Is fatigue already taking its toll on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal?

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League but they saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end after a sloppy performance at St. Mary’s on Sunday afternoon.

After a stunning strike from Granit Xhaka in the 11th minute, the Gunners may have thought this would be another routine win. But the visitors just didn’t show the conviction they needed to get another goal as Gabriel Jesus, in particular, spurned chance after chance.

Even though Arsenal won the game on xG (0.59-1.52), this performance was synonymous with those against Leeds and Bodo/Glimt.

Is fatigue already taking its toll on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal?

The home side failed to find a pattern of play in the opening half hour or so, which allowed Arsenal to win the ball back easily through turnovers and create opportunities. However, a tactical tweak (switch to a back five out of possession) from Ralph Hasenhuttl handed the Saints some control. They grew in confidence throughout the game after having the rub of the green from referee Robert Jones who allowed feisty challenges from the Southampton defenders.

Arsenal allowed chance after chance from Southampton in the second half which inevitably resulted in the home side scoring. A brilliant counter-attack developed into Stuart Armstrong running in behind and scoring. Even though Arsenal had the ball in the net a second time through Martin Odegaard, it was ruled out correctly after Kieran Tierney had run the ball out of play.

Jesus, as mentioned before, will be one of those who will regret not scoring. He looked like he ran out of gas after being slipped through by Odegaard before Southampton’s equaliser, as Mohamed Elyounoussi caught up and blocked a one-on-one opportunity. However, Arsenal never looked like scoring a second after Armstrong’s leveller, which is a worry.

An uninspiring display meant Arsenal could have no complaints about the result as Southampton ended up having more shots (five) and shots on target (four) in the second half. They also won more ground duels (18) and aerial duels (five). We all know that Mikel gets upset when his team doesn’t win duels…

A frustrated Arteta mentioned after the game that his team “stopped doing all the simple things right” as they “gave too many balls away in dangerous areas without much pressure”. He knows his team can do better and he’s seen it too. Was this performance down to fatigue? Should Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard have been taken off? Is there enough depth in this Arsenal team to handle these types of intense game weeks? These are hypothetical questions that no one knows the answers to but it’s down to Mikel Arteta to find solutions.

Arsenal travel to Eindhoven on Thursday where they can secure top spot in their Europa League group, but they will need a much better showing than they produced at Southampton. Two points clear at the top of the Premier League is a nice viewing, but Sunday was a missed opportunity which Arteta will hope they will not look back on in anguish next Spring.