Arsenal 3-0 Southampton: 4 negatives for Arteta’s side

Just what the doctor ordered. While the three points were the most important, there is no denying that winning in that fashion was also richly needed for this Arsenal team.

And what a win it was.

Welcoming Southampton to fortress Emirates, once Arsenal got a foothold in the match on 21 minutes it was full steam ahead to a richly deserved Premier League win.

Alexandre Lacazette finished off a sweeping move that started from the boot of Aaron Ramsdale and six passes later was in the back of Willy Caballero’s net. Breaking the Saints’ press for the first time in the match, it ended with the Gunners’ No. 9 thumped home from inside the box in delightful fashion.

Arsenal: 4 negative points as Mikel Arteta’s side secure thumping 3-0 Premier League win over Southampton at the Emirates Stadium

Just six minutes later and the scoreline was doubled. Keeping up the pressure, Kieran Tierney’s miscontrol in the penalty area worked in his favour as at the second attempt he managed to dink the ball into the path of the onrushing Martin Odegaard to head home.

Three goals in three matches for the Norwegian have seen him score with his right foot, left foot and now his header. Oh how Arsenal have longed for goals from midfield.

After the break, and indeed before it, Arsenal should have been way out of sight. Once everything clicked and Southampton completely downed tools there was some glorious football on display with chances going begging left right and centre.

Gabriel wrapped things up with a trademark towering header on what was a thoroughly enjoyable night for Arsenal. But, as ever, not all was perfect. We have to find some balance across this season as this team is far from the finished article, with four standout areas of negativity.

(it’s still quite obviously a positive win)

1. Opening 15 Minutes of Southampton’s High Pressing

Arsenal started this game as poorly as Southampton started it well.

Consistently ranking in the top end of the Premier League for high pressures, while Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are struggling for goals and incapable of keeping them out, it was known from the off how they would approach this game.

Clearly the results and performances of recent weeks had impacted the players. They looked nervy. Gabriel started off in sloppy fashion with a couple of loose passes, much like the rest of the back four, and they could not break through a well organised Saints press.

Keeping them penned into their own half, what credit you can give to Arsenal is the way they kept plugging away to find those openings. However, structurally they weren’t set up in a way to counter that with too much vacancy in midfield and the defenders not having the options on the ball to play out.

Benjamin White, who also started shakily, kept looking for a teammate only to have Takehiro Tomiyasu and Aaron Ramsdale as his options.

Put it down to a lack of confidence? Most likely, but Arsenal should not be struggling to even enter the attacking third of the pitch on home soil against a side like Southampton.

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