Pain in the Arsenal
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Southampton 1-0 Arsenal: 4 talking points as top four fades

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel reacts after missing a chande during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on April 16, 2022. - 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 Daniel LEAL / 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. / 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 DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel reacts after missing a chande during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on April 16, 2022. - 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 Daniel LEAL / 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. / 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 DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Gabriel
Southampton 0-1 Arsenal: 4 talking points as the Gunners’ top four hopes fade with a damaging Premier League defeat at St Mary’s. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Despite being given a welcome boost before the game with Tottenham losing at home to Brighton, Arsenal produced another sleepy performance as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Southampton.

News of a late winner for Brighton in the early Premier League kick off should have provided all the incentive that Mikel Arteta’s side needed to end their losing streak. It didn’t.

A timid start to the game in which Arsenal controlled possession failed to create enough openings, although Bukayo Saka spurned a glorious chance in the first half when he couldn’t get a clean enough contact on Gabriel Martinelli’s pass and Fraser Forster denied him with a fine save.

Coasting through the match not under any real pressure, with seconds left on the clock Arsenal shot themselves in the foot with some woeful defending.

Southampton 1-0 Arsenal: 4 talking points as the Gunners’ top four hopes fade with a damaging Premier League defeat at St Mary’s

At sixes and sevens in the second phase of a set-piece, the ball made its way back to central defender Jan Bednarek who slammed home from close range.

Needing a response after the break, if anything the Gunners were even more laborious.

Having the ball in Southampton’s third for near enough the entirety of the second half, it took until Emile Smith Rowe’s inclusion for Arsenal to test Forster. The Saints’ keeper denied Smith Rowe with another fine save then made further blocks from Granit Xhaka and Saka as another dreadful display got its requisite reward.

Three of the more ‘winnable’ games remaining on the calendar have now ended in three straight defeats, a run of losses that had never before happened under Arteta. The situation is deeply concerning.

Arsenal, GX
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – APRIL 16: Jan Bednarek of Southampton scores their side’s first goal during the Premier League match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary’s Stadium on April 16, 2022 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /

1. Arsenal Falling at the Easiest Hurdles

  • Crystal Palace: 0 Premier League wins at home in 2022 – Beat Arsenal 3-0
  • Brighton: 0 Premier League wins in 7 (6 defeats) – Beat Arsenal 2-1
  • Southampton: 0 Premier League wins in 6 – Beat Arsenal 1-0

Arsenal continued their charitable work on Easter weekend by granting a side in dire form three easy points.

In order to be a success in this division it’s imperative that you beat the teams below you and the compete against those around you. Arsenal have come up short in that department three matches running.

Like Everton earlier in the season, the inability to follow suit on the rest of the division’s work and instead wilt when there couldn’t be a more welcome platform is killing this team. These were three extremely winnable matches that they’ve thrown away without anything to show for it.

Knowing that it’s a Chelsea and Manchester United double-header up next is terrifying. After that it’s West Ham and all of a sudden this team could realistically find themselves staring down the barrel of six consecutive defeats.

This is alarming.

Continued on next page…

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