Southampton Battle Arsenal to a 3-3 Draw
It nearly occurred. It actually nearly occurred. What would’ve been an enormous three factors for the Saints of their wrestle in opposition to relegation was cruelly stolen away by a Martin Ødegaard wonderstrike and a cool Bukayo Saka end. Armel Bella-Kotchap can be replaying his failed clearance resulting in the Saka equalizer in his head for years to come back. Three factors away on the Emirates, it was proper there!
The Saints couldn’t have requested for a greater begin. Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale acquired a ball excessive and as an alternative of a easy clearance had a second of insanity and gifted Southampton midfielder Carlos Alcaraz the ball on the fringe of the field. Alcaraz nonetheless had so much to do with the end, and fantastically put one simply out of the attain of the redemption-seeking Ramsdale into the underside nook. Alcaraz has been a diamond in a tough season for Southampton, exhibiting glorious composure and a uncommon little bit of final-third high quality for the Saints. Ought to Southampton get relegated, the nineteen-year-old could have no scarcity of suitors within the offseason.
But it surely in some way received even higher for Southampton. A lot was revamped Selles’ refusal to play with a standard striker, however the Saints’ compact, high-pressing system produced one other objective. One other compelled turnover discovered its option to Alcaraz, who drove on the Arsenal backline and performed a splendidly weighted ball to Theo Walcott who slotted residence from simply contained in the field.
It will not be unfair to ask the place this ending skill was for the previous a number of weeks, nevertheless it is rather like the 2023 Saints to look lifeless in opposition to all their relegation rivals however put three previous the league leaders. Of Southampton’s twenty-four Premier League factors this season, eight have come in opposition to massive six opposition Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal.
With the Saints up two-nil after fifteen minutes, followers (and this author) have been in dreamland. However Arsenal shortly regained their composure and located a response within the twentieth minute. Bukayo Saka, who gave Romain Perraud suits all recreation lengthy, gained the byline and located Gabriel Martinelli who slotted a half-volley previous Southampton keeper Gavin Bazunu.
The sport would stay two-one till halftime, with Arsenal having a lot of the possession and probabilities. Beginning center-back Jan Bednarek was compelled off resulting from a head damage simply earlier than halftime, and confirmed actual ardour trying to persuade the Southampton and Arsenal physios he might keep on. If the Saints discover momentum to remain up this season, the dedication the much-maligned Bednarek confirmed can be a second to look again on.
Rubén Sellés Makes a Tactical Gamble within the Second Half
It was when Southampton took the sector for the second half that the actual controversy began to unfold. Rubén Sellés determined to take off Carlos Alcaraz, who had already contributed a objective, an help, and a goal-line clearance, for Lyanco, who has been banished from the primary crew for the previous a number of months. Southampton have been committing to ‘parking the bus’ and switched from their 4-2-2-2 right into a 5-4-1. Sellés’ message was clear: we might not rating one other objective, however Arsenal goes to need to work for each probability they get.
However rating one other objective the Saints did. After twenty-five minutes of Arsenal besieging Gavin Bazunu’s field, on a uncommon foray ahead Southampton gained a nook. The Saints have been woeful from corners all season regardless of the standard lifeless ball supply of James Ward-Prowse. Towards Crystal Palace, they tried every kind of trickery, together with brief passes and having Kamaldeen Sulemana act as a decoy nook taker to search out some sort of set piece hazard. However right here the Saints captain fired a easy ball into the six-yard field, it was flicked on by Armel Bella-Kotchap onto Duje Ćaleta-Automobile’s head. Three-one to the Saints, and a miracle victory was on the playing cards.
However for every second of absolute delight, soccer brings cruelty as effectively. Though Southampton had a snug two-goal lead, cracks have been exhibiting within the Saints protection. Arsenal had been relentlessly attacking Southampton since Sellés made his gamble to change ways, and finally the league leaders’ high quality shone by way of. Martin Ødegaard fired in an exquisite, curled effort from twenty yards out within the 88th minute, and earlier than ninety minutes have been up Arsenal had equalized by way of Bukayo Saka.
Dreamland for Southampton followers became unfathomable nervousness, as Arsenal nonetheless had an enormous eight minutes of damage time to discover a winner. However the Saints held on, enduring wave after wave of Arsenal assault, together with a Leandro Trossard effort that clipped the crossbar on its manner over the web.
And so, after the emotional curler coaster that was Southampton’s away fixture on the Emirates, Saints followers will look again and rue a missed alternative for what would’ve been a useful three factors. If earlier than the sport you had provided a draw, 99% of Southampton followers, and possibly a lot of the gamers, would’ve accepted it immediately. However after being two-nil and three-one up, as soon as once more, Southampton have missed a chance to realize floor in a fiendishly tight relegation battle.
A lot can be product of Sellés’ determination to take away his most potent attacking risk in Carlos Alcaraz. Southampton by no means regarded like scoring from open play after Alcaraz was eliminated, it was solely from a set piece that they discovered their third objective. Introducing Lyanco and transferring to 5 on the again did stymie Arsenal for 43 minutes, however there have been 45 to be performed, and the title hopefuls wouldn’t be denied. Might the Saints have fared higher sticking to their first-half plan? We’ll by no means know.
After the mud had settled, each groups’ gamers collapsed to the bottom exhausted. What ought to’ve been a implausible level for backside feeders Southampton felt like a loss. What ought to’ve been one other notch on Arsenal’s title belt became catastrophe. Each groups wanted a win, and each groups got here away with a well-earned, well-deserved, however undesirable level. If Southampton take momentum from this match and survive this season, they may look again on this recreation with satisfaction. If they’re relegated, they may look again and surprise what if they’d held on. Such are the high-quality margins within the Premier League. The Saints have six video games left to save lots of their season, allow us to all hope they will discover no matter possessed them in opposition to Arsenal and preserve that type going, or else the darkish abyss of the Championship beckons.