Arsenal 2-0 Southampton: Boruc Gifts Gunners Early Christmas Present
1st
beat 3rd at The Emirates as Arsenal managed to get passed a steadfast
Southampton side and moved 4 points clear at the top of the Barclays
Premier League table. Mauricio Pochettino's side fought well but
individual errors cost them a valuable point away from home in the
battle for the Top 4. Artur Boruc gifted The Gunners an early lead and
Jose Fonte gave away a penalty with time winding down, both of which
were snapped up by Olivier Giroud.
The game kicked off 15 minutes late due to work on the London Underground but the match still started off quickly with Jack Wilshere lofting the ball delightfully over Boruc in the 10th minute only to see the his attempt rebound off the post and cleared. Even more gut-wrenching however was Aaron Ramsey's attempt that hit off the same post. The Welshman clearly brimming with confidence as he attempted an audacious flick from a Mesut Ozil cross that had Goal of the Month written all over it if not for that piece of woodwork.
Arsenal didn't need any help peppering the Saints net but Boruc did his absolute best for the opener. Trying to play his way out of trouble, the shot-stopper twisted and turned one too many times and was out-muscled by Giroud who tapped in his 6th league goal of the season. What Boruc was thinking only he knows and he was rightly hanging his head in shame in the 22nd minute probably wishing he was still stuck in traffic.
Southampton had their first chance just after the half hour. One of the returning English internationals Adam Lallana hitting a half volley from the edge of the area that was palmed over by Wojciech Szczesny. Jay Rodriguez nearly leveled just after, controlling on his thigh and then chest, the ex-Burnley forward got off a scissor volley that forced Szczesny to stretch and claw the ball out of his top corner.
Things were fairly even going into half time (minus the score), possession was 50/50 and both teams had the same amount of shots. Southampton kept the ball well and so did the Gunners, Victor Wanyama was immense in midfield constantly in the face of the ball carrier in the final third and completing 7/7 tackles for a 100% success rate and 3 interceptions. If not for Boruc's clanger neither side could have complained about it being level.
Luke Shaw was replaced by Steven Davis at the start of the second half, having struggled with a knock picked up in an earlier challenge. This caused a Pochettino reshuffle with Nat Clyne moving to left back and James Ward-Prowse taking Clyne's spot on the right of defence.
The change didn't affect Southampton's play however and they carried on the momentum they had at the end of the first half. Rodriguez and Lallana both having chances from the edge of the box that weren't too much trouble before Lallana was replaced by Dani Osvaldo.
Wilshere and Santi Cazorla had further half chances for Arsenal straight into the chest of Boruc but the tempo had all but disappeared from the affair. Theo Walcott came on with 20 minutes left, back from injury and ready to inject a bit of pace to what had become a rather lackluster attack. And he came close, flashing a shot across the face of the goal against his former club.
With the game winding down, the home side were awarded a penalty following a tug on Per Mertesacker by Jose Fonte from a corner. Giroud stepped up and duly tucked home his second of the game, sending Boruc the wrong way in the process. Giroud lead the line well at home showing no signs of fatigue from the international break, like so many others on the pitch unfortunately did.
Captain Mikel Arteta was forced off with a strain that fans will be hoping was more a preventative move by the physio staff rather than an injury that could keep him out of the midweek tie with Marseille in the Champions League.
Overall, both sides played fairly well. Arsenal were a bit off the pace and didn't create as many chances as they would've liked but they defended stoutly. They didn't give away any clear cut chances however and that was where the game was won, Southampton gave two opportunities and they were clinically punished for it, sending them back to the south coast empty handed.
Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Arteta (Rosicky - 74'), Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla (Walcott - 70'), Ozil (Monreal - 81'); Giroud.
Southampton: Boruc; Clyne, Fonte, Hooiveld, Shaw (Davis 46'); Schneiderlin, Wanyama, Lallana (Osvaldo - 54'), Rodriguez; Lambert.
The game kicked off 15 minutes late due to work on the London Underground but the match still started off quickly with Jack Wilshere lofting the ball delightfully over Boruc in the 10th minute only to see the his attempt rebound off the post and cleared. Even more gut-wrenching however was Aaron Ramsey's attempt that hit off the same post. The Welshman clearly brimming with confidence as he attempted an audacious flick from a Mesut Ozil cross that had Goal of the Month written all over it if not for that piece of woodwork.
Arsenal didn't need any help peppering the Saints net but Boruc did his absolute best for the opener. Trying to play his way out of trouble, the shot-stopper twisted and turned one too many times and was out-muscled by Giroud who tapped in his 6th league goal of the season. What Boruc was thinking only he knows and he was rightly hanging his head in shame in the 22nd minute probably wishing he was still stuck in traffic.
Southampton had their first chance just after the half hour. One of the returning English internationals Adam Lallana hitting a half volley from the edge of the area that was palmed over by Wojciech Szczesny. Jay Rodriguez nearly leveled just after, controlling on his thigh and then chest, the ex-Burnley forward got off a scissor volley that forced Szczesny to stretch and claw the ball out of his top corner.
Things were fairly even going into half time (minus the score), possession was 50/50 and both teams had the same amount of shots. Southampton kept the ball well and so did the Gunners, Victor Wanyama was immense in midfield constantly in the face of the ball carrier in the final third and completing 7/7 tackles for a 100% success rate and 3 interceptions. If not for Boruc's clanger neither side could have complained about it being level.
Luke Shaw was replaced by Steven Davis at the start of the second half, having struggled with a knock picked up in an earlier challenge. This caused a Pochettino reshuffle with Nat Clyne moving to left back and James Ward-Prowse taking Clyne's spot on the right of defence.
The change didn't affect Southampton's play however and they carried on the momentum they had at the end of the first half. Rodriguez and Lallana both having chances from the edge of the box that weren't too much trouble before Lallana was replaced by Dani Osvaldo.
Wilshere and Santi Cazorla had further half chances for Arsenal straight into the chest of Boruc but the tempo had all but disappeared from the affair. Theo Walcott came on with 20 minutes left, back from injury and ready to inject a bit of pace to what had become a rather lackluster attack. And he came close, flashing a shot across the face of the goal against his former club.
With the game winding down, the home side were awarded a penalty following a tug on Per Mertesacker by Jose Fonte from a corner. Giroud stepped up and duly tucked home his second of the game, sending Boruc the wrong way in the process. Giroud lead the line well at home showing no signs of fatigue from the international break, like so many others on the pitch unfortunately did.
Captain Mikel Arteta was forced off with a strain that fans will be hoping was more a preventative move by the physio staff rather than an injury that could keep him out of the midweek tie with Marseille in the Champions League.
Overall, both sides played fairly well. Arsenal were a bit off the pace and didn't create as many chances as they would've liked but they defended stoutly. They didn't give away any clear cut chances however and that was where the game was won, Southampton gave two opportunities and they were clinically punished for it, sending them back to the south coast empty handed.
Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Arteta (Rosicky - 74'), Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla (Walcott - 70'), Ozil (Monreal - 81'); Giroud.
Southampton: Boruc; Clyne, Fonte, Hooiveld, Shaw (Davis 46'); Schneiderlin, Wanyama, Lallana (Osvaldo - 54'), Rodriguez; Lambert.
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