Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Wilshere, Ozil, Cazorla, Giroud
Subs: Fabianski, Vermaelen, Monreal, Rosicky, Walcott, Gnabry, Bendtner
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Arsenal stayed top of the table with a 2-0 win over Southampton at the Emirates today. Theo Walcott was back but began the game on the bench, while Jack Wilshere returned to the starting XI, replacing the suspended Mathieu Flamini.
The visitors started brightly, keeping the ball well in the opening minutes and pressing Arsenal high up the pitch. Every time Szczesny had the ball at his feet, a Southampton man sprinted in to close him down.
However, it was Arsenal who had the opening chance of the game when Jack Wilshere almost put them ahead in the 11th minute. Aaron Ramsey clipped a ball in over the defence, it rebounded from Giroud to Wilshere and as he got close to the goal line he chipped it over Artur Boruc to the far post only to see the ball rebound off the post and roll across the goal and back into the keeper’s arms.
The same post denied the Gunners again when Mesut Ozil found Aaron Ramsey in the box, but the Welshman’s clever back flick from the penalty spot clipped the outside of the post and went wide. The keeper was nowhere near it.
But in the 21st minute Arsenal were ahead thanks to Boruc. The Pole had the ball at his feet with loads of time to clear. Instead he tried to be clever, Giroud tackled him and had an open goal from just a few yards out to make it 1-0.
Referee Mark Clattenburg seemed to be willing to let Victor Wanyama foul whoever he wanted, ignoring obvious fouls in dangerous areas on Wilshere and Cazorla. The Saints responded well to going behind, enjoying a period of possession and pressure, and when Mikel Arteta miscued a clearance a big Szczesny palm prevented an equaliser.
Arteta was found wanting again in midfield and a poor pass gave possession back to Southampton who came forward and forced Szczesny into another great save. There were no further chances in the first 45 minutes and Arsenal went in ahead at the break.
Southampton replaced Luke Shaw with Stephen Davis at the break, and Wanyama, amazingly, got booked early in the half for a blatant trip on Cazorla. Adam Lallana tested Szczesny after clever build up play from the Saints, and as in the first half Arsenal struggled to get going.
But the game ebbed and flowed, like an ebby-flowy thing, and Arsenal began to get back into it. Some intricate build-up play almost saw Ramsey through but Giroud was flagged offside, and a Kieran Gibbs pass looked like sending the Frenchman clear but for a last ditch Southampton boot.
Mesut Ozil fired a shot straight at Boruc before Jack Wilshere got on the end of a Sagna cross, but unfortunately he couldn’t get any power on the header and it was easy for the Southampton keeper.
Theo Walcott made his comeback in the 69th minute, replacing Santi Cazorla, before Arsenal lost Mikel Arteta to injury, replaced by Tomas Rosicky.
A Ricky Lambert shot deflected wide with Szczesny completely wrong-footed and from the resulting corner Wanyama fired a shot over the bar. Laurent Koscielny then made a great last ditch tackle on Rodridguez in the Arsenal box before Arsene Wenger made his final change with Nacho Monreal replacing Mesut Ozil.
Walcott then fired a shot wide of Boruc’s far post after good Wilshere play, but for all the Southampton pressure, and Arsenal sitting deep, it was the Gunners who sealed the game in the 86th minute. Jose Fonte was spotted pulling back Mertesacker from an Arsenal corner, and Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot. Olivier Giroud stepped up, sent Boruc the wrong way and made it 2-0.
Wojciech Szczesny had to be alert to snuff out some Wanyama danger, but the Gunners stayed top of the table and extended their lead thanks to the Mugsmashers early draw.
Great footwork by Boruc on the assist.
What was up with our fans though? Apart from the occasional Boruc jeering they looked non-existent!
Bring on safe standing!
i maybe wrong, but i thought the fans were quite busy and loud today. or maybe, you just need to turn up your tv volume a bit ??
I see what you’re getting at but unfortunately not everyone can afford to go to London and see a game.
What are your thoughts on the empty seats in the 40th and 85th minute, hardly inspiring for the players don’t you think?
40th taking a piss and buying a pie, 85th heading to the tube early so as not to get stuck in a massive line.
Not sure why anyone would thumb down Joey, as that is what they are doing.
40th is generally those going to the food and drink vendors just before the rush.
85th is generally those that have a train to catch or want to miss the ridiculous end of game struggle to the tube. The public transport system is atrocious around the Emirates.
Well, Joey’s reply hadn’t appeared when I wrote mine… Bugger
Agreed, i thought the support was fantastic today.
Too late Doc..
The noise of the crowd seems to depend on the TV producers and how much they filter it (seen the same game on different feeds before and the sound can be way different.). 40th min — put bluntly if you need to do anything at half time, you have to get onto the concourse before the half ends (either that or miss the start of the second half). 85th minute — its less that the transport links are crap, but 60,000 people overload them. Leaving 5 minutes early can shave 40 mins+ off a long journey hove. Don’t condone doing… Read more »
I go four or five times a season and I always find the crowd to be in fine voice, but we do have a fair few daytrippers who, although generally enthusiastic, don’t tend to sing or shout as much (often simply because they don’t know the words to songs, for instance). I think part of the problem is the size of the stadium, it’s not such a cauldron as the smaller grounds. I am fairly dismayed by the sight of people leaving en masse in the 85th minute, which is something I have seen on every occasion in recent times.… Read more »
I listened to the game on the radio at it was deafening. The commentators even went on to say the atmosphere has not been that electric at the Emirates for a good while.
Good thing Sir Chesney doesnt have those skills
Oh but he tries! Be afraid. Be very afraid
I see you changed your name. Smart move mate.
Do you think he is feeling sympathetic towards a fellow countryman and keeper?
Alternatively smiling on the inside as the guy ahead of him in the Polish setup makes a massive cock up
Watch Match of the Day tonight, the commentator makes it sound so much like “Utter Bollocks” when he says Artur Boruc’s name.
@arseblog: team didn’t go level at the break. 7th paragraph. last line.
First giroud double of the season. Swooon
Bad haircut though?
COYG!!!!!!!
We love you Arsenal we do!
We love you Artur we do!
When one is 6 ‘3 and weights 88 kilos, it is probably not wise to fuck around in the own penalty box. We’ll take it. Giroud man of the match, winning headers, cleaning garbage out in the own box. Deserved 3 points, job well done
I’m plagiarising myself, a little but I feel like saying it again to reinforce your lovely comment.
The beauty of Giroud’s first goal is that it showcased some of his undervalued strengths, including his intelligence and determination, as well as one of his most obvious strengths which is, well, strength.
I would love him even if he looked like Rooney. But he just so happens to be the current most beautiful man in top-class world football.
You are Johann Hari and I claim my £5.
Pretty much this.
Additionally, everything I’ve heard is about a massive mistake by Boruc, but nothing about how well Giroud worked to make it happen.
Every time Boric looked for an outlet Giroud cut it off, while pressing ever closer. By the end, he could still have rolled it out for the corner, but the pressure made him panic (or dither), and Giroud took the opportunity.
Its worth remembering that they are both powerful 6 ’3 guys, which if anything flags up Giroud’s ball control even more.
Southampton medics confounded as goalkeeper blinded by sheer Handsomeness of French Bloke, in build up to first goal.
Our Handsome Giroud!!
Consistent. That’s what we are this season.
xmas came so early. COYG!
Agree completely. Hopefully this last victory will be the the last straw, when we finally sack the tea-lady and everyone else!
Naa naa naa naa Girouddd.
Hehe hehee boruc
Southampton have an awesome defensive record, they said. Lallana, Rodriguez and Lambert, they said.
2-0, Giroud said.
Motm? The man who made Arsene’s suit. Well played boys!
i know i will get lots of thumbs down but arteta was bad today
He misplaced some passes you’re right
The passes and gameplay he played bad were indeed bad, but the long balls he sprayed to the wings were often good.
Was not at his best, made some big errors, but was still out there breaking up play and shielding very well. Hopefully after a bit more time he’ll cut those errors out of his game again. Him and Santi are yet to really find their form after injury I reckon.
Same can be said of ozil too I think. Time for him start dominating some games in the way Cesc did. Would be absolutely riveting
Francesc ‘Cesc’ Fabregas :’) What a player he was when he was here. I would be over the moon if Ozil manages to replicate his form (of which he is of course capable).
no need for the thumbs down. Arteta was off the pace largely, hard to understand because he didn’t have any international commitments. Ramsey as well was fairly poor today, particularly his first touch, which has never been fantastic to begin with but was particularly woeful today. just noticed this today but in the final third we’re probably the best passing team in the EPL, perhaps in Europe, but in the middle of the park, we don’t nearly play as quickly as i’d like to see us. With a high pressing team like Southapton we need to play quick combinations in… Read more »
That said, there was a 5 minute period right after Arteta was subbed where there was no one doing defensive midfield…southampton built 2-3 very good attacks through the middle in that time.
top of the league! !!
I hope people now realise Kieran Gibbs is the best left back in the league. My MOTM
He’s getting better and better at defending and attacking, but I think he still can improve on his delivery.
i agree, Gibbs was awesome!…..but for me, MOTM was boruc…..
fantastic assist at exactly the right time in the match
We should start wearing our suits straight after the final whistle as well, I bet Giroud would look very nice after banging in 2 goals 🙂
Can’t believe I’m saying this, but c’mon West Ham.
My dad supports them, so I’m sure he’ll appreciate the added support from the Arsenal supporters tonight
One of the biggest faces in football denied today. Great performance and great points!
If Sagna doesn’t get a new contract soon I’m going to be sick.
You can add Rosicky to that list 😉
Didn’t Rosicky get one?
nope
Rosicky should, as Wenger’s traditional policy only cuts in when a player hits 30, and Rosicky is still only 27 in football years 🙂
Have a feeling he will go year-to-year as has been Wenger’s policy with older players. I suspect he’d be okay with it because he knows the qualities he brings on and off the field earn him an important place in the squad and maybe he will feel gratitude that Wenger and the team stood by him while his prime was ravaged by injuries. I hope his Indian summer is Maldini-esque and he gets to retire a Gunner legend like he deserves to. He deserves (at least one) trophy with Arsenal.
How bad was Twattenberg today? Humans his bloody linos were fuckin shocking.
Really crappy decisions in the first half (especially Wanyama’s free pass), but I was stunned at the penalty, not because it wasn’t one, simply because he actually gave it.
cut the guy (ref) some slack…..what do you expect?
he is obviously a Wanyama and/or (southampton?) fan!
“There were no further chances in the first 45 minutes and the teams went in level at the break.”
Umm…
Mikael is allowed an off day, beside the Flam man is back next match. All that matters is 2 goals, clean sheet, 4 points clear and we have the HFB 🙂
returning walcott not at the races!
Humans?? Him!
Fuckin phone.
As usual… Arseblog reports are quicker than buroc footwork.
I think quite a few things are quicker…
Royal Mail
NHS waiting lists
Drying paint
…
We love you buroc
you are our MOTM!
teams didn’t go in level at the break… lol
Clean sheet! Oh joy!
Two nil to The Arsenal
poor game poor display, happy for the win
i think we kept the ball well, tried to score gaols, but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. but we were always trying, didn’t sit defending on the 1-0 lead. At 1-0 up, during the corner through whoich mertesacker won that penalty, only ramsey and wilshere stayed back.
jeezus people are right when we’re called the most dour fans in the Premier League. Southampton’s high pressing certainly caused us problems arent we weren’t sharp enough in our passing, but surely poor is doing a disservice to both teams today. Schneiderling and Wanyama were dominant in midfield, left us with very little space to operate with, thats what happens when you play with two DMs. But although we struggled to create we never looked like conceding either so it was just a matter of being patient. it didn’t help that Arteta and Ramsey in the middle were of the… Read more »
Played poorly, still won = Mark of champions unless it’s an arsenal fan then we were shit…. Essentially
Yes we played poorly but then to still come away with said win, shows how consistent we are. We aren’t going to batter every team 3-0 or just pass the ball around Harlem Globetrotters style while winning 1-0. You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth and be happy for both.
Our HFB is worth ten of that little boy who now plays for Manchesterford. He runs his heart out and get’s back to defend.
Walcott brought on “Yeeesss, bring on the through balls!”
Wenger subbs Özil “MOTHER OF GOD!”
He’s just teasing us.
just loved the mertesacker celebration when the penalty was given!
Thanks Arthur Boruc for the assist. We will never forget this.
Took 5 minutes to work out they were yokels at the hustle and took over the midfield and out hustled the hustlers. Great game.
I loved Mertesackers reaction when we got the penalty
I was searching you tube for the scrappiest goal!!!! Then I saw that one live… Not every polish keeper is chezzer. November is ending and we are top. GUNNERS RULE…
Sagna = Beast. Give the man a new contract already!
the penalty was a bit iffy for me, we never ever see those given and in the case of Arsenal its never given in our favour it definetely was a foul but….. Looks like Clattenburg wants to get on our payroll after losing out on SAF’s ‘hospitality’.
The defender was too obvious.
Referees usually seem to let them go if they aren’t so blatant that Stevie Wonder could have spotted it.
Haha, nice way to put it, double..
I’d also say that the build up helped, with Per coming up from defense late and signaling. Even before the corner was taken I thought we were going to try a prepared move.
I’d guess Clattenberg saw something similar, which made the: ‘I didn’t see it’ defense much harder.
Nice to see Giroud getting the praise he deserves. Can’t think of another striker that puts in the same workrate every game. Good to see him on the scoresheet too, keeps his confidence high. All round great performance against a team that could have won. The back line gets better and better, some real selection headaches to come!
Thats the main big games over this month 1 nxt week but a good run afc team coyg
Great win. Really happy for Giroud. Hopefully now with Theo back, we can start banging them in.
Second best defence in europe. tell that to giroud ……and boruc.
been reading this blog for a while now, and somehow the story behind the name ‘mugsmashers’ has eluded me. anyone care to enlighten me?
arseblog’s brother is a lioverpool fan and apparantly smashed arseblog’s arsenal mug during childhood and hence got the name.
That is the unemployed Liverpool fan who arrives at the ground without tickets, he steals tickets from children or he gives you the “Liverpool” kiss, while you crawl around bleeding in the street looking for your teeth. he runs off to watch the game with your ticket.
We played really well today! But Southampton was pretty good as well
Szczesny did well today, and I’m quite pleased with 2-0 and the clean sheet, as well as widening the gap away from Liverpool and the rest again.
72nd min ” Giroud penalised for jumping” this was my initial reaction too! Haha. Love your posts and commentatry arseblog! Keep it up 😀
I’m getting used to this consistently winning thing we are doing… I only had about 2 or 3 moments of discomfort the entire game. After a long interlull the guys did what was needed for a win. This more like the Arsenal of old. I feel very relaxed watching us this season and I love it. My first season as a fan was 07-08. It haven’t felt this good since way back then.
Same here, 07-08, but at least we don’t have to play Birmingham in February this time
Now if West Ham can draw vs Chelsea and Dortmund can smash Bayern(I hate those cunts) it will be a perfect day
I want Dortmund to get smashed by Bayern and have a couple of players missing for the Napoli match, which they subsequently lose.
That way, if we beat Marseille, we’re pretty much locks to go to the round of 16.
I want Dortmund to smash them Bayern Munich cunts 8 – 0 and for Lewandowski, Reus, Gundogan, Hummels, and Mkhitaryan to break all of their legs. And then for them to draw 0 – 0 with Napoli and for us to smash Marseille 3 – 0.
hear hear!!
COYG!
There was some beautiful interplay between Santi and Özil, showed a glimpse of what is to come from these 2 when they manage to finally get on the same wavelength
Fucking love the beast that is Per, looked like he was keen to devour a small child after he won that penalty.
Well that was rather splendid. I thought the fans sounded lively enough (they did on R5L at least, and Martin Keown commented on it).
Now if West Ham can’t win then let’s hope they can break a few noses and ankles and give Josephine something else to moan about.
But fuck them. Fuck all that and them. All of them. We are doing it. WE are doing it. Take a bow Olivier.
West ham come on. Show some backbone.
First November in recent memory that hasn’t left me feeling worried.