A much better performance from Saints at the Emirates, but individual errors again cost us dearly and although there were a lot of positives to be taken from the game, ultimately the same issues remain.

There were some eyebrows raised by the Southampton supporters who travelled up to North London when the team was announced to take on Arsenal.

5 defenders, 4 in midfield plus Ross Stewart up front, not too many people were that upset about this, but not too many either could work out what sort of formation that we would play.

There were a couple of surprises, Ross Stewart starting a game for the first time in the League and Ryan Manning who hasn't even been able to get in the match day squad this season, let alone the bench, suddenly coming in from nowhere.

There was clearly a spirit in the side, from the very start we were on the back foot, it was essentially 5 at the back, 4 sat in front of them and the lone Ross Stewart up front.

Sadly he would not be lasting very long, he was putting in the work, but an innocuous tackle saw him stay down and off he went with only 27 minutes on the clock.

Arsenal understandably dominated possession and strived to create clear cut chances, but Saints dug in and were resolute, in the first half Arsenal swarmed forward, but it was almost half time before they forced Aaron Ramsdale into making a save.

It only seemed a matter of time before a goal would come in the second half, but it wasn't Arsenal who scored it, after we lost possession Mateus Fernandes worked hard to win the ball back, surged forward and laid a ball through to Cameron Archer, who was pushed a little wide but then cut back in to fire a low shot into the far corner.

There were 55 minutes on the clock, most Saints fans were wishing it was 95 !

Predictably this roused Arsenal and sadly it didn't take them long to get back in it.

Anyone who watched Match of the day would have seen that it was highlighted how the Gunners had a plan to stop our possession game, they had too lines of press, one to close us down and push us into blind alleys and another to block any passes.

This was the case only 3 minutes after the goal, we needed to close things down, keep it tight, but Flynn Downes trying to surge forward found a pass forward closed down by Arsenal's second line of press and the first blocked his attempted sideways pass and within seconds the home side were back on level terms.

Arsenal were now going for the jugular perhaps we needed some fresh legs at this point, but no changes were made by Russell Martin and as we approached the last 20 minutes, tired legs led to tired minds and we left Martinelli free at the far post to fire home from close range, it was just 10 minutes between the Gunners first and second goal.

Now we reacted, off went Manning & Fernandes and on came Adam Armstrong & Tall Paul Onuachu and we seemed to be having a go, but although we hit the post and then the bar, it was more likely that Arsenal would get the next goal in the game.

With 3 minutes to go they made the game safe and sadly yet another error, this time Sugawara who swept up at the back and seemed to think he had enough time to run the ball out of defence just outside the six yard box, but his first touch was heavy and it went straight to an Arsenal man, Saka firing home from close range.

So what can we take from this performance, well first the fighting spirit, but that is no good if we keep making errors, often unforced, we still don't do the basics well enough to earn the right to start playing the difficult stuff.

On another day this could have been a rout, the home side had 29 attempts on our goal, but only 6 on target, we only had 8 attempts with just 2 on target.

The best stat for us was shots blocked, we got something in the way in 10 of the 28 attempts.

The real talking point will be Tall Paul, in fairness he put himself about a bit and you couldn't fault his effort, but it was clear that he is not very mobile, possession football is about passing and working hard to create openings, he is very much a forward that gets on the end of a ball into the box.

This is not to write him off, he could be a valuable asset to bring on in the closing stages of a game where we are chasing a goal or two.

So Russell Martin brought himself time, not just because it's an international break, but also due to the fact that the teams above us are still within touching distance, the situation is still retrievable.

But the next game is going to be crucial, we will take on Leicester and nothing less than a win is acceptable, if we were to lose then we would risk being cast adrift at the bottom, Ipswich are at home to Everton, so at least one of them will be picking up points and Palace go to Forest on the Monday.

We need to get a win under our belts and also close the gap between the clubs in mid table.

This game felt totally different walking out of the ground than our defeat at Bournemouth, but ultimately the scoreline was the same and the same issues occurred, we gave away at least two goals too cheaply through errors, we cannot keep doing so and hope to survive.

Something has to change, as the old saying goes, if you keep doing the same things then you get the same results, that is fine if you are Manchester City, bit for Saints it highlights the fact we are making the same mistakes time and time again, we don't clear the ball when we need to, even when there is no pass on because we have been closed down, we still try to find one that doesn't exist or is just plain suicidal to try.

The issue is now clear to see, we do not have a squad good enough to play possession football to the level the manager requires, there is no way to dress things up any different, every game sees us concede goals due to getting caught trying to pass the ball in tight situations, we are architects of our own downfall on far too many occasions.

Can Russell Martin modify his tactics ? no one is asking him to abandon them completely, just to tweak them so that we do the basics when required, that is the big question.

As I said something has to change, either the manager's approach to games or the manager himself.

All Photos Via Reuters

kingolaf added 09:52 - Oct 7 I don’t see how he’s bought himself time. Just delaying the inevitable after another 2 weeks wasted and defeat to Leicester.
4

SaintPaulVW added 10:18 - Oct 7 I thought of the three Arsenal goals the first was a great strike after an enforced error, the second was offside, the 'non interfering' player was right infront of Ramsdale and the third Sugawara should have done what Rice had done just a few minutes earlier booted the ball into row z as soon as he had possession. With the data analysis teams and international players in the PL, possession football is a failed strategy for us at this level. Bournemouth and Arsenal both admitted they knew exactly what they were looking for in our play and targeted it. Teams have found us out and know how to play it. RM needs a drastic rethink. Given we were all half expecting a major drubbing, I was quite positive after the game. However results have to improve. If we are nowhere after the next 5 games, reluctantly I think it will be time to change the manager. Positives from the game, Aribo and Fernandes and Archer getting off the mark, Tall Paul also sold some great dummies. RM needs to pick a back 5 and stick with it now. COYR

4

SaintPaulVW added 10:18 - Oct 7 'unforced'
0

dellboysaint added 10:56 - Oct 7 We are too slow to clear the ball and lack speed in our own half. Why Martin wants to play the game in our half is beyond me. In 90 minutes, there are bound to be mistakes made which will lead to premiership players taking full advantage. Even Huddersfield worked us out last year. Premiership sides move at pace , look at Brighton and Brentford. Where were they 10 years ago and look at them now. Was it one game recently when we had a free kick on the half way line @nd it eventually went back to Ramsdale. What the heck!

6

harrapuk added 10:58 - Oct 7 It is not about having the right players to play the system, no other premiership team would even attempt to play suicidal triangles in and around our 28 yard box. Silly errors are built into the system they aren't just caused by lapses in concentration. Other teams have now adapted our high pressing game that we played unde RH and the type of possession game we are now trying to play just a gift for the high pressing teams. Our squad is ten times better than 2 years ago but we are doomed to failure trying to play a misguided suicidal possession game.

6

JoeEgg added 11:02 - Oct 7 We have some half decent players although I cant see where the goals are going to come from. Archer may have got his goal for the season - who knows? Stewart is finiehed. Tall Paul needs quicker and better service - maybe even a cross or two! Adam Armstrong has to wait until we a
2

JoeEgg added 11:02 - Oct 7 We have some half decent players although I cant see where the goals are going to come from. Archer may have got his goal for the season - who knows? Stewart is finiehed. Tall Paul needs quicker and better service - maybe even a cross or two! Adam Armstrong has to wait until we a
0

JoeEgg added 11:06 - Oct 7 We have some half decent players although I cant see where the goals are going to come from. Archer may have got his goal for the season - who knows? Stewart is finiehed. Tall Paul needs quicker and better service - maybe even a cross or two! Adam Armstrong has to wait until we are back in the Championship. The manager insists that he sees 'brilliant and 'fantastic' performances, but his stubbornness and self belief will just take us further and further behind the pack of fairly ordinary teams. Give the new man two weeks to prepare for Leicester and put an end to the tippy tappying at the back that just lands us every game at the mercy of the opposition; The manager is NOT for changing - we have to change the manager.

5

landsdownsaint added 11:14 - Oct 7 I saw nothing to convince me that RM can pull us away from relegation. One thing that game did show was that squad with a new manager would keep us in the PL, we neeed a new manager now .
9

HythePeer added 11:30 - Oct 7 I think I went to a different game?
0

Farlow added 13:11 - Oct 7 I thought we played a lot of decent football however it will never get us anywhere unless RM changes his play out from the back at all times philosophy. He could,nt pick Jack Stephens so he picks his next bestie Ryan Maniquinne surely Charlie Taylor would have done better.Their second goal was offside.How can a guy in the six yard box not be interfering with play! Hope we can hold on to Dibling and Fernandes who are quickly developing into very good players,might be great one day.Bedanarek deserves great credit for just about his best ever game for Saints.

7

Ali_Diarea added 13:51 - Oct 7 Goals against were always gonna be our downfall this season and it doesn’t matter whether we play three, four or five at the back the outcome is the same because we aren’t good enough to play it out from the back. I don’t like to see managers sacked but RM has proven this season and last that he is unable or unwilling to play pragmatic football therefore he needs to go now before we waste any more winnable games.

2

IanRC added 15:05 - Oct 7 I agree that the performance was down to the team rather than the manager. That said Arsenal were somewhat fortunate in that if we had scored their second VAR would have disallowed it as there was clearly an offside Arsenal player interfering with play - scandalous really the way officials favour certain teams. Also we hit the post and bar. Thought Bednarak was tremendous incidentally.

2

halftimeorange added 15:46 - Oct 7 I think that we are out of our depth at this level. If we are relegated, but can keep the better players together for another season in the Championship, we will come back up with the benefit of the team having played as a unit for longer and having experienced the remains of this season scrapping in the EPL. We will be better prepared. It really serves no purpose for RM to continually tinker, this team needs stability. I feel that RM does command loyalty within the squad and they probably agree that currently this project is in a harsh learning curve phase. A change of manager is not necessarily going to help and will unsettle the younger squad members. I expect Ipswich supporters are somewhat disgruntled, too but, the majority of clubs in the EPL are streets ahead of them and us in terms of settled methods and patterns of play. We have to grit our teeth and accept the ride or look elsewhere for our recreation.

2

davidargyll added 16:22 - Oct 7 For goodness sake GET REAL Nick. WE LOST!!!!! OK, so we played well but that has got eff all to do with it. We still only have ONE POINT for all our spirited huffing and puffing FFS! I believe the end is nigh for our manager and not a moment too soon Could I suggest everyone listens to a recording of Jim White’s programme on Talksport last Friday at around 10.45 am you can hear it by going onto the talk sport website. Jim basically read out a comment that has reached him from a well informed source within the club. In a nutshell Russell Martin changes or he is toast. I reckon after the next game latest. At least someone realises that we can’t go on like this unlike far too many bozos who want to give him more time. Two expressions come to mind: The first is the old one about despair and hope. The other one? So much better to play badly and win rather than well and lose.

0

Colburn added 17:05 - Oct 7 I wasn’t at the game but it sounds like the same story from previous matches. There are so many positives with our style of play and success is possible and a mid table finish. But there are a couple of aspects about our style which is killing us. If those are tweaked then we could be a really good team but at the moment so much hard work and quality is undone in a second because of the stubbornness of the manager, not allowing his players to do what Rice did and find row Z. If Guardiola and Arteta understand this, why is our manager trying to outdo the best before he’s even won a game? And it isn’t difficult for opponents to work us out so Martin simply has to tweak and vary things or we won’t win a game. It’s almost becoming madness.. Shame as he has the potential to be an amazing manager when you look at the strengths.

0

Monksway added 21:57 - Oct 14 An average start to the season would have seen us with 5/6 points ( win against Ipswich and 2/3 draws against Forest, Bournmouth and Brentford) the next four should yield 7 points if we are in the mix at the bottom half of the table. RM needs 3 wins to make up the lost ground. 10points after 11 games would be ok. Big ask!
0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Watford Polls