By Bulldog Drummond
And so, Southampton. How do we normally do when we face them?
Normally we win: 51 wins, 28 draws, 21 defeats, although there have been occasional moments when things have not gone totally according to plans…
For example between 2014 and 2016 we played Southampton eight times, six in the League and twice in the league cup.
Of that run of games two were Arsenal wins, two were draws, and four were defeats, including the two games in the League Cup. The worst of all was the 4-0 away defeat on Boxing Day, 2016.
Since then it has been more satisfactory including a glorious 0-5 away win in the cup…
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 28 Jan 2017 | Southampton v Arsenal | W | 0-5 | FA Cup |
| 10 May 2017 | Southampton v Arsenal | W | 0-2 | Premier League |
| 10 Dec 2017 | Southampton v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
| 08 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 3-2 | Premier League |
| 16 Dec 2018 | Southampton v Arsenal | L | 3-2 | Premier League |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 2-0 | Premier League |
| 23 Nov 2019 | Arsenal v Southampton | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
| 25 Jun 2020 | Southampton v Arsenal | W | 0-2 | Premier League |
| 16 Dec 2020 | Arsenal v Southampton | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
The one defeat in the last nine was also in December, that being 2018 with a 3-2 loss. the last four have been two wins for us and two draws. The last three away games have been a win, a loss and a draw.
Of course this time we play Southampton twice, first in the Cup and the in the League on Tuesday, both at their ground.
You will undoubtedly know that Arsenal do rather well in the FA Cup, but you may not know that we have been drawn against Southampton five times across the years, and never once been beaten. Only once have we required a replay. Here are the accumulated FA Cup results
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 6 Mar 1927 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 2-1 | FA Cup |
| 19 Mar 1979 | Southampton v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | FA Cup |
| 21 Mar 1979 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 2-0 | FA Cup |
| 17 May 2003 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 1-0 | FA Cup |
| 28 Jan 2017 | Southampton v Arsenal | W | 0-5 | FA Cup |
And of course, we have done rather better than they have across the years. Southampton have however won the FA Cup once as the chart below shows.
Arsenal you will know are the record winners, and indeed Mr Wenger has won the FA Cup more than any other person dead or alive.
| Club | Wins | First final won | Last final won | Runners-up | Last final lost | Total final appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 14 | 1930 | 2020 | 7 | 2001 | 21 |
| Manchester United | 12 | 1909 | 2016 | 8 | 2018 | 20 |
| Southampton | 1 | 1976 | 1976 | 3 | 2003 | 4 |
| Tiny Totts | 8 | 1901 | 1991 | 1 | 1987 | 9 |
Southampton first made the cup final in 1900, and then again in 1902, finally returning in 1976 when as a League Division Two side they beat Manchester United in the final 1-0. They did make it back in 2003 when they lost by a similar score to,… well, actually, us.
And while contemplating the old cup, we might perhaps mention Tottenham Hotspur, as they always like to think the Cup is their particular competition.
They have indeed made it to the final nine times, which is some way under half the number of times we have paraded ourselves around the last match of a season. They could of course overtake us by 2028 if they won the FA Cup seven years running. But I think that a little unlikely.
Interestingly Tottenham and Arsenal share the record for the longest winning streak in finals, of seven successive finals without a defeat. The difference between the two sides though is that it took Arsenal 18 years to achieve this run, while the Tiny Totts took a little longer: 81 years in fact. From 1901 to 1982 (our was from 2002 to 2020).
Arsenal also hold the record for the most FA Cup games played by any club which is 455.
But to round it all off, let us never forget this one fact:
Most FA Cup wins: Arsène Wenger, 7
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VAR informs the referee that Gabriel put his hand on the face of Ings but it was neither a red card nor a goal scoring opportunity so VAR had no reason to interfere.
20mins later Willian is fouled meters away from the assistant and he choses not to see it!!
As usual we are playing against 15! I also turned off the commentary couldn’t stand the constant whining about the one club playing.
We need to be better in the second half. At the moment we don’t look like scoring
Very obvious penalty not addressed by VAR. Walker peters used his arm to control the ball.
Did VAR check that handball?
It seemed so blatant…???Did the Arsenal player push his arm sideways into the ball? BLah!
The referee didn’t put his home shirt on!! What a blatant series of cheats.
A pathetic dive in the box by Long is not punished
The PIGMOB do the game like it was theirs and get away with all without media intervention.
Not a good first half, a much better last 30 minutes.
Unfathomable non-handball call.
…Pepe…got to get more out of him.
None of the changes made by Arteta advanced their claims to be League starters. Willian again a complete waste of skin but must be laughing all the way to the back every week. Whatever he is as a player it isn’t as an attacking midfielder and I would be quite content for him never to play there again.
We shouldn’t be surprised at a dire anti-Arsenal performance from a FIFA accredited referee as it’s a n essential quality to them gaining that promotion.
The media will now have another field day at our expense but don’t forget hat Southampton players scored nothing today. Leno was beaten by the unluckiest of deflections. He had the shot covered and any other deflection would have hit his body not gone underneath him.
With all the time to show incidents from the game, the one very clear incident of a handball and penalty was missed (sorry did not happen). That is the media and their bias.
The manager picks a team of strangers to take the game to Southampton and keep the Cup and the only point they have in common and can share with the world is their intent to give the FA Cup away.
At least Southampton picked a team that was well-nigh their strongest. They had respect for the Cup. The team Mr Arteta put on the field and kept on the field for almost sixty minutes gave the Cup away and triggers question after question. Ask one, more pour out and all finish in one place.
The new stadium – not a trophy. The top four position season after season – not a trophy. Winning the FA Cup – not a trophy. We’ve made a noose for our own necks.
Zedsaunt I do agree with you. I’m sitting here wondering what on earth is the way out of this self-made situation.
I am somewhat confused today with…..
What is the purpose of VAR and when is it supposed to view possible handball situations, especially in the penalty area?
How has PGMO training covered tackling in terms of what should be allowed and what penalised?
Why Southampton could put out a strong team that had played together a number of times before when Arsenal could not?
Whether Arsenal has employed a coach to improve the taking of set pieces or is this simply fake news?
Is it really a long difficult journey tiring from London to Southampton for professional footballers?
Is the FA Cup really no longer important for Arsenal now that the club has become the record winners of all time?
Why I am still hoping that the club can become great again before I kick the proverbial bucket
Tony – when the entirety of the world pivots and turns on one point only, EPL number one, Premiership title holders, and the world keeps spinning, continues to spin, players emerge and disappear, teams come and go, it seems to me there are only two choices – you live in your own thoughts, with your own dreams, nursing your own life, or you wait for the spin to pull everything down and out of the destruction, you build something new.
With each passing day the WOBs agenda failing and now at all time low. Arsenal has been faltering big time on and off the field. Management has been poor and decisions regarding tranfers,buying,selling have backfired big time and we are a laughing stock across the country.I am not saying we were perfect under Wenger.Arsene had some weaknesses but every human being does have some.But the downfall is ominous in front of our eyes.
We told the idiot fans Be careful what you wish for and they have been proven wrong and we at
POSITIVELY ARSENAL
UNCENSORED ARSENAL
UNTOLD ARSENAL
have been vindicated.The idiot fans at Arseblog Legroan etc have no place to hide.
the next two matches are important for arsenal’s season, can they challenge for top four or will they remain mid table. perhaps if our league position was better this choice might not have been made. however, the team put out was not so bad the three questions willian, pepe and nketiah who have all been mediocre in past matches – but in terms of ability all three could have done much better .
I thought Willian had a good game. He completed 2 successful passes in the second half.
Pepe did have a decent game. His finishing has not been good in recent weeks, but his wing and link-up play was the best of any of our offensive players. He created 2 very good chances. Don’t believe all of the media spin. He is better than they would have you believe.
Cedric was penalised for another foul-throw. The referees are using this as a device to turn possession over. There have been very few instances of other teams being penalised for foul-throws this season or last. Perhaps this is related to the fact that Arsenal cannot be punished for committing regular fouls due to the fact that they make so few tackles. Bankes is another of Riley’s agenda boys.