Arsenal made heavy work of their win over Southampton but with Chelsea’s draw against West Ham, the Gunners are now closing in on fifth place.
If Arsenal hoped a winning run would bring the fans back to Ashburton Grove, they have seriously underestimated the depth of apathy around as thousands of empty seats once again greeted the team.
It was the topic of a sarcastic soliloquy from the Sky Sports commentator who implored people to feel sorry for this top six side on the brink of a European final. He had a point, but so do rocks sometimes.
The game was the perfect opportunity for fringe players to show that, not only do they have a future at the club ahead of the summer, they deserve to be considered for the first team for the important games.
So how did the players do individually?
Defence
Petr Cech 7.5
Started because he’s Arsenal’s only fit senior keeper. Plus, he’s the only keeper at the club fit to start.
Some people were blaming him for Shane Long’s goal but he had every expectation that a professional Premier League footballer would be aware of a striker right beside him and deal with the ball accordingly.
Had little to do for the first hour then had to make a number of good saves as Southampton really pushed at Arsenal’s defensive frailties.
Got down well to a low-driven shot that was quite close to him and will feel he might have done better with the ball but with no Southampton player was following in, so it was a good save.
Stretched well to save low again as the giant Shane Long out jumped the entire Arsenal defence and then again with an effort heading to the top corner.
Made a couple more saves, punches and well-placed clearances to round off a busier day in goal than he might have expected.
Hector Bellerin 6
Got back well to stop Southampton taking the lead in the 8th minute after Arsenal’s defence just split like the red sea.
Fronted up to Shane Long, earning him even more credit with the Arsenal faithful.
Calum Chambers 5
Along with his twin, Mustafi, got caught by balls over the top. Conspired with the German to let Charlie Austin score (more on that in Mustafi’s rating).
Being destroyed by a player called Cedric should be a career lowlight, but I suspect should Chambers remain at Arsenal, it won’t be.
Tried an overhead kick but he’s no Koscielny – at either end of the pitch.
Shkodran Mustafi 5
Fast asleep for Southampton’s equaliser, showing no awareness of anything around him to let a two-goals-in-48-games striker find the net from a few yards out.
Between him and Chambers, managed to leave Charlie Austin, who has scored every time he has faced Arsenal, to score just seconds after coming on in the second half.
Although the Saints played some Arsenal-esque football in the buildup to the goal, the defending from Arsenal’s centrebacks was clueless.
Sead Kolasinac 6
Should have dealt with the cross that led to Shane Long’s goal at source.
Midfield
Mohamed Elneny 7
Mohamed Elneny is a seven out of ten player. Sometimes he’s exceptional, sometimes he’s awful, but mostly he’s reliable, solid and competent.
I say this a lot because there isn’t really much else to say about Elneny who goes about his business in every game in the same way bringing a similar performance laced with competence but lacking any spark. To prove this point, I wrote this midway through the first half, confident I wouldn’t have to alter it and I’m not going to even though he saw red in the second half.
Every squad needs players like Elneny and part of Arsenal’s problem over recent years, apart from a lack of world class quality, has been the lack of 7/10 players who could be relied on, at the very least, to behave like professional footballers who know what they’re doing and who cycles the ball well without handing possession to the opposition on a regular basis.
Elneny also cleared one off the line, too. Why? Because he was put on the back post and he stayed there and you can always rely on Elneny to do what he’s supposed to do.
His red card was stupid. He shouldn’t have lifted his hands but the referee shouldn’t have sent him off. I mean, it’s Elneny! It was all Jack’s fault, anyway.
Granit Xhaka 6
Using both hands to shove a Saints player in the box at a corner before we’d even had 10 minutes of play was probably not the greatest choice from Granit. Luckily, like much in the game, the referee missed it.
Let one fly from range that was well saved down low.
Reiss Nelson 6
Reiss was welcomed to Premier League refereeing standards when he was the victim of a shocking tackle by Tadic before two minutes were even on the clock.
No card was issued despite the Saints man raking his studs down the back of Nelson’s calf with little care for the location of the ball. Another referee would have issued red for it.
Lovely flick to set up Xhaka for his long range effort but, on the whole, it was a quiet, non-eventful league debut for the teenager.
The groans that greeted his wayward passes will have done nothing to help his confidence and I can’t help but wonder if some of these people would boo their own kid in the school play for forgetting a line.
Was replaced after 64 minutes by Jack Wilshere.
Attack
Alex Iwobi 8
Played in the Ozil role and the gap between him and the German was clear initially but he really grew into the game as it went on.
It was his flick around the corner that allowed Welbeck to assist Auba which sparked Arsenal into life. He also gave the ball to Welbeck for the Englishman to make it two and floated a lovely cross onto the same man’s head to make it three.
Iwobi’s finishing has often been a weak point in his game but he was only denied a great goal from outside the box by a flying Alex McCarthy save.
Was the victim of another studs up tackle from Tadic which, again, went unpunished, this time completely without a freekick even being given.
Danny Welbeck 8
Just when I was wondering what Danny Welbeck was good at he popped up with a one-touch assist for Auba to get Arsenal back on equal terms.
His first goal was excellent, even with the looping deflection. Showing great pace, movement, ball and leg control, he made mugs of the Saints defender before letting fly.
Should have made it 3-2 to Arsenal but shinned the ball well over the bar from less than a yard out with Lacazette unmarked behind him. Then did make it 3-2 with a header.
As a supporter, Welbeck really messes with your head.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 7
I thought he would suffer without a quality creator behind him on the pitch but a player of Aubameyang’s quality doesn’t need much of a sniff to find the back of the net and a brave toepoke drew Arsenal level.
He also showed that his selflessness is not just restricted to giving penalties to strikers low in confidence.
Was replaced just after 70 minutes by Alexandre Lacazette even though he can’t play on Thursday and doesn’t need rested.
Subs
Jack Wilshere 3
Replaced Nelson after 64 minutes and struggled.
Was culpable in the build-up to Southampton’s second as he let Cedric waltz past him and he ran about like a headless chicken.
His overhead volley would have been assist of the century had anyone but Welbeck been on the end of it. Had the chance to assist Arsenal’s fourth but messed up the pass before taking out his frustration on Jack Stephens’ shirt, prompting the Saints man to see red.
If Wilshere’s idea of trying to prove he’s worth £110kpw by coming on as a sub, messing up all the football, starting a fight and getting Elneny so wound up he ends up getting sent off, then he’s doing a brilliant job.
Alexandre Lacazette 5
Came on after 71 minutes to replace Aubameyang and get a bit more match fitness before the second leg against CSKA on Thursday.
That’s about all he did.
Rob Holding 6
Replaced Hector Bellerin and made a crucial block towards the end of the game as Southampton looked for an equaliser.
Went to centreback, moving Chambers out to right-back where he’s better, leaving Arsenal fans everywhere asking why this wasn’t the lineup that started, thus resting Bellerin for Thursday.
Referee
Andre Marriner let Dusan Tadic away with not one but two, studs-up tackles – one on Reiss Nelson, the other on Alex Iwobi. He only gave a freekick for the first one.
I’d like to think that the FA would revisit this on Monday but without a media uproar, there is little chance of the FA caring. I’ve checked all the main papers this morning Not only is their no outrage, there is no mention of either tackle in any match reports (more on that later).
In general, he fulfilled the incompetence levels required in the Premier League.