Premier League 2019-20, Arsenal 2-2 Southampton: 5 talking points
The Premier League is back, and it couldn’t have come quick enough for Arsenal. The club had been itching to set things right after a tumultuous few weeks before the international break; the under-pressure Unai Emery had failed to win a league game in the last four outings.
As for Southampton, they came into this game having lost four out of their previous five games. A trip the Emirates would have been the perfect way to gain some momentum before a crucial Christmas period.
Against all odds, Southampton took the lead as Danny Ings rushed in behind an unsuspecting Arsenal defence. But the Gunners equalized 10 minutes later through an Alexandre Lacazette strike after a melee in the penalty box.
The Saints would once again take the lead through a James Ward-Prowse penalty in the 71st minute. They looked set to see out the match until Alexandre Lacazette stabbed home his second of the match in the 95th minute.
Here are five talking points from Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Southampton.
#5 Failure to keep a clean sheet
Attack wins you games, while defence wins you titles. To have any kind of success in the Premier League, it’s imperative that a club has a tight defence. And for far too long, the Gunners have showcased the opposite of that.
David Luiz’s arrival in the summer was meant to solve that issue, but instead his presence has seemingly compounded the problem. Luiz and Sokratis haven been poor this season, heaping more pressure on the soon-to-be-sacked Emery.
Arsenal have only kept two clean sheets in 13 games this season, equating to 19 goals conceded. That’s atrocious for a side with top 4 ambitions.
Without a doubt, the Gunners have the worst defence out of the top six teams, making them more susceptible against the poor teams in the league. It doesn’t help that once again the team conceded 21 shots on goal this game, an obscene amount for a top team at home.
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