By Bulldog Drummond
Update: Tottenham lost at home to Brighton. Top of the table now reads…
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 31 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 72 | 20 | 52 | 74 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 31 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 79 | 22 | 57 | 73 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 64 | 23 | 41 | 62 |
| 4 | Tottenham Ho | 32 | 18 | 3 | 11 | 56 | 38 | 18 | 57 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 30 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 45 | 36 | 9 | 54 |
Update: the team
Southampton could lose three consecutive home league games to Arsenal for the first time since a run of four between 1968 and 1971. Our results then were
| Date | Match | Res | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr 1971 | Southampton v Arsenal | W | 1-2 | Division One |
| 2 Oct 1971 | Southampton v Arsenal | W | 0-1 | Division One |
| 28 Mar 1972 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 1-0 | Division One |
| 30 Sep 1972 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 1-0 | Division One |
Not exactly high scoring affairs but wins nonetheless.
But it is worth noting also that between 2003 and 2014 the clubs played each other ten times and Southampton never once won.
| Date | Match | Res | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May 2003 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 6-1 | Premier League |
| 17 May 2003 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 1-0 | FA Cup |
| 29 Dec 2003 | Southampton v Arsenal | W | 0-1 | Premier League |
| 10 Feb 2004 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 2-0 | Premier League |
| 30 Oct 2004 | Arsenal v Southampton | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
| 26 Feb 2005 | Southampton v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
| 15 Sep 2012 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 6-1 | Premier League |
| 1 Jan 2013 | Southampton v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
| 23 Nov 2013 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 2-0 | Premier League |
| 28 Jan 2014 | Southampton v Arsenal | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
However one of the things we can note is Southampton’s propensity to score first (they have done this seven times in the last 12 games that still doesn’t generally help them to win. In fact only one of those games resulted in a Southampton victory. So if they do score there is no need to panic.
Indeed they have let in 216 goals in the League since their current manager took over in December 2018. No other team can match that number – mostly because the team with an ability to let in so many goals at home normally get relegated. Southampton have proved to be the exception.
As for Arsenal, we are still just one win away from 250 Premier League away wins since the PL began – although Manchester City and Chelsea have already achieved that.
Considering also who will score for Arsenal we might note that according to the BBC “Alexandre Lacazette has been involved in seven goals in his past six Premier League appearances against Southampton, scoring five and setting up two.”
Added to that the Corporation also tell us that Bukayo Saka “is the only English player to have registered more than 50 shots and 50 chances created in the top flight in 2021-22” and “Saka has had five goals and an assist in Arsenal’s last six Premier League away matches.”
As for the team, the Standard offer us…
Ramsdale;
Cedric, White, Gabriel, Xhaka;
Odegaard, Lokonga, Smith Rowe;
Saka, Lacazette, Martinelli.
And they suggest the result will be 1-1.
Ramsdale;
Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tavares;
Xhaka, Lokonga;
Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli;
Lacazette
Sports Mole also predict a 1-3 win for Arsenal.
The Guardian however notes the stories circulating that there is something wrong with Lacazette and so drops him from their predicted line up…
Ramsdale;
Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tavares;
Xhaka, Lokonga;
Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli;
Nketiah
Given their inaccuracies concerning Arsenal missing chances we can perhaps take this with a pinch of salt. As they say.
- Arsenal and Southampton injuries; the strange case of the keeper and Southampton’s record
- Southampton v Arsenal: how the refs treat each team, how the managers have done
Norwegian viking is Arsenal captain this evening and advantage is backed on our side as Brighton won at Tot stadium. come on Arsenal
Spurs 0 – 1 Brighton
SPURS
Poss = 48%
Shots = 5
On Target = 0
BRIGHTON
Poss = 52%
Shots = 12
On Target 5
ARSENAL
Poss = 65%
Shots = 20
On Target 4
BRIGHTON
Poss = 35%
Shots = 8
On Target = 3
Despite not playing great all the stats suggest we deserved at least a draw against Brighton, especially as we had what looked like a perfectly legitimate goal chalked off.
Spurs on the other hand didn’t manage a single shot on target, and given all the stats got exactly what they deserved.
Cant wait to see how the media excuse this one.
I’ve always thought Forster was a top-class keeper. I wish he had proven me wrong just this one time. The way he denied Bukayo was Seamanesque. Eddie’s been perfect, Laca’s career in the red-and-white might be coming to an end today. Rumour has it we’re going to spend spend spend on a CF next summer, which’d mean neither Eddie not Folarin will be given the one season they deserve – at least – to prove they are our present and future. To me, this is insane; the very year we splashed more money than ever on the transfer market, we’re out of all competitions, while MNiles, Saliba, Guendouzi, Coquelin, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Nelson will be playing European semi-finals … but obviously, nothing’s worth considering about that.
Anyway, HT, 0-1; our best goalscorer – Emil – is getting a tan on the bench, might be a good idea to bring him on.
Lastly, I don’t get how Soares can still be on the pitch after the 2 FKs he made a horrible mess of …
COYG, don’t let us down, please
Our first half was somewhat dire but our second half though missing the cutting edge has been muh better.
Composure, the tangible, most striking, improvement in the team before the last International Break, hasn’t been seen since they came back from the break.
These are the average statistics from our last 3 matches:
Arsenal Possession = 70%
Opponent Possession = 30%
Arsenal Shots = 55
Opponent Shots = 23
So over double the possession has equated to over double the shots. So far so good. But alas it’s all down hill from here.
Arsenal Shots On Target = 13
Opponent Shots On Target = 11
So under 1 in 4 of our shots hit the target. Our opponents hit the target with almost 1 in 2. Pretty much twice as accurate.
Basically our finishing has been terrible.
From our 13 shots that have hit the target only 1 has hit the back of the net. Now again either our efforts are timid affairs or all three of our opponents keepers have been making Worldies.
Whatever way you look at it 1 goal from 55 shots is terrible.
On the other hand our opponents have scored from 6 of their 11 shots on target.
So either the last three opponents are World class finishers or our keeper has lost his form.
Scoring ONE goal from 55 efforts whilst letting in half the shots on target is not going to get us anywhere near where we want to be.
The truth of the matter is, as I have shown a few times, as good as our young guns are they are a long way from where they need to be with regards to assists, and more crucially goals scored.
They are young. They will improve. But will it happen quick enough ?
They are young, they will improve, but they need a striker in the opponents box , think a deep Laca as a link man has been nullified, and we didn’t even have that option today. Eddie N looks like he hasn’t had enough minutes at the moment
Nice to hear from again Mandy , been along time .
Fortunately our first 11 is really good , a couple of injuries impact on us big time and it’s come at the business end of the season
Thanks Steve, good to be back!
@Nitram looking those stats its rather depressing, now without Partey we look a bit disjointed.
@Mandy defo need a more dangerous striker than Lacazette, hopefully this is a good learning process for their growth
@Steve if our 1st 11 were fit no doubt we would have made 4th!