Emotional resilience under stress. Arsenal could use a bit of it at the moment, or maybe I am projecting my nerves onto the team. In either case, it is fair enough for people to point out that successive surrenders of two goal leads is not optimal performance for a title-contending side, no matter whether nerves were the root cause of surrendering those leads. But Arsenal, having played so well all season, remain top of the league so everything is still in play. The question at hand is: Is Arsenal’s young team resilient enough to withstand the stress they find themselves under as results have suddenly stopped going their way? Certainly, the team must demonstrate their resilience Friday evening at home against Southampton to maintain their title aspirations against the league’s bottom side. But Southampton, lest we forget, took two points off Arsenal in this season’s reverse fixture, and they are in a fight for their Premier League lives, so don’t expect the Gunners to have an easy time of it.
The opposition
At season’s start the media declared Arsenal to have the league’s youngest team, but a few months on they now have only the second youngest first team (and manager) in the Premier League. In both cases they have been outflanked by Southampton who have a slightly younger team and manager in 39 year old Rubén Sellés (Mikel Arteta turned 41 in March). In spite of the two sides featuring so many young players, their relative quality varies widely, with Saka, Martinelli, Saliba & Co. competing for the league title and the Saints in distinct danger of relegation unless they pull off a miracle in the season’s last weeks.
Sellés is Saints’ third manager of the season, and their ownership seems to have sensed all along that the club was in grave relegation danger. In February Sellés replaced Nathan Jones, who succeeded Ralph Hasenhuttl after the latter was sacked in November. Sellés had been one of Jones’s assistants, but became caretaker boss when Jones was sacked, and was appointed on a (more) permanent basis after his first game in charge, a 1-0 victory at Chelsea. Saints lost seven of eight league matches under Jones, as opposed to only six defeats in nine league matches under Hasenhuttl, but both managers departed with the club mired in the relegation spaces. Despite managing a draw with Arsenal at home in October, nearly all else has been a bit rocky for the South Coasters, who always managed to avoid relegation under Hassenhuttl with 16th, 11th, and two 15th-placed finishes in his four seasons at the club.
The Athletic recently projected Southampton to finish rock bottom in two different computer simulations that gave them only a 12% to a 21% chance of avoiding relegation. Saints have been bottom for a number of weeks now but seem to be capable of mustering a semblance of life, as they showed on March 18 in coming back from a two-goal deficit to draw 3-3 against a ragtag outfit from the outer reaches of North London, causing such a ruckus that the ragtag outfit soon became a managerless ragtag outfit. After that game Saints’ ex-Gunner Theo Walcott commented: “we stuck with our identity and what we wanted to do in the game and we got our reward in the end (so) hats off to the lads because to come back against a so-called top four team shows we’ve got a lot in that dressing room.”
But getting to the root cause of Saints’ inability to move up the table, in the same article The Athletic reported that no Premier League side scored fewer than Southampton’s 12 goals since Hassenhuttl’s departure, and Saints failed to add to that total in last weeks 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace. But Southampton have garnered 13 of their 23 points away from home, including such recent results as the 1-0 win over Chelsea in February, and a goalless draw at Manchester United on March 12.
Arsenal XI
With no clear return date for Saliba at this stage, Rob Holding should continue in the heart of the Arsenal defence despite 21st Century Gooner’s interesting suggestion that the more mobile Jakub Kiwior should be tried in that position. Oleksandr Zinchenko is expected to return from a muscular problem replacing Kieran Tierney in the nominal left-back slot. Despite their disappointing performance at the London Stadium, I don’t expect any other changes to the team that faced West Ham on Sunday:
Ramsdale
White — Holding — Gabriel — Zinchenko
Xhaka — Thomas — Ødegaard
Martinelli — Jesus — Saka
There’s no real need to tell you again, but three points or bust is the order of the day. A sustained good and exuberant performance over 90 minutes is close behind, since we really need to get the team back into title-chasing form less than five days before our season-defining clash with the expensively assembled oilers at the Emptihad.
But for now, focus only on Southampton, and enjoy the game, ‘holics.
Early bird catches the worm bt8
2 days to ruminate over dropped points, injuries to 2 key players, that I for one hope we don’t risk against the Saints.
Put the game to bed early, no more injuries and get ready for the big one.
On a potentially sad note, Arsenal Ladies lost 1 nil away to Man Utd this evening, and already missing half their first eleven through injury, were devastated when their talismanic England international defender Leah Williamson went down with what looked like a season ending serious knee injury after only 15 minutes.
It does not look good for Club or Country, given the WC is only a couple of months away.
Quite why the FA in their wisdom, rescheduled this important league game 3 days before we fly to Germany for our CL semi final first leg against Wolfsburg at the weekend, has quite rightly been criticized by the Club.
Interestingly Chelsea who also play in CL semi at the weekend, have been given a clear week to prepare, even though they also had league games to be rearranged.
Our Ladies have done remarkably well to even be involved in the latter stages of the League and CL, given the list of injuries that they have endured.
I am sure all Gooners will be willing them on against Wolfsburg on Sunday.
Cheers, Clive. Shame about Leah Williamson’s injury.
But Kudos to former Arsenal man Chuba Akpom, who became the first player to score in nine consecutive Championship home games in Middlesbrough’s 3-1 home win against Hull.
Great preview Btm .
I’m currently striving to sleep but have male waterworks issues that are preventing me…so I turned to the Arsenal for help ! Leah’s injury is heartbreaking and it means we’ve lost our four star players to very serious injuries this season. Women are more prone to ACL injuries and this needs to be factored in to the fixture lists .
As for Southampton we shoukd beat them fairly comfortably but no such state exists at this stage of the season . If we get a win tomorrow we reach St Totteringham’s Day and secure a Champions League place . Citeh are sucked further into the CL so battle is joined.
I think your team is spot on Btm
A thorough report up to your usual high standard, bt8. We should beat Southampton, but then we should have beaten West Ham. No sure things at this point in the season. But we just have to get three points.
Terrible news about Leah Williamson’s injury. The Women’s team seems ill-starred in that regard.
TTG@3: I was not aware that women are more prone to ACL injuries than men until I read your post, but further reading of the literature reveals that female athletes are two to eight times more likely to experience an ACL tear than males. It is a similar story with ankle sprains and stress fractures.
Cheers bt8!
Looks like Saliba is broken for the rest of the season then.
Saliba will be a big miss if he is out for the rest of the season. Perhaps Trev could weigh in on the risks of a recurrence of a back injury.
In the same vein, Arteta was very cryptic in his presser ahead of the Saints game about ESR when asked why he wasn’t playing more. Blogs also touches on the question today. Arteta implied that ESR was not quite back to 100% mentally after his groin surgery but it was ambiguous whether that was because ESR was not pushing himself fully in training to avoid a recurrence of the injury or because of some other mental block or attitude issue. It was noticeable that Arteta didn’t say anything about taking care in managing ESR’s return, as he often does with other injured players.
Fine job, bt8, thank you !
I wonder whether Kiwior might start against Southampton as we suffered at CB against Liverpool and definitely against W Ham. Holding is a trier and you can’t fault him for effort and attitude in being a reliable squad member. However, his lack of pace means that the back four has to sit deeper and that ultimately extends the gap between back four and midfield, which means the midfield can’t be so advanced which extends the gap to the front three. I think that is why our press has not been working for the last two games and we have found it difficult to win the ball back and keep control of the games. If Kiwior is quicker, Arteta may be persuaded to go with the two left footers even though that is not his usual preference. I really worry about Hooding’s mobility against Oil City and Kiwior May get the nod to bed in against the Saints.
Ned, I can’t really offer much about Saliba’s chances of a recurrence as i don’t know what the injury is or how it was caused. I wouldn’t really have great hopes that we’ll find out many specifics either.
Thanks bt8, I enjoyed that ‘so called’ from Feo.
Terrible luck for the Arsenal Women, it’s going to make the CL very tough so fingers crossed for them.
Team looks about right and I’d go with Rob myself too. Couldn’t really ask for a better fixture to return to winning ways at this stage of the season. COYGS!
Trev@9: Fair points on both scores. Your logic on Kiwior is sound. The only drawback of playing two left-footers at CB is that the option of the long, crossfield ball from right to left goes.
What Arteta has to get right against City is dealing with Haaland. Man-mark him? If so, Holding might be the best (or least bad) option. If Gabriel takes the Norweigan, the thought of de Bruyne, Grealish, Mahrez, Foden and Silva running at either Holding or Kiwior is hardly confidence-inspiring.
Enjoyable preview. Focus only on Southampton indeed, Bt8. There isn’t a ticket to be had so there should be a capacity crowd encouraging the team to the result we need. I’m finding these run-in games difficult to enjoy, both in anticipation and even when we’re 2-0 up.
A very thorough and in depth preview. I still stand by what I said regarding kiwior replacing holding for this game at least. However I think Arteta and his (probably) better judgement will stick with rob. Also I believe Arteta said in his presser earlier that zinchenko is also a doubt for this game so tierney may well get another run out. I did wonder if Arteta may want to rest the likes of Saka or Partey ahead of Wednesday but I think the last 2 games makes that unlikely. We have to win this and we absolutely should beat the basement side at home. Arteta also urged the crowd to be on their A game as well as the team and this being a Friday night 8pm kick off gives fans plenty of time to prepare themselves for battle via the consumption of their alcoholic (or non alcoholic) beverage of choice. Given what is at stake, and our home record-even if we haven’t kept as many clean sheets here as we ought to- there is no reason why the players shouldn’t be greeted with a raucous atmosphere.
Tomayisu and Saliba have done well this season , in the latter case very well but we are going to struggle apgainst Citeh if there is no Saliba . They will miss Ake but Holding wont’ lay a glove on the Cyborg .
ESR has also figured very little and one really wonders if he has the right stuff to become an Arsenal legend
TTG@14: If Arteta cannot show ESR the true path, I doubt that anyone can.
The red Mancs find this Europa League stuff is not so easy after all.
I can’t see from Mikel’s presser, how anyone would think Saliba won’t play again this season.
Mo posted on twitter, video of him and Willie going at it on the exercise bikes, which is difficult to do if you have that crook a back.
Nothing that a few steroidal injections cannot cure, and I should know, running around with 2 metal rods in my back for the past 30yrs.
If I can have run countless Marathons and half marathons in that time, then big Willie can still get back on the pitch to help with our Title chase.
Even if he misses Saints and City, we still have 4 big games to City’s 6 to play in the merry month of May.
So still plenty to play for.
TTG/Ned
Re Ladies and ACL injuries,
I think you have to factor in the fact that a lot of the Ladies games are played on sub standard pitches, particularly against the lesser lights in the WSL, and whilst the actual injury might not occur on that particular day, the joints can be weakened by playing on such bad surfaces, making injury more likely at some stage.
Clive@17: I think you are spot on about the pitches the women’s team play on.
Thanks BT8
If ever there was a must win game this is it. We need to get back in the groove.
3-0 will do nicely.
UTA.
Your Friday morning random stat:
We have not been beaten at home by a team in last place in the league since at least 1966, which is as far back as records of this stat are available, a run of 50 games, of which we won 39 and drew 11. The most recent draw was the 4-4 against the neighbours in 2008, when we let a 4-2 lead slip in the final couple of minutes. The most recent bottom-of-the-table team to beat us was Swansea in 2018 at the Liberty Stadium.
Great preview, bt8. Just win, baby.
21CG and I will be at the game after availing ourselves of the necessary fortification at the refuelling stop of choice pre match. I expect the crowd to be well up for it and the bar at Block 10 to be heaving and raucous.
On ESR, I think Arteta’s comments to the media have, for quite a while now, been more than a little Delphic. And that leads me to believe that, more than with other players, he has been protecting the player externally while internally laying down the challenge. The way we have developed this season means that ESR is running the risk of being cast aside. Arteta has shown a ruthlessness in dispensing with players who don’t shape up which puts ESR very much at risk.
CER@22: Where do you think ESR is falling short of Arteta’s expectations? Attitude? Adaptability to Artetaball? Something else? Xhaka’s late blossoming as a left-sided No 8 must be frustrating for ESR’s hopes of getting back into the team. Rumours of a move to Villa are resurfacing, I see.
Re Ned at 4 . Leah Williamson is out of the World Cup and the rest of our season. She has an ACL . We have lost four world-class players ( probably our best four ) . We fight on valiantly but the odds are heavily against us.
And three wonderful players from Arsenal will miss the World Cup
Re ESR, I think there are some clear signals out there . He has played One and a half games this season. If he is potentially versatile we haven’t made much use of this versatility! I had a missive from my Blackpool mate. He loves Charlie Patino but feels he is so far above the rest that his loan is counterproductive now . ESR hasn’t gone on loan and has wasted a season
Re Ned’s stat I was invited to the Deloitte box for the Spuds game . At the end the host gathered the one Spud and me and pointed out how delighted we must be with such a hard fought draw ! How little people who don’t watch footie know about the game . I shouldn’t have thrown him off the balcony though
You absolutely should TTG 😂
I noticed Patino’s manager at Blackpool now is Dobbie. I suppose he had to do something after Harry Potter finished.
TTG@24&25: It is tragic, the injuries to the women’s team. As you say, our four best players lost. It is a tribute to the rest of the squad and the manager that they have done as well as they have in the face of such adversity.
I’m not sure I would characterise ESR’s season as wasted, given that most of his absence was enforced because of his groin surgery. A season lost might be a better phrase. I can see why the club would not have wanted to risk his post-surgery recovery by sending him out on loan in January. That said, he has clearly slipped down the pecking order to second choice as both Ødegaard and Martinelli’s understudy and Xhaka is proving unchallengeable in his new 8-ish role, which is perhaps where ESR’s long-term future lies.
Being regarded as versatile by Arteta is a bit of a double-edged sword in as much as Arteta obviously appreciates the quality but at the same time doesn’t seem quite to trust it (Exhibit B: AMN), and his other versatile player, Benny Blanco, pretty much plays in one position now, right back.
Your Blackpool chum’s comments on Patino are interesting. He (Patino, not your chum) is getting jerked around there at the moment, rarely playing a full 90 any more or in the same position in midfield from one game to the next. I assume the goal of the loan was a season’s conditioning in senior football (much as it was for ESR at Huddersfield). So bring him back at the end of the season, and move on. He is still only 19. Perhaps another loan is on the cards as I can’t see him breaking into the team quite yet though Arteta might keep him until January for European games.
@17 Ah, Sweeper, Man of Steel, they don’t build them now like they did in the 50’s 🙂
Thorough and well researched preview bt8, tinged with your natural optimism which I happily share. Thank you! Saliba and Zinchenko will be missed, but the rest should be able to step up to maintain the standard especially in a home game.
About ESR, I think erring on the side of extreme caution is well justified given his age and given any recurrence would really put his footballing growth in danger. Next season we will be back in CL, Xhaka will be one year older, and Ødegaard will need to rest and can’t play every three days. I would expect ESR and Vieira to fight for the Xhaka and Martin’s understudy roles, and ESR over time replacing Granit as the first choice. The fact that he can also play at left wing — but probably more with KT staying wide but not so much with Zinchenko roaming in the midfield — means he will get enough playing time. In the long run the Granit role is his to take provided he takes that challenge in the right spirit, proving himself on the training ground and in the match. I am very hopeful that by the end of next season he will be part of the first choice eleven.
Your team is the likeliest but as others mentioned, I suspect we might see Kiwior starting today. What we will lose out on the right footed cross field switch, we will gain in terms of front footed defense and faster transitions.
Everyone going to the match, looking forward to hearing the electrifying home support on the TV. 🙂
Come on Arsenal!
Thanks for the informative and encouraging preview bt8. Being at home to the bottom team and spurred on by a raucous and encouraging support should be more than enough to enjoy a good win – though just a win will do thank you very much.
The Saints are not strong in the forward department so hopefully our defence will manage to keep a clean sheet. A main danger of the Saints is Ward-Prowse the free kick specialist and it could be a nostalgic appearance by Feo – let’s hope he gets a great welcome and keeps his shooting boots at home.
No doubt the Saints will be full of endeavour demanded by their league predicament but this is a great opportunity for the boys to get back to a confidence inspiring victory before the oilers next week.
COYRRR
Arsenal twitter saying Granit is injured and not in squad tonight. Dunno how true that is.
But also claiming Zinchenko arrived with Squad.
Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Vieira, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus
Subs: Turner, Tierney, Walters, Kiwior, Jorginho, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Trossard, Nketiah
Oh dear. That was daft.
Oh dear x 2
Oh fucking dear.
Now wake yourselves up.
And for the next goal celebration, will someone please destroy that fucking drum? Ta.
Give Saka the ball and get him running that flank. All they can do is pull him back and there’s a red card waiting to happen with him already causing two yellows. Exploit that.
Decided to go 2 down this time instead of two up, certainly no better for my heart.
COYGS! Big half coming up but we have a big heart in this side….
This isn’t how I imagined us to be making a statement.
I’m interested to see what Arteta does.
Any chance of having a shot lads?
That’s the end of that then.
Bottled the CL last season, bottled the title this.
Two players back post and both asleep.
Well that was a real bastard, proud of our fight from 3-1 back though.
Disappointing result for sure. But I aint gonna slag a young team who’ve tried their bollox off for the whole season.
And any who is CAN FUCK THE FUCK RIGHT OFF FOR GOOD
Apologies to the usual crew in here, I’ll dip out now.
I do believe it’s St. Totteringham’s Day. Congratulations to all who celebrate!
@45 as you say esso, we’re a young team and shit happens. On to Shitteh and fuck ‘em over.
I am just disappointed with the costly errors and injuries that have come at the wrong time. I presume they are linked.
I am still in a state of shock. I was not able to sneak a look at the score until late in the game and to my horror saw that we were 1-3 down, at which point I gave a metaphorical kick to the cat. A later check revealed we had clawed back the Saint’s two-goal lead to get a draw. All this working out whether it is a point gained or two lost is getting stressful.
At home so two points lost Ned is the sad truth. Though I will never accuse this team of lacking heart after getting the draw.
Around this time last year we lost three in a row, this year it’s three draws. Straw-clutching because of the disappointment of course but anyway we are better and have been all season.
OM@51: Well said.
We are 5 points clear of the most financially doped team in the history of English football with 6 games to go.
The league title is still in the hands of this young team and young manager.
Nobody honestly expected us to be here so soon.
The last three games have been disappointing but I’ve been through worse.
This team deserves massive praise and massive support.
They’ve still got mine.
Every word of OM & Trev above – we are well ahead in the project expectations.
Now going to the emptihad on Wednesday the boot is now on the other foot – we are the underdogs with an iffy defence. If the Saints can get an unexpected result yesterday evening we can ourselves do the same. It ain’t over till it’s over.
A disappointing evening yesterday for sure, especially given the huge expectations loaded on the team. Individual errors cost us heavily and we didn’t get the rub of the green up front. However the determination to claw something out of the game by fsighting back from 1-3 down to win a point and so nearly gain all three was impressive.
Esso, Matt and Trev are bang on. No one with an ounce of reason can legitimately castigate Arteta and this team. They have come SO far. Last night they gave everything and their next task is now crystal clear: no pissing around playing for a draw (always a dangerous strategy), they now know that they must take three points off the oil-doped fakirs.
Chins up, Gooners! There’s a job to finish.
What Bath said!
Copy that.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>