Southampton in fourth after victory over Arsenal
ByOpta
Updated 01/01/2015 at 17:22 GMT
Premier League, St Marys' Stadium - Southampton 2 (S. Mane 34, Tadic 56) Arsenal 0
Sadio Mane of Southampton (obscured) celebrates with team mates as he scores their first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium on January 1, 2015 in Southampton, England (Getty)
Image credit: Getty Images
Southampton deserved their 2-0 victory over Arsenal at St Mary’s after calamitous Arsenal defending.
An open start to the game saw both sides squander early chances, with Graziano Pelle hitting the woodwork, and Alexis Sanchez bringing a smart stop from Fraser Forster at the other end.
Arsenal started to dominate the match, but a defensive mistake from Wojciech Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny allowed Sadio Mane the chance to curl in a shot brilliantly from a tight angle. Once again Arsenal were undone by poor communication from their defenders.
In the second half, Southampton doubled their lead after Mathieu Debuchy and Szczesny failed to clear a James Ward-Prowse cross, and allowed Dusan Tadic to finish from close range at the back post.
Arsenal failed to hit back, and indeed it was Southampton who continued to improve, and could well have added to their score, with Pelle hitting the post again. Arsenal’s recent successful run came to an embarrasing end, and Southampton maintained their good winter form.
KEY EVENTS
7’ - PELLE HITS THE POST - Chance for Southampton, the first of the match. Tadic lifts a cross in from the left for Pelle, and he heads back across goal to head against the post and wide.
8’ - FORSTER SAVE - A chance for Arsenal now. Sanchez has room for a strike from the edge of the box, and drags his shot across goal. Forster dives right to palm it away.
20’ - CAZORLA CHANCE - Rosicky has space down the right, he pulls a cross back for Cazorla's run into the centre, and Forster gets down well to block his shot from 10 yards.
34’ - GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Arsenal. Mane scores - It's a fantastic and hapless goal. Mane steals in behind the defence after out-muscling Koscielny. Szczesny comes out to harry him out of the box, and then runs towards his goal line. Mane spins onto his left foot and curls a shot from the tightest of angles into the goal. An excellent finish.
40 ‘ - SZCZESNY SAVE - Tadic whips in a cross, but Arsenal clear momentarily. Southampton recycle the ball and find Mane on the right, he cuts the ball back to Ward-Prowse, entering the area, and his shot is saved by a Szczesny block.
55’ - FORSTER SAVE - Sanchez controls the ball in the box after Oxlade-Chamberlains cross. He works the ball onto his right foot and fizzes in a low shot - not too far from Forster - and the keeper's strong arm keeps the ball out of the net.
58’ - TADIC SHOT - Tadic brings down a high ball with a Cruyff turn - yes, with a Cruyff turn - and curls a shot just wide of the goal.
56’ - GOAL! Southampton 2-0 Arsenal. Tadic scores - More inept defending. Davis brilliantly brings down a high ball in the box, his cross pings off Debuchy, Szczesny flaps it straight at Tadic at the far post, and he toes in a shot.
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Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (R) reacts after being beaten by a shot from Southampton's Dusan Tadic during their English Premier League soccer match at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England January 1, 2015
Image credit: Reuters
61’ - PELLE HITS THE POST AGAIN - Pelle hits the post. His run to the near post gets ahead of the defender, and his flick crashes off the post and into the path of Ward-Prowse who shoots just over.
65’ - OFF THE LINE BY DEBUCHY - Koscielny's backpass is dreadful, and Szczesny can't get out quickly enough, Tadic finds Pelle, and his shot is headed off the line by Debuchy.
68’ - SANCHEZ FREE KICK - Sanchez beats the wall and his free kick from just outside the area skids over the top of the net.
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (L) reacts as Southampton manager Ronald Koeman watches during their English Premier League soccer match at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England January 1, 2015 (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
KEY STATS
This was Southampton's first Premier League victory against Arsenal in 11 matches.
Arsene Wenger has come up against Ronald Koeman on nine occasions, winning just two matches, drawing four and losing three.
Alexis Sanchez has only scored one goal in his last six Premier League appearances.
TALKING POINT
Arsenal need a new senior goalkeeper. It is not the first time that Szczesny has made a crucial error in a match. It is not even the first time he’s made a crucial error this season. He is 24, and in fairness one can expect that he will improve his communication and consistency with age. The problem for Arsenal is that he will hold back his side for a few years until then, at which point he will presumably be interested in moving to a better and bigger club. Arsenal carry too many young players than is sensible.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Dusan Tadic (Southampton): It can be no surprise that Southampton’s poor run ended when he came back into the side with Victor Wanyama and Morgan Schneiderlin. His attacking threat, in terms of passing and goal threat, demonstrated how to play with flair and a cutting edge, something Arsenal often fail to do, notably in this game too.
PLAYER RATINGS
Southampton: Forster 7, Alderweireld 6, Clyne 6, Fonte 6, Gardos 6, Wanyama 7, S. Davis 7, Tadic 7, Ward-Prowse 7, Mane 7, Pelle 6. Subs: Yoshida 6, Long 6, Reed 6.
Arsenal: Szczesny 4, Debuchy 5, Mertesacker 5, Koscielny 4, Gibbs 5, Coquelin 5, Chambers 6, Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Cazorla 5, Alexis 6. Subs: Walcott 6, Akpom 6.
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