Alexis Sanchez to the rescue again as Arsenal outlast resolute Southampton
Southampton were hoping to re-establish their credentials as potential contenders for a Champions League spot after being brushed aside by champions Manchester City over the weekend. Fraser Forster produced a stouthearted display, earning him the WhoScored.com man of the match award, but it would prove to go unrewarded.
After several magnificent saves he was helpless to stop a close range finish by Alexis Sánchez. A rare, momentary lapse in Southampton's defence provided a determined Arsenal team the opportunity to finally breach Southampton's resolve in the dying minutes.
A narrow 1-0 victory meant Arsenal recorded their third victory in a row, gaining the necessary momentum to mount their own challenge for a top four spot, despite still leaving Wenger unquestionably ‘cautious’. Unsurprisingly it was Alexis Sánchez who again proved to be their saviour, answering Wengers's prayers.Sánchez's goals have now singlehandedly won his team 7 points in the league this season and it was fitting that the indefatigable winger collected Arsenal's player of the month award prior to the match.
However, Ronald Koeman will have plenty of cause to be disappointed after losing a goal so late on. His team were down to 10 men for the final 10 minutes, going agonisingly close in a period in which their opposition have now scored 7 goals in the final 5 minutes of league matches this season. A string of unfortunate injuries meant Koeman had rolled his dice already, using all 3 substitutes before Toby Alderweireld pulled up with a hamstring injury.
It wasn't the first time in the match that Koeman was forced to reshuffle his pack. Jack Cork, having felt the effects of an earlier challenge by Ramsey, was replaced early on in the match by Maya Yoshida, forcing Alderweireld to play alongside Wanyama in a defensive midfield role. It was to have a detrimental effect on a midfield three who seemed to work perfectly in tandem in the early stages of the game.
Wanyama dropped deepest with Cork and Davies playing alongside him, and it was the latter who linked up brilliantly with Pellè in the 13th minute to create a clear cut chance for the Italian, who fired what would be their best chance of the match over the bar. It was Welbeck, in the first few minutes of the match, who had the best chance of opening the scoring but failed to convert.
The energetic wing forward was to go on to have a number of chances in the first half. An inventive back-heeled effort failed to find the net when latching onto a ball after a failed clearance from Yoshida. He was then to be denied by a great save by Forster just before the break after his header from a set piece took a deflection, with the keeper somehow managing to shift his weight to pull off an impressive reflex save to tip it over the bar.
The teams went into the half-time break level with Koeman arguably the happier of the two managers after his team worked tirelessly and showed great intent off the ball, pressing Arsenal high up the pitch and leaving the manager ‘surprised’ by Arsenal’s nonchalant start to the match. After their recent win at the Emirates in a Capital One Cup clash, signs of confidence were starting to emerge after the restart.
Koscielny made an important block to deny Pellè a clear sight at goal, which prolonged the striker’s drought, now stretching to five matches. Shane Long found himself on the end of an incisive break by his team shortly after, but his shot was wayward.
As the second half wore on, signs of anxiety were apparent in the ground and sounds of frustrations followed suit. It wasn’t long before the Arsenal faithful pleaded for Oliver Giroud’s introduction and Wenger did not disappoint. Last season’s top goalscorer made an immediate impact, helping Arsenal to find another gear in their attack. Alexis picked out his run from deep, with the French striker making a solid connection on the half volley just outside the box, his effort only to be denied once again by Fraser Forster, with a growing sense of inevitability that he would keep a clean sheet.
But it wasn’t to be, a final war cry belted around Emirates as Arsenal hunted for a goal against a woundedSouthampton side. Former Saints player Calum Chambers put in his eighth cross of the match, invoking anxiety from a Southampton defence that looked assured for large periods of the match. Ramsey caught hold of the ball surrounded by three players, managed to hook the ball across the box to find Alexis Sánchez, who netted his 9th goal of the season.
Only Giroud has managed to find the net more often for the Gunners in 2014, scoring 10 goals in 23 appearances, and Sánchez’s embedding into this Arsenal team has been a seamless one. "It is difficult to find examples of people who have settled so quickly," said Wenger. "He has such a will to win, which is why he always finds something special."
It was heartache for a Southampton side that fought so valiantly till the end but stumbled at the final hurdle, leaving questions over whether their bubble has already burst. Koeman felt the need to reinstate his desire to add to the squad, feeling he lacks the firepower from the bench to make the same impact as his rivals. Only time will tell if Southampton can withstand several tough tests ahead of a busy Christmas period.