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Arsenal Player Ratings vs Southampton: FA Cup Defeat

By Rob Worthington

vies with Arsenal's Scottish defender Kieran Tierney Arsenal's English defender Rob Holding during the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, Hampshire,on January 23, 2021. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
vies with Arsenal's Scottish defender Kieran Tierney Arsenal's English defender Rob Holding during the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, Hampshire,on January 23, 2021. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal
Arsenal fell to a 1-0 defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup on Saturday. Here are the player ratings.(Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Arsenal’s FA Cup run came to an end today as Southampton knocked out the Gunners in the fourth round.

An own goal from Gabriel half way through the first-half proved to be decisive. Otherwise, the Saints didn’t make too many big chances as evidenced by their xG of just 0.43 as opposed to Arsenal’s 1.05.

Arsenal went on to dominate the rest of the match after Southampton opened the scoring but failed to grab a goal to equalize what was a tense affair. In consequence, Mikel Arteta lost his first FA Cup encounter as Arsenal boss.

The Arsenal manager will be hoping for more when Arsenal visit St. Mary’s again on Tuesday evening. It was a rather sluggish performance from a much-changed Arsenal side.

Onto the Gunners’ player ratings.

Arsenal
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 23: Gabriel of Arsenal (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images) /

Goalkeeper and Defenders

Bernd Leno (GK) – 6: Could do very little about the goal after a horrible deflection off Gabriel. Did well otherwise in what was where the German was overwhelmingly untroubled.

Hector Bellerin (RB) – 6: Quite a strange decision by Mikel Arteta to pull him off at the 70 minute mark. The Spaniard made numerous driving runs and was untroubled defensively. Not a performance to write home about but he did his job.

Rob Holding (CB) – 6: One of many players who did very little wrong today. Holding wasn’t culpable for the Southampton goal and led the backline adequately. Slightly clumsy with his passing at times.

Gabriel (CB) – 5: Grew into the game after a very poor start which was typified by his unfortunate own-goal. Looked suspect 1v1 at times. His overall poor display can be excused by his lack of match sharpness.

Çedric (LB) – 5: One sensed this was a desperate attempt from Mikel Arteta to see whether he really needs a new left-back. News flash – he does. Çedric looked especially poor on the left and as one would expect much more comfortable when he was moved back to his natural position at right-back.

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