Arsenal vs Southampton Full Match Highlights And Videos

Arsenal came into Southampton with the job laid out for them and they could not have failed any harder. Here is the full recap with videos of the goals.

With Leicester City having lost to Liverpool, Arsenal just needed a win against a struggling Southampton to go top of the table. They were unable to achieve that. What they did achieve was a monumental implosion. And yet they do remain in second place.

Here is the point-by-point recap of the proceedings.

0′ – There’s the whistle!
2′ – Giroud gets a free header from a corner but sends it uncharacteristically high. Ew.
5′ – Mesut Ozil free kick falls harmlessly in the Southampton box. Per Mertesacker guilty of observing.
13′ – Southampton threatening with some nice dribbling from Mane but nothing comes of it.
15′ – Southampton looking potent on the counter attack again but they can’t get a shot off.
17′ – Dangerous play is orchestrated by Ozil and his cross is put tamely on net by Nacho Monreal.
19′ – GOAL. Martina comes from quite literally nowhere and rockets it into the far corner. 0-1.
27′ – Shane long needs a band-aid. Judging by Koscielny’s demeanor, he may need a few more.
29′ – A bit of a circus unravels as Koscielny back passes to Shane Long but Arsenal squeeze out of danger.
32′ – In the middle of the demolition derby, a football game breaks out.
33′ – Jordy Clasie decides to pick a fight with Mesut Ozil. Careful, Clasie, Ozil will find you, wherever you are.
34′ – Shane Long somehow bullies Mertesacker to the ground and taps it in the net but John Moss had called a foul.
37′ – Walcott dribbles masterfully into the box but his shot is painfully limp.
39′ – Walcott has a free header on a corner but sends it into the side of the net.
43′ – Shane Long is wide open in on goal but he spots a seagull and tries to hit it with his chip shot. I think it missed.

HALF-TIME. Arsenal look sloppy. Very sloppy. And it looks like they do not mind they look sloppy either. Only Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny look the slightest bit perturbed by the proceedings.

45′ – And we’re back…
47′ – Mane puts Arsenal’s defense to shame as he gets into the box and looks for someone at the far post but no one is there.
50′ – Koscielny is not amused with this game as he levels Mane. Still no yellow card.
50′ – Goal ruled out as Virgil was offisde. Cech takes a lick in the process.
52′ – Wanyama decides to put his elbow into Giroud’s ear but John Moss is still not convinced.
54′ – Arsenal’s defenders keep letting the ball bounce in their own box. Not a recipe for success.
55′ – GOAL. Shane Long is wide open as Koscielny trips. Mane finds him. Tap in. 0-2.
58′ – Arsenal keep tapping on the door, but they’re going to have to kick it down.
68′ – GOAL. Corner kick, the bane of this squad. Fonte goes unchallenged as Per and Koscielny both back off. 0-3.
72′ – Wanyama goes wild with his slide tackle, taking out Ramsey. Somehow no card is given to the malicious Kenyan. The two share words, probably not about Ramsey’s birthday or Wanyama coming to Arsenal.
78′ – It’s still 0-3.
79′ – Ozil taps on goal but it spins off the goal line.
88′ – That pesky guy Shane curls one off the post.
90’+2′ – GOAL. Shane Long decides to make it worse. He taps it under Petr Cech. 0-4.

FULL TIME. That was not fun. Here’s a recap…

Arsenal came out of the gates looking very passive in progression. The attack looked drowsy and they never really looked a serious threat. As such, Southampton struck first. The first goal came from a rather unexpected source as right back Martina came waltzing into the screen and fired off a shot. This is what happened:

From an Arsenal standpoint, you can’t even really be mad. What a goal. The curve on the ball was something wicked. From the right angle it looks more like a boomerang than a football.

When the whistle blew for half and it was almost a gift. Arsenal were looking completely uninspired and completely devoid of care. Unfortunately, the second half was more of the same. Arsenal had no venom in their attack. They were dull and lifeless and when that is the case, when there is nothing to the attack, stuff like this happens:

"Goal! Shane Long scores thanks to Mané’s assist Arsenal trail by two at St Mary’s! #SaintsFC 2-0 #Arsenal https://t.co/SswK9V5FwP — I TWEET SPORTS (@unlimited473) December 26, 2015"

Granted, Shane Long got away with a kick to spring the attack. However, it was Walcott’s pass to no one started the counter.

Whatever the case, it was only going to get worse as Arsenal’s defense looked absolutely feeble defending a corner. Saints’ captain Jose Fonte burst through Per and Koscielny and headed it home. It looked like this:

This is an Arsenal side that accepted defeat a long time ago. And it was defeat that they would receive, a rather brutal one at that. 4-0. Just because it happened, here is Shane Long’s last goal as well.

"Goal! Shane Long with the dagger makes it four. CRUSHING DEFEAT FOR ARSENAL #SaintsFC 4-0 #Arsenal https://t.co/VEezpZUqvn— I TWEET SPORTS (@unlimited473) December 26, 2015"

Bring on Bournemouth.