An unimaginative, sloppy and careless performance resulted in a first loss in a long time and a crashing end to a twenty-two match undefeated streak. Southampton were not confident pre kick off yet Arsenal allowed them to gain a head of steam and ultimately paid the price. Spearheaded by Danny Ings, the Saints didn't exactly look threatening from the off, they did however look up for a battle, and up for some hard work. Arsenal on the other hand, looked like they turned up expecting to win - and we all know the cliche with that one.
Arsenal's personnel, shape and execution all looked wrong from the off. Unai Emery opted for a back three again with only one central defender available...that to me, already doesn't sound right. In finding a balance sometimes changes and one-offs may be required but to play two players out of position in a three-man back line clearly didn't bode well, not to mention when your only experienced centre back is way off the pace. Xhaka has ultimately lost out because he's left footed and beyond, the rest is just baffling. Why not deploy a back four with Bellerin and Maitland-Niles at full back and Monreal alongside Koscielny in the centre? Ahead have two in holding midfield with three in attack behind a central striker. Having a back three with wing backs away at Southampton says is that we aren't confident. But we should be...we are. However, poor games of late have led to scrappy wins, scrappy performances and perhaps even undeserved points so one could say a loss was coming unless things changed. Things didn't change and Arsenal's soft under belly reared its ugly head again with almost the same goal conceded three times. No learning from mistakes, no learning from movement and no willingness to adapt in-game. For the first time really in Emery's reign did we see a defence crumble under pressure. Throughout his tenure his organisation of personnel has been fantastic as has his changes in system and substitutions but yesterday most of that went out the window. The starting XI was off, his changes were off, and the system was way off.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored two goals in the game, the second thanks to a huge defensive deflection sending the keeper the wrong way. However, having gone behind twice, with Mkhi's goals both being levelers, Arsenal never really took it to another level after this. From the 53rd minute (our second goal) to the 85th minute (Southampton's 3rd goal), things never got better and the team never really took the game to Southampton the way we know Arsenal can. It was disappointing to see in general but you learn from losses and learn from mistakes - we know that already of Emery; he'll analyse this for days. And ahead of Spurs on Wednesday night, wholesale changes are likely. Arsenal missed forward thinking creativity from one of Ozil or Ramsey yesterday and this cannot happen again going forward. Emery needs to work out how to get both Aubmeyang and Lacazette as well as Ozil or Ramsey in the same team from the off. Attacking guile is what Arsenal are best at; play your best players and they'll find a way. The back line also missed match sharpness from one of Mustafi or Sokratis. Both are likely to return Wednesday night.
There isn't a lot to say about each individual player's rating based on the lack of anything of substance for much of the game. So come the end of the ratings list below, we'll look at what was needed compared to what actually happened...
Ratings:
Leno: 4.5
Lichtsteiner: 5
Koscielny: 4.5
Xhaka: 6
Bellerin: 5
Torreira: 6.5
Guendouzi: 5
Monreal: 6.5
Mkhitaryan: 7
Iwobi: 5
Aubameyang: 6
Subs
Lacazette: 5.5
Ozil: 4.5
Maitland-Niles: 5
Shape: A back four was the obvious way to go with only one available centre back, regardless of his match fitness. It should have then been a two-man engine room in the holding area with three fluid attacking midfielders in front. One central striker in front of this to lead the line would have been just fine against an opposition of Southampton's calibre. As much as the whole squad looked way off the ball, a better shape would have allowed for much more creativity in midfield.
Personnel: Guendouzi, Lichtsteiner and Iwobi should have been nowhere near the starting XI yesterday. In a game where Arsenal should be cleaning up all three points comfortably, AMN should have played LB with Bellerin at RB. Monreal and Koscielny should have completed a back four. Xhaka and Torreira have excelled as a partnership and should not be broken up unless one is suspended or injured. They are almost a perfect combination and by far the best the club can assemble in this area. Aubameyang should have started from the left with Mkhitaryan from the right and Ozil or Ramsey in the number ten hole. Lacazette would have then been the starting striker. This is the best way to get the club's best attacking players in the same starting XI. A team like this may not start against another team in the top six but against anyone else, Arsenal should be good enough and experienced enough to get results with an attacking XI.
Style: Frankly, there was very little style and that stemmed from very little midfield creativity. We know that Iwobi offers a lot more as a two-way player than someone like Mkhitaryan and it was he who should have been our chief creator on the day. But when us fans look to the bench to see a fit Ramsey and a fit Ozil, one should have started, and if they didn't one definitely should have been subbed on at the break. We learnt last week that there was very little midfield creativity with no Ramsey or Ozil and this was so clear again yesterday.
A disappointing end to a great run but its back to work this week before a big NLD cup clash on Wednesday night.
@craigbennett10
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