HUGHES SORRY NOW?
Mark may be regretting jumping back so soon into management at Saints after being fired by Stoke
FOR at least 19 minutes against Arsenal it must have all seemed worth it for Mark Hughes.
Like the decision to put his managerial reputation on the line to try to save Southampton was definitely the right one. But for much of the rest of a roller-coaster hour and a half he may well have wondered if staying away for a little while longer would have been a better idea. Hughes was out of work for just 67 days in between being sacked by Stoke and appointed by Southampton and his task to keep his new club up got that bit harder after this five-goal thriller which both sides ended with 10 men.
He was daring to dream of leading Southampton to a shock, first Premier League win at Arsenal to kick-start their survival bid when Shane Long gave them a lead they could only hold for 11 minutes.
Then they were on for a bonus point, which would still have been a huge shot in the arm, for another eight minutes after Charlie Austin hauled them back into the game with his first touch after coming on as a second-half substitute.
But their afternoon ended only in heroic failure, frustration and with Southampton pointless and still third-bottom after Danny Welbeck dashed their hopes with a late winner, his second goal of the game.
No wonder Hughes shook his head ruefully at full-time after going down to his old foe Arsene Wenger.
Defeat was harsh on Southampton and Hughes, whose tactical gambles before and during the match so nearly came off.
And there were reasons to be encouraged in an improved performance as he tries to plot a way to safety for Southampton and extend his record of never being relegated.
But his two league games in
charge of the South Coast club still have not produced a total of zero points while Southampton have now won just once in their last 19 in the Premier League.
And with a tricky run-in that includes games against Chelsea, next, and Manchester City on the final day it is no wonder Southampton’s relegation fears are growing by the day.
Arsenal’s priorities have flipped on
their head this season and their focus is now on the Europa League. And Wenger rested a host of stars ahead of Thursday’s quarter-final, second leg against CSKA Moscow in Russia which his side will start 4-1 up and handed a full league debut to teenage wonder-kid Reiss Nelson. Hughes opted for what looked like a negative 5-4-1 set-up. However it was anything but and his counterattacking game-plan, trying to release Long in behind Arsenal’s defence, worked to perfection early on.
When Long pounced on a breakdown in communications between keeper Petr Cech and Shkodran Mustafi to poke Southampton ahead it was little surprise.
The goal had been coming with James Ward-Prowse, Dusan Tadic and Long going close. But Pierre EmerickAubameyang finished a move he started to make it 1-1 with his sixth Arsenal goal in seven league games as the momentum swung Arsenal’s way before Welbeck did the same to edge Arsenal ahead in the 38th minute.
Arsenal’s failure to kill off Southampton after half-time meant the visitors still had hope. Saints sensed it and were rewarded for their pressure when Austin came off the bench to tap in Cedric Soares’ cross a minute after entering the fray, for his fourth goal in four games against the Gunners. It was a managerial masterstroke and Hughes punched the air while Austin celebrated deliriously in front of the away fans. But the smiles were wiped off Southampton faces when Welbeck climbed highest to power in the impressive Alex Iwobi’s cross with a towering back-post header before Saints’ Jack Stephens and Gunners’ Mohamed Elneny were sent off following some late handbags.