Full-time: Southampton 4-0 Arsenal
And that’s that. Southampton were wonderful on the break. Koeman got his counterattacking tactics spot-on as Watford and Leicester have done so well this season. If they can do this more regularly, they’ll race back up the league. As for Arsenal, they had no answer to such stunning energy and pace. Mertesacker was miserable at the back and Koscielny was bullied by Long. And on the subject of Long, what a performance! His was an example of how non-stop pressing can force mistakes and turn games. Oh, and that goal from Martina will live long in the memory. Incredible. This season is impossible to predict. Enjoy the rest of Boxing Day. I’m off for a drink. Bye.
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Goal! Southampton 4-0 Arsenal (Long 90)
Yup. There he goes again like a wind-up Christmas toy, scuttling through on goal having been sent clear by a perfectly-weighted pass from Tadic, and shooting through Cech’s legs to make it 4-0. Yes, 4-0. This season is just daft isn’t it?
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90 min: There’ll be four more minutes of Long running around like a mad man and causing panic in the Arsenal defence.
88 min: Long hits the post having been slipped into the channel with a lovely threaded ball. Look at this Long stat. Could have been twice as many.
3 - Shane Long has committed more fouls than any other player in the Southampton v Arsenal match so far. Clip.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 26, 2015
85 min: “One Ronald Koeman,” sing the giddy Saints fans. Koeman criticised his players last week and has got an almighty response. Southampton are still showing great energy here, being first to every ball and showing a few of Arsenal’s title rivals that the old Arsenal frailties can still be exposed.
83 min: Koeman has been watching Leicester. They’ve aped their tactics perfectly, combining high-energy pressing with rapid counterattacks. On this evidence, Pelle will struggle to get back into this team. Long may be rough around the edges but his pace has been the key tonight. On the subject of Long: “To bring more parochial matters to things – to those of us whose first love is hurling the aggression and, frankly, cheating,by Long, a one time Tipperary hurler, is no surprise. Ordinarily in the green of Ireland I ignore this “premier county” heritage and laud his never say die spirit. As an Arsenal fan sitting in a grey St. Stephen’s Day Bronx I could do without it and await the introduction of a Brian Lohan/ JJ Delaney/ Tony Keady for Arsenal.” Rob Lowery may have had a few.
80 min: Ozil went close a minute ago after a coming together of various bodies in the Southampton penalty area, with the ball being flicked just inches wide by the German playmaker. It’s not happening for Arsenal this. I imagine Leicester fans didn’t imagine they’d still be perched up top at the end of the day.
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79 min: Rejoice. Dean Potter has finished his bath. “Out of the bath now and into my new robe (thanks mom!). I agree with Steven Ford: This has looked like an Arsenal loss since the fixture list came out.” Robe? My, that sounds fancy. What about dressing gown or housecoat? Are they just for the great unwashed? Walcott off. Iwobi on. He’s Jay-Jay Okocha’s nephew. So expect extravagant juggling and 40 yard shots that go in once every other year. Juanmi on for Mané.
77 min: Wanyama trundles forwards but Koscielny races back, having just slipped and given away possession, and slides in to halt the big midfielder.
75 min: Southampton go close with a long range effort from Tadic that is struck powerfully but beaten away by Cech. Flamini is off. Chambers is on.
73 min: Does anyone suffer from sleep paralysis? I occasionally do and mine’s the usual devil-entering-the-bedroom scenario. I know, a bit off piste for an MBM, but bear with me. Anyway, I imagine Koscielny’s equivalent may be Shane Long tonight, drooling and leering his way into the French defender’s semi-conscious dreams.
71 min: Tadic is on for Ward-Prowse. And it shouldn’t have been a corner, by the way. It was hard for the linesman to see, but the TV replay shows that neither Long or Koscielny tocuhed teh ball. Meanwhile, Long has just forced another corner (and it was a corner). But this time Arsenal clear at the near post.
Goal! Southampton 3-0 Arsenal (Fonte 69)
Southampton play a long ball forwards to, um, Long in the channel. He races after it and causes Koscielny all sorts of discomfort and wins a corner. I’m not sure whether it was a corner, mind. Bertrand whips a lovely left-footer into the front post where Fonte leaps and bullets it home. He was pretty much unmarked. Meet the new Arsenal. Same as the old Arsenal? We’ll see.
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65 min: Clasie’s little legs look to have run their course. He’s got cramp having probably put 90 minutes’ worth of lactic acid in his calf muscles inside 65 minutes. He’s played very well. He’s going to be replaced by Romeu, who will offer a classier if less aggressive defensive shield.
64 min: Stephen Ford offers a bit of perspective: “Before anyone gets too excited about Arsenal, Gregg, their away form hasn’t been great in the league recently: pants performances at West Brom & Norwich. This is all of a piece – underwhelming performance away at a mid-table side.”
62 min: Campbell is off. Oxlade-Chamberlain is on. Campbell hasn’t done much but I’d have thought Wenger might have taken Flamini off given the need to score two goals here.
60 min: I’ve seen the Long ‘trip’ again and I it isn’t just a random coming together in my humble one. It’s a clever foul but annoying for Arsenal fans that Moss didn’t see it. Oxlade-Chamberlain is warming up for Arsenal.
58 min: Southampton have had incredible backing from the fans all night. I’m sure that must have helped to sustain the energy levels. It’s been a ropey run they’ve had but well done for sticking by your team Saints fans. Long is running all over the back of Koscielny again in the Vardy/Suarez-style. He’s fueled up on angry-juice tonight. He’s non-stop.
57 min: Southampton’s speed on the break has been a threat all game. Koscielny may well have been tripped but the tactic of isolating Mertesacker has been one that has been hinted at all game. Then, they finally did it and were rewarded.
Goal! Southampton 2-0 Arsenal (Long 55)
Southampton’s Shane Long, left, scores their second goal. Photograph: Clive Gee/PA
Well, well, well. One of those Saints breaks finally pays off. Arsenal were sloppy in possession in Southampton’s half. Clasie played a low ball into Long’s feet. The Irishman plays a first-time lay off to Mané, who returns the favour for Long to slot home from 10 yards. Long tripped Koscielny in the buildup, I think. Although I’ll need to see another replay. Arsenal are in a red hot funk about it though.
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52 min: “Arsenal seem to be suffering from seasonal Too Much-ness – Mertesacker and Koscielny are leaving each other with too much to do, Ramsey is leaving Flamini with too much to do, and Walcott and Campbell are leaving Montreal and Bellerín too much to do. Neither Giroud nor Ozil are doing too much, but that’s not helping.” That seasonal missive came courtesy of Charles Antacki.
49 min: Koscielny introduces a sharp shoulder to Mane as he was in full flight. Southampton win a free-kick in a central area. Clasie whips it in from 40 yards with just enough of an angle on it to land it on the penalty spot where Van Dijk collides with Cech and glances the ball into the net. He wheels away in celebration but it won’t count. Not because Cech was fouled. He wasn’t. But because Van Dijk was this far offside.
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46 min: Sadio Mané has a little juggle of the ball on the right and somehow emerges with it in space on the wing. He cuts into the box and slides a low ball across the six-yard box but Bellerin shields the ball bravely – and excellently – to hold off the run of Davis, who only would have had to stab it home, and protect Arsenal’s goal.
Peep!
45 min: It’s the second half. Will Arsenal come back? Mike Nichols reckons a certain little Spaniard’s absence is being felt. “This is where Arsenal miss Cazorla. They have plenty of guys who are great in the final third, but they don’t have a whole lot of players who are great between their own box in the final third. That’s where Cazorla shines, and that’s where Southampton are winning the ball. Ramsey, for all his energy and inventiveness, isn’t that comfortable with the ball at his feet.” I know it’s obvious but Sanchez’s indefatigable peskiness – and no little skill – wouldn’t half help too.
Half-time emails sponsored by Boxing Day
“Just to clarify, when you say Martina scored on the half volley, do you mean like a rugby drop kick and he hit it as it touched the turf, or like at school where one bounce is a half volley even when it sits up for you?” asks Robin Hazlehurst, sho is all about the detail. “The former is much better in my mind’s eye, but there may have been a reason why we used a looser definition at school.” Right, well I mean as it hit the turf but if I’m going to be tough on myself the fact that the ball bounced about two or three times before he hit it means that it can’t be a half-volley or any volley, I suppose. But I’m calling it a half-volley because it’s the only way I can accurately get it across that he hit as it hit the turf. I’m boring even myself now. Sorry. The way the goal came about was very much like this.
Update! Tom Atkins is not breaking the law. “My wife’s driving. Like, actually driving, not Lib Dem MP driving,” he confirms, still from the A23, I’m guessing.
Troy Sutherland has it all mapped out. “With 56 changes in the league lead to come this season, it was way too early for us to take it back tonight anyway. How about late April via a nice howler by Kompany?” Kompany won’t be fit Troy. Sorry. He may never be fit again. He’s the centre-back equivalent of Daniel Sturridge.
“Hello Gregg, I too am reading your commentary in an airplane over a large body of water, but for me it is Lake Erie as I go from Chicago to Buffalo. Anyway, surely Arsenal recognise the opportunity to take charge of the title race? Does Wenger need a half-time hairdryer?” asks Tim Osgood. Giroud would nick it. That hair doesn’t do itself you know.
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Half-time: Southampton 1-0 Arsenal
45 min: Southampton press the hell out of Arsenal for the final two minutes of the first half. What an athletic and spirited performance from the Saints. Arsenal need to match their energy in the second half, somehow. Maybe Koeman’s side will struggle to keep this tempo up. Your emails to follow. I’m off for a brew.
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43 min: Long should make it 2-0. Clasie rolls Flamini too easily in midfield and lobs the ball over Mertesacker to Long who is finally one on one with the ambling German. Long darts into the box and Cech closes him down. With the ball bouncing in front of him he attempts to poke it over the Arsenal keeper but gets an horrifically heavy touch on the ball and sends it up towards Andromeda. Oh dear.
40 min: Arsenal have been far from slick in possession tonight. Southampton’s pressing is partly top do with that but some of their movements haven’t quite clicked. It’s been a jerky, skittish display so far.
39 min: It’s Walcott again. In fact, it’s Walcott being a bit 2012 again. This time he stoops in at the near post but heads into the sidenetting after Arsenal had won a corner.
36 min: “The only people who can afford to watch Arsenal these days with any sort of regularity have WiFi in their private jets. Hence your mail from the mid-atlantic. I’m sending you this from halfway down the A23, which is sort of the same thing,” writes Tom Atkins, who, if he is driving is just another reader getting stuck into some Boxing Day illegality. Sod it. I might start watching this match on an illegal feed just to join in. Walcott has a shot at goal but it’s one of those 2011-12 Walcott efforts that lacks any belief.
32 min: Southampton are on it tonight. They’re riled up all right. Their midfielders and forwards are hunting down the ball like possessive dogs after their favourite toy. Clasie has a nibble at Ozil and provokes a push from the soft normally unflappable German. And then Long pushes Mertesacker in teh box. The big centre-back collapses in stages and Long back heels the ball into the goal. There’s a cheer but it won’t count. A free-kick is rightly given against him. Long kicks the ball away and is shown a yellow card. Daft that. Hmmmm. That may come back to haunt him.
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30 min: Koscielny tries to take a ball down from out of the air that falls over his shoulder but his touch is bad, bad, bad. The ball slices off his boot and finds Davis in the box but the Saints midfielder snatches at his shot and a fine opportunity goes to waste.
27 min: Clasie and Wanyama are starting to bully things in midfield. They’re ganging up on Arsenal’s midfielders whenever they try to break forwards. They’re showing great industry and an eagerness to put out fires wherever they find them.
25 min: I’ve just had an email from someone following the MBM from somewhere over the Atlantic. Is that even legal? Isn’t that why the Flight Mode exists? And then this missive: “Arsenal should be 2-0 up now through Giroud and BFG. This is quite inconvenient for me as I’m in the bath and would like to stop drying my hands and checking in my phone every two minutes,” writes Dean Potter, whose phone may now be kaput given he’s just typed that email on it.
23 min: Shane Long has just started berating the referee Jonathan Moss for not awarding a free-kick for a push in the back from Koscielny. It was a free-kick, sure. But he needs to cool his guns here. Southampton don’t need needless bookings now. Not when they’re starting to get a head of steam up.
21 min: There was a lovely arc on that strike. Martina was so relaxed as he hit it. He only cost £1m. That could be such a valuable goal for Koeman’s team. They needed something to settle them. That will more than help.
Goal! Southampton 1-0 Arsenal (Martina 19)
Wallop! Wow! What a strike! Martina scores on his debut. Bertrand knocks a lazy ball into the box that Mertesacker stoops and heads clear unconvincingly. The forgotten right-back watches it bounce out to him and THUMP! He hits it from 25 yards on the half-volley with the outside of his right foot right into the corner. Cech had no chance. What a beauty.
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16 min: Southampton apply a bit of pressure of their own, with two crosses that stretch the neck of Mertesacker but Arsenal stand firm. There’s then a nice bit of interplay from Arsenal that is snuffed out by Clasie and then Monreal hits a weak shot straight at Stekelenburg after Southampton didn’t deal with a Bellerin cross very confidently.
13 min: They wouldn’t have been comfortable had Monreal picked a better ball into the box just then. Ramsey played a sumptuous reverse pass from right to left (he didn’t even look, he just knew) to find the galloping full-back on the far post but the Spaniard plays his low cross against Wanyama and Arsenal win a corner. A corner that is wasted. Pfft!
12 min: Oof! Wanyama launches himself into a tackle with Ramsey, winning the ball and perhaps a little psychological edge over the Wales international. Saints are looking comfortable here.
11 min: Wanyama tries to hook the ball over the top for Long but Arsenal defend it well. If Long or Mané can get one on one with Mertesacker, that could be ugly for the Gunners.
9 min: This is better from Southampton. Ward-Prowse slides Mané into the channel but the striker tries a fancy flick that doesn’t come off and then Davis wins back possession and on this occasion Koeman’s side keep possession and get to know the ball a little better. They’ve not treated it with enough care until now.
7 min: Arsenal are up for the physical battle here. Cech has launched a few long balls forwards that Arsenal have been first too. They’ve been robust in the tackle too. Wanyama and Clasie are no shrinking violets but they’re not bossing this.
4 min: Southampton are applying a high press on Arsenal, trying to shake them and upset their tempo. It’s making for a bitty start. Van Dijk fouls Giroud 35 yards from goal. Ozil whips a lovely ball in towards Mertesacker who, for some inexplicable reason, halts his run when he would have had a free header on goal from four yards. Odd. And not the ruthless approach Arsenal fans would want to see tonight when they have the chance to top the table.
Peep!
1 min: And we’re off. Both sets of fans are in fine voice. Arsenal win possession in the Southampton half and win a corner … well, buy a corner. Giroud does well to knock it off Fonte’s shins. The ball is swung out towards the penalty spot but Giroud’s header is way over. It’s a free header too. He should have done better there.
Arsenal are wearing blue and gold, Saints in red and white stripes of course. It feels like tonight is all about Southampton withstanding pressure and playing on the break. Shane Long’s pace will be pivotal if that tactic is to pay off.
The teams trot out at St Mary’s to a healthy reception. This is a huge chance for Arsenal to make a statement. Will they?
You didn’t want to mess with Southampton stewards back in the day. Well, 1977 to be precise.
Southampton stewards deal with a fan during the FA Cup tie v Man Utd back in '77 #saintsfc #MUFC pic.twitter.com/Miz10sdyZf
— Football Memories (@footballmemorys) December 21, 2015
The players are just finishing off limbering up, shaking, stretching, bouncing, juggling, jogging … not long now. Grab yourself some of yesterday’s leftovers. There’s still time.
Arsene Wenger reckons Southampton have been a bit unlucky in recent games. He has a point. At home, they’ve reminded me a bit of Swansea at times, dominating possession but looking lightweight in front of goal and suffering lapses in concentration at the back.
"We are cautious...we need a top level performance!" Wenger says #Arsenal are not taking #SaintsFC lightly. #SOUARS https://t.co/P5Uafas5b1
— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) December 26, 2015
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Southampton fans, could this be the season when you keep your squad intact? As poor as recent form has been, could it be that the second half of this term is about finding some stability and trying to build a bit of consistency in a squad that actually stays together through the summer for once? Maybe the fact that Leicester, Watford and Palace have been doing so well will keep the poachers away and benefit the club in 2015-16.
Everton have snatched the points against Newcastle in injury time. Cleverley has looped a header into the back of the net from 12 yards out. What a blow for Newcastle. What a boost for Everton, who put an end to their three-game run without a win. The game deserved a goal, mind.
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How’s your Christmas been? Do you feel low? Oh, how apt.
Newcastle and Everton are still drawing 0-0 by the way. There are 13 minutes remaining and it’s a frantic game that could be just as easily 3-3. You can follow the remainder here with Jacob steinberg.
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Arsène Wenger makes precisely no changes to the side that beat Manchester City earlier in the week. Well if it ain’t broke …
Four changes for Southampton with Stekelenburg returning in goal and Martina coming in for the injured Cedric at the back. Graziano Pelle has a knee injury which explains his absence in attack.
Team news!
Southampton: Stekelenburg, Martina, Fonte, van Dijk, Bertrand, Wanyama, Clasie, Ward-Prowse, S Davis, Mané, Long. Subs: Gazzaniga, Yoshida, Caulker, Romeu, Ramírez, Tadić, Juanmi.
Arsenal: Cech, Monreal, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Bellerin, Ramsey, Flamini, Campbell, Ozil, Walcott, Giroud. Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi.
Referee: Jonathan Moss.
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Preamble
Evening. Arsenal are looking decidedly strong aren’t they? In fact, they’re in rude health. Yes, I know that’s been said before and then they’ve done that oh-so-Arsenal thing of tripping over their laces and landing on their tail before recovering just in time to seal Champions League football for another season. But this time it just feels different. This is a flakier Premier League season than 2013-14 – which felt like such a bonkers one-off at the time – with consistency so hard to come by for nearly every team bar Leicester. They face Southampton tonight – if they win they go top – followed by home games against Bournemouth and Newcastle. That’s a seriously good chance to begin a serious title push before the trip to Anfield on 13 January. They’re scoring two and three goals a game and keeping it tight at the back. They’ve won five and drawn one of their last six in all competitions. Can they keep it going today? In short, yes. Southampton are not the well-oiled machine that they were last year. In fact, there appear to be more than a few nuts and bolts coming loose and spilling out all over the St Mary’s turf. And poor old Ronald Koeman doesn’t seem to know how to screw them back on. They’ve lost five and drawn one of their last six. Koeman will need to wind back the clocks if his team are going to get something from today’s game. A goal or two would help. Their strikers aren’t firing. A year ago Wojciech Szczesny pretty much gave this game to Southampton with two howlers. Petr Cech isn’t in the habit of doing that.
My prediction: Southampton 0-2 Arsenal
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