Arsenal had to work hard for their 3-1 victory over Southampton, but ultimately secured the win thanks to a man-of-the-match display from Bukayo Saka. The England international set up goals for Kai Havertz, who cancelled out Cameron Archer’s opener, and Gabriel Martinelli, before capping off the performance with a late goal of his own to seal the result.
Here’s what the managers, players, stattos and pundits made of another Emirates nailbiter…
Mikel Arteta on his players coming from behind…
We started the first half, it was exceptional. The dominance, the territory that we played in, the amount of situations, chances that we created, set pieces. It was unbelievable not to be 1 or 2 or 3-0 up. That’s football. And then we started the second half, we started a little bit more inconsistent, especially with the things that we did with the ball. They were a bit more aggressive, the game was not in [our] control, we concede the goal and then it’s game on. Everything that we did in the first half was thrown away. And we start to play a different game but I think the team reacted with a lot of authority, very reassured, very composed and I’m really happy that we can react like this but not that happy that with the amount of control and dominance that we had in the first hour that we have to go through that again.
Source: BBC Sport
__
Southampton manager Russell Martin on his side’s performance…
The game panned out how we though it might. They had the ball but I loved the way we defended. We asked for more courage on the ball and I thought we showed that. We had some really brilliant moments in the second half. When we scored we’d limited them to few chances. But they scored too quickly after that, it’s a mistake and we get caught losing the ball. I feel so much more positive and proud of my team than I did on Monday night, and we played against one of the best teams in the country. If we play like that in the next block of games I’d be very happy.
Source: BBC Match of the Day
Arsenal (2.64) 3-1 (0.73) Southampton
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) October 5, 2024
Cameron Archer on Southampton falling apart after taking the lead…
First half, we defended really good. Went into the second half, discussed what we were doing well, what we weren’t doing well, the second half came and we came out and asked a few more questions. We created a bit more, a few more chances, and then obviously got the goal. I think three minutes after, they score, and it kind of takes that energy away from us a little bit. I think we need to stop doing this, we need to play with a lot more courage. It’s not the end of the game when they score, so if we do play with that more courage, I think we can score more goals and win more games.
Source: SouthamptonFC.com
__
Martinelli on his goal and form…
I wasn’t sure if I was on and I was just praying it was onside. Really happy with the goal. We know where we have to attack in the box and when someone opens the ball up, we know where to go. I’m really happy with the ball and the goal as well. I’m really happy at the moment, I scored in the last game, an assist as well, and today another goal, so I’m really happy with my performance and the team also.
Source: Sky Sports
Only six players now have more assists in the Premier League for Arsenal than Bukayo Saka:
94 Bergkamp
74 Henry
70 Cesc
54 Ozil
46 Ramsey
43 Walcott
42 Saka
41 Pires— Orbinho (@Orbinho) October 5, 2024
Arteta on Saka’s growing stature…
He’s really enjoying the role and the way he’s driving the team, the respect and admiration he’s got from his teammates. If you want to be one of the best players, you have to turn up when things are difficult and when it matters, and he’s doing that at the moment.
Source: Arsenal.com
__
Martinelli on Saka’s assist and form…
It was an unbelievable ball from B, and I was there – a really good moment for me and a nice goal. I just tried to put it down, and I’m really happy with the goal. He’s a really nice guy as well so we’re really happy to have him here as one of the captains. He’s unbelievable, one of the best players in the world right now.
Source: Arsenal.com
Kai Havertz is the first player to score in seven consecutive appearances at the Emirates since RvP in March 2012. Only Thierry Henry, Doug Lishman and Jimmy Brain have enjoyed longer scoring streaks on home soil for #Arsenal (8 each). pic.twitter.com/2DTwz876j0
— Harvey Downes (@HarveyDownes92) October 5, 2024
Arteta on Kai Havertz…
He’s really hungry, such an intelligent player, he is so focused to achieve what he wants and was exceptional again.
Source: BBC Sport
__
Arteta on Jesus and Sterling…
I was really happy. We made the changes, we had to make them and everybody deserves to play. In the first half it could have been very different to the result we had at half-time. After that we decided to change because the energy had to be changed and we brought on three players that have the ability to do that and they really helped. I’m really pleased with everybody.
Source: Post-game press conference
#Arsenal's record when Gabriel Martinelli has found the back of the net:
W W W D W D D W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W D D W W W W W W W W W
— Harvey Downes (@HarveyDownes92) October 5, 2024
Arteta on Arsenal surviving 7 games in 21 days unbeaten…
This period required something else, something that we haven’t done in the past. For the amount of injuries and with the schedule we had to play, and we played certain moments with 10 men as well. It doesn’t matter, there’s no excuses. We adapted to that, we faced it and we went for it, and I love that character from the team.
Source: Arsenal.com
__
Dion Dublin on Arsenal’s resolve…
Arsenal have got something new which I haven’t seen in many years. This horrible side, the grit and determination – they’re all happy to do it and they’ll muck in. They have the heart this time and they are hurting from over the last couple of years.
Source: BBC Sport
Bukayo Saka is the only player on record (since 2003-04) to have 7+ shots & create 7+ chances in a Premier League game more than once and he's done it in back-to-back appearances.
◎ 7 shots, 8 chances created v Leicester
◉ 7 shots, 7 chances created v Southampton https://t.co/njqkXMqjWc
— Harvey Downes (@HarveyDownes92) October 5, 2024
I wouldn’t swap Buykayo Saka for any player in the world. What a player.
And you can quote that. 🙂
Love my Bukayo but will have a headache if I am offered Mbappe or Vini.
Ironically, I am with the downvoters because of who Saka is as a man or as a top top player. Just after my comment, Vini made the headache worse. Check the highlights to see his goal of today..
Vini the crybaby, is not my cup of tea. I watch La Liga games and he cries a lot, complains a lot, and dives like he’s in a diving contest at the Olympics. Makes me sick and to think he’s one of the front runners for the Ballon Dor is laughable. Mbappe is a disloyal mutt, I’m not a fan of PSG, I dislike them for being soulless, but a 200m player cannot and should not walk out for free. He did PSG dirty despite them throwing a shitload of money at him. It’s bad for any club and football.… Read more »
What does your price tag have to do with leaving for free? Especially when 200m to those owners, are like £20 to us
Should we condone other clubs getting into our players’ heads, forcing them to run down their contracts, leave for free, and make us lose that 20m? Or for the sustainability of our club, we would rather sell for that 20m and find replacements? Anyway doesn’t matter what they have in their bag, clubs should be compensated for their assets.
Do you remember the circumstances of Mbappe signing that contract with PSG in the first place?
You’d swap your home grown, Hale End superstar for those guys:? they have no connection to this club. No love for this club. They did not grow up here, they do not want to end their career here. Saka is a pure, 100% blessing and we don’t even understand how blessed we are to have him.
as a brazilian, chapa is intitled to love a brazilian player, isn‘t he?
Everyone is entitlted to their opinion. If you put it out here though, we are all entitled to respond.
Saka is pure Arsenal and fights for the badge every time. Those others would not do that. That’s the crucial difference.
I would for Martin Odegaard, except luckily he’s already on our team too.
Is this a joke?
Ah, back in the day when Mafia boss Jimmy the Brain played for Arsenal.
Dick Tracy villain Jimmy brain.
I think that graphic says we are 32-5-0 when Martinelli scores (might be wrong, lost count a couple of times). That’s a bit amazing–too many to be coincidence but unlikely to be simple causality. Any theories?
Was thinking the same. Ok here’s the only sort-of-idea I have about this – Martinelli tends to do better against teams who attack us a bit and leave space in behind and not just sit back in a low block. And we seem to do pretty well against such teams generally, so if Nelli scores it’s possibly often indicative of an open type game this team thrives in, and where Odegaard and Saka are especially effective too, both scoring and assisting, so I imagine in a lot of those games we may have scored 3 goals or more, at which… Read more »
a useless stat, in my ignorant opinion. it could mean he’s a goal machine that makes us win games as much as it could mean he only scores in easy matches when we’re in control.
None, we just need to make sure B makes that cross to the back post regularly. He scores till the end of the season we are guaranteed UCL, EPL, and FA (Can’t let United get close to our FA cup haul)
I think it’s simple… you win more games when you score, Arsenal are really good, and variance.
3 more points. Nuff said
I’m going to celebrate Bukayo Saka again, because apparently most people would rather complain about Sterling and Jesus than enjoy the absolute firestorm he’s cooking up week on week. Starboy just dished out 3 goal involvements, layed on 4 big chances, making him the second player ever to do so since these stats started to be recorded. He also added 7 shots and 6 progressive passes, 17 progressive carries. That’s insane but there’s even more. He’s now the 5th winger in Premier League history to have scored or assisted 90+ goals in the Premier League by age 23 (behind Cristiano,… Read more »
Jimmy Brain, I remember him well. Very intelligent player, very heady.
And way before his time with how much he hit the… gym?
More assists than Pires, that is a surprise. Pires did lose half a season with his ACL injury though
Saka is better than Pires ever was, and it’s not close. That stat is for Pires’ whole PL career, which was 6 years from age 27-33. Saka is just beginning his 6th full PL campaign and racked up those numbers from age 17-23. So he got more assists in 1 fewer seasons and started when he was 17. Let that sink in.
A lot of people still don’t understand Starboy’s ceiling. I think they soon will. Don’t be surprised if he breaks the assist record this season.
This is pretty reductive. What are you even a doctor of?
What let me do this again.
This is pretty reductive. What are you a doctor of, making jus?
Who I am has nothing to do with the topic, so let’s lay off that one, hm? If you want to be more global about it, we can look at any metric you want, or watch them play. I’m not here to slander Pires, I’m here to celebrate Saka and try to put him in context for people because I’m fairly certain we don’t fully appreciate what we are watching. Saka’s output has surpassed that of Pires in fewer seasons at the very beginning of his career, while playing actual defense, and without the benefit of a generational running mates… Read more »
Better that second one.
There is no greater joy as a Gunner than to see one of our own Hale End boys take the step to being one of the world’s best. And stay grounded and humble as ever.
Here’s to greater things B, for you and for our beloved Arsenal!! COYG!!