volley that Stephens intercepts.
57 min
Sanchez 25 yards out ekes out a chink to shoot through with a dip of the shoulder and shuffling feet but chooses instead to ping it in to Lacazette by the penalty spot but under pressure he cannot trap it.
54 min
Tadic, Redmond and Austin break quickly on the counter, well two of them were quick, one a rather more stately presence, until Redmond barrels a shot straight at Cech from 22 yards. Arsenal now break briskly back upfield and have the numbers but Ramsey's shot from the right slides harmlessly past the left post. Lacazette tried to gloss it by sliding in to deflect it in but couldn't reach it.
52 min
Arsenal almost pick the lock to send Kolasinac round the back from the left but Stephens and Ward-Prowse diligently read the throughball and both combine to tackle the left wing-back. Ward-Prowse gets up hobbling.
51 min
Kolasinac's cross from the left is blocked out for a throw which he takes and passes back to Monreal while he stands his ground in an advanced position. Sanchez and Ozil find each other but Romeu and Hojbjerg are disciplined, stay close, hold their shape and spring out to intercept.
49 min
Sanchez shapes to whack a Ray Parlour shot from 28 yards but bails out and skedaddles inside instead, passing to Kolasinac, the one Arsenal player who probably would channel Parlour and have a long-range pop. But he doesn't here. So they go back to trying to score the goal of the season with dainty passes.
47 min
Romeu steers a pass out to the left for Redmond who skitter forward on the left but can't beat Bellerin. Arsenal come back up the right, concede, recover then play it to Ozil who bears down on the D, slips a pas to Lacazette whose shot is block-tackled. Arsenal come again, shifting the ball from side to side from 40 yards to 20 yards out and back again. Probing.
46 min
Southampton kick off and whack it long up the right but it comes straight back at them so they go back to Forster who tries again.
Half time
An alarmingly dreadful start from Arsenal defensively could and probably should have left them three down, so getting to the break, when they have threatened Forster's goal five times, only one down, will probably be a relief. Southampton are playing very well and though Mertesacker has calmed down and stopped panicking every time Tadic runs at him, every player needs to up his game in the second half.
44 min
Rubbish pass from Xhaka threatens to allow Austin to put Redmond clear on goal but his pass from the centre-circle strikes the retreating Mertesacker on the back of the hand. Saints fans bellow for a free-kick but none is forthcoming so they console themselves by accusing Arsenal of a habitual tendency to cheat.
43 min
Austin on the edge of the area and bursting through lacks the explosive pace to latch on to Bertrand's inviting pass, allowing Cech to smother it.
42 min
A minute before Lacazette's effort Cech had made a fine diving-header clearance when Hojbjerg's long pass caught him in no man's land.
40 min
Bellerin cuts the ball back from the right to Lacazette who makes a near-post run from the penalty spot. He gets there first, wraps his foot around it and spears a shot over the bar half a second before Yoshida wipes him out with a desperate slide.
38 min
Southampton so far are concentrating in defence, not diving in when the Arsenal forwards crisply shift the ball between each other.
36 min
Southampton work neat triangles on the left with Tadic, Hojbjerg and Bertrand. Bellerin twice has to block Bertrand's crosses which weren't deserving of the slick build-up play.
34 min
Xhaka makes a vital tackle with a sliding scissor movement to stall Redmond's momentum when he had only the midfielder to beat and 25 yards of unoccupied grass ahead of him to run into.
32 min
Ramsey fed from the right at the edge of the box, drills a curling low shot powerfully towards a spot just inside the right post. Forster, who was woeful against Newcastle, gets down smartly to tip it round the post.
31 min
Arsenal counter quickly but Southampton, through Yoshida and Van Dijk, thwart first Kolasinac and then Ramsey.
29 min
This one, from the right by Bertrand, ricochets through the box and Ward-Prowse picks it up on the left. He swerves and inswinger to the fr post where Redmond, a metre past it, had peeled off. He dinks it back on the volley to Van Dijk who has a swing at it but it bobbles safely through to Cech. Not without alarm, though.
27 min
Ward-Prowse whips it in viciously with his right and it dips towards the far post. Cech slaps it over for a corner which leads to another after Xhaka's defensive header.
26 min
Southampton snap into pressurising Arsenal by hounding the man in possession from the front, earning a throw when Koscielny loses his composure. From the re-start Xhaka's clumsy challenge on Bertrand concedes a free-kick by the left touchline, 25 yards upfield.
24 min
Ramsey does a near perfect imitation of Lacazette's earlier disappointing effort at the edge of the box, controlling the ball superbly with hi body before turning adroitly and bottoming off the move with a tame shot straight down Forster's throat.
22 min
Kolasinac chips a cross to the near post, Laczette makes the run but Van Dijk, who towers over him, blocks his path and Forster punches it clear, although without the force or precision he had hoped. Throw-in for Arsenal.
20 min
Saints clear the corner after Lacazette finds juggling the ball with his leg at 90 degrees is, quite literally pop pickers, a bit of a stretch.
18 min
Arsenal break at pace with Lacazette, Bellerin, Sanchez and Ozil. Lacazette plays it out to the left and moves into prime position to shoot but takes an extra touch when Bellerin fires the pass back at him which allows Hojbjerg to make the crucial tackle. Corner.
16 min
Lacazette controls a chipped pass with his back to goal 18 yards out, swivels and turns Yoshida but doesn't connect properly with his shot, poking it low at Forster.
15 min
A spell of possession has stemmed the Southampton onslaught.
13 min
Ramsey overhits a left-foo diagonal that pushes Ozil too far wide but he retrieves the ball by the touchline, combines with Bellerin but Hojbjerg steps in to whip the ball away and send Redmond off up the flank. His control lets him down as he hurtles up the whitewash and briefly takes it out of play.
11 min
Arsenal have had a couple of raids in the opening 10 minutes, the best when Kolasinac immediately after the goal went on a 60-yard dribble into the box before he was block-tackled by Stephens. But ever since their final ball has ended the move, particularly just now when Ozil's, intended for Lacazette, skipped too close to Forster.
8 min
Here we go again. Redmond dices and slices Koscielny as he strides down the left, squares to Austin who rattles his shot against the woodwork. Have Saints created as many chances in their previous three games as they have in eight minutes here?
7 min
Good Lord. Now Koscielny gives the ball away to Redmond with a dozy pass and is reprieved when Redmond steers a pass beyond him for Austin to run clear through on Cech by a questionable offside call.
5 min
Southampton almost carve Arsenal apart again when Tadic skates forward, leaves Mertesacker for dead and slips another deft pass to Austin, this time outside the box. He takes a touch and drills a low shot that Cech drops quickly to smother. Mertesacker can't live with Tadic's movement.
3 min
Mertesacker slips as Tadic glides past him, zipping in from the right wing, tacking horizontally across the 18-yard box before slipping a reverse pass down the inside-right channel for Austin who was just onside and buried his shot from 12 yards.
GOAL!!
Southampton 1-0 Arsenal (Austin)
1 min
Monreal bends a 50-yard ball up the left for Sanchez's run but Stephens, who is playing at right-back, heads him off and knocks the ball upfield for Tadic who had gone too soon and wandered offside.
The weather
Has done for Owen Hargreaves as co-com. Enter curry magnate Francis Benali. The sleet has abated and we're about to kick off.
Pelllegrino says ...
Stephens may start at right-back and all the briefings about a 3-4-3 were smoke.
Formations
Southampton have switched to a back three to match Arsenal's, which seems a waste of Ward-Prowse to me. If he's going to be shuttling up and down that flank and trying to deal with Kolasinac, Monreal and Sanchez he may well be overwhelmed. They played five at the back against Man City and held on at 1-1 for almost 20 minutes but at least then they had a European Championship-winning right back in place.
Pellegrino's Alaves side played with four at the back for all but a handful of games last season and when he switched to five against Real Madrid, they were still humped 4-1 and 3-0, though they did knock off Barcelona at the start of the campaign 2-1.
Sadly ...
There's not enough snow on the ground on the fairly temperate south coast to afford us the treat of an orange ball. But given that any colour seems to go these days, it could be anything.
Those teams in black and white:
Southampton Forster; Yoshida, Stephens, van Dijk, Bertrand; Hojbjerg, Romeu; Ward-Prowse, Tadic, Redmond; Austin.
Substitutes McCarthy, Hoedt, Davis, Lemina, Boufal, Gabbiadini, Pied.
Arsenal Cech; Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Ozil, Sanchez; Lacazette.
Substitutes Ospina, Wilshere, Giroud, Iwobi, Welbeck, Maitland-Niles, Coquelin.
Referee Robert Madley (Leeds)
Team news
The teams are in! ��
Here's how #SaintsFC line-up against #Arsenal this afternoon in the #PL: pic.twitter.com/KclQBRWiYi— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 10, 2017
The waiting is over - here's our team for #SFCvAFCpic.twitter.com/04RatCAXwk
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 10, 2017
Good morning
And welcome to coverage of Southampton vs Arsenal from St Mary's. The last December meeting between the two in Hampshire two years ago left us with the indelible memory of Cuco Martina's cracker and a pulverising 4-0 home victory. A win would have put Arsenal top but when it came to it they wilted. Today, after that dismal first 11 minutes against Manchester United, Arsenal again have to start from the beginning in terms of putting together a winning run. Southampton, much improved over recent weeks after those depressingly sterile early performances, ought to give them a proper midfield test with Romeu and Hojbjerg. Surprised that Mario Lemina isn't starting, I would have thought he would be ideal.
