Giroud making seconds count
SUPER-SUB may have cancelled out superstarter, but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger blamed a Manchester United hangover for his side dropping yet more points in their forlorn chase for the title.
Olivier Giroud’s 88th-minute header at least snatched one point after all three were lost last week when Jose Mourinho’s side ran out 3-1 winners at the Emirates.
It took the Frenchman’s tally to 17 Premier League goals from the bench – the same number as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Nwankwo Kanu – with Jermain Defoe the only one ahead of them on 23 and counting.
Then again, second best was perhaps appropriate on a day when Arsenal once again took an age to get up to speed with their opponents.
Not so Charlie Austin. He took just three minutes to find the back of the net after a poor clearance by Per Mertesacker was compounded by the defender’s failure to turn and get back to close the door on the danger.
Dusan Tadic cut straight through the middle and AT ST MARY’S game played a bit of a part in the heads of our defenders.
“It was a bit in their head, and a bit apprehensive, to start well again. That’s why sometimes it’s not too good to talk about a problem, because you create even a bigger one.”
Least said, then, soonest mended ahead of Wednesday’s trip to West Ham – although ignoring the problem hardly seems a long-term answer.
Injury to Shkodran Mustafi has not helped Arsenal, but where Southampton failed was ultimately in not getting that second goal.
Austin hit the woodwork, albeit from an offside position, and Granit Xhaka almost put into his own net. Oriol Romeu thumped the crossbar with a long-range effort in the second half and Ryan Bertrand nearly converted a brilliant counter-attacking manoeuvre after 66 minutes.
An inspired goalkeeping performance by Fraser Forster was also key – one impressive save from Aaron Ramsey, low down by the post, particularly catching the eye.
But the Premier League can be a cruel place if you offer the big sides any morsel of a chance.
“When you play against Arsenal you need to be 100 per cent excellent at almost everything,” Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino said. “We showed today we were competitive.”
Belatedly, so were Arsenal. When Giroud leapt to meet Alexis Sanchez’s in-swinging cross, the ball was only going in one direction.
The striker is yet to start in the Premier League this season and was close to a move to Everton four months ago. Surely he is too important to sell?
“In your question is the answer, because you say he is important. Why should we lose an important player?” Wenger said. “It’s up to us.”
SOUTHAMPTON (3-5-2): Booked: NEXT UP: ARSENAL (3-4-2-1):
LATE LEVELLER: Giroud heads home Arsenal’s 88th-minute equaliser to cancel out the early strike by Austin, inset