Arsenal v Southampton | Player Ratings for the Gunners Against the Saints

The Emirates has been kind to Arsenal this season and this time, it was against Southampton as the home team took all 3 points again with a 3-0 victory. Though the scoreline is significant, Arsenal’s approach to the game was more encouraging for the fans. This win puts Arsenal 5th on the league table, with United and Spurs yet to play this week.

Lacazette opened the scoring for the Gunners as he swept the ball in from close range after a sharp cutback by Saka. The 1st goal was very important for Arsenal as the visitors dominated the first 20 mins of the game. The hosts quickly doubled their lead with Odegaard finishing off “a pinball” play within the Saints’ box. The Norwegian has now scored 3 in the last 3 matches and looks on a nice touch.

The 2nd half was much better for Arsenal as they had more control of the game than Southampton. The Saints could consider themselves shorthanded as they were without their main strikers, but that can not eclipse Arsenal’s dominance in the game.

Gabriel scored the 3rd goal for the hosts from Martinelli’s corner. This goal certainly killed off the game for good as the visitors spent the rest of the evening on the defensive. Although 3-0 is a respectable score, the scoreline could have been more emphatic for the Gunners had 2 more attempts gone in instead of hitting the post.

This win allows Arsenal to extend their unbeaten run against Southampton to 27 – longest against any opponents. Also, the Gunners will go into the next game with more confidence as they host West Ham United next Thursday. Without further ado, let’s see how the Arsenal players fared against Southampton.

Goalkeeper:

Aaron Ramsdale (8.5): Ramsdale was sharp and active throughout the ninety minutes. He took on all the pressure in the opening 20 minutes and opened up the Saints’ formation for the first goal of the game. The English shot-stopper was unlucky not to get an assist to his name as Martinelli couldn’t convert his quick outlet pass. He had to deal with some dangerous attempts by the visitors. But, those saves can now be deemed as “normal” for Ramsdale, considering the high standards he has set for himself.

Defence:

Takehiro Tomiyasu (7): Tomiyasu seems to be growing in confidence and providing more attacking options to the Gunners. His pass to Tierney was astonishing, which was then converted into a goal by Odegaard. Defensively, the right-back made good interceptions and won most of his duels against the opponents.

Ben White (7.5): Much much-improved performance by the English centre-back. White stood his ground and made important blocks for Arsenal. He was good at reading the game and positioned himself accordingly.

Gabriel Magalhaes (7): The Brazilian defender had tough first 20 minutes of the game. He made some sloppy passes and gave away possession easily. But after the 1st goal, Gabriel seemed more composed, scoring 2 goals but unfortunately, one goal was ruled out offside.

Kieran Tierney (7): Fit-again Tierney proved why he is Arsenal’s top LB at the moment. His attacking runs were very troubling for Southampton. Defensively, he was alert and disrupted opponents’ attacks on his lane.

Midfield:

Gabriel Martinelli (7.5): He was fit and boy did he play beautifully. Given a chance in the absence of ESR, he was great with his attacking runs and also helped retain possession in the midfield area. Nice corner-kick for Gabriel to score the third goal.

Thomas Partey (5): Well, everyone gets benefited when the team plays well. Partey, particularly, benefited more from his teammates’ efforts and plays. Individually, he was not as good as the rest of the team but still was better than his previous displays.

Xhaka (7): Xhaka was into his 2nd game after returning from injury and he played well. He was the actual commander-in-chief in midfield and made good forward passes.

Bukayo Saka (8): Saka, again, was at his best. His overall plays and link-up with teammates was a treat to was. Made an inch-perfect pass to Laca for Arsenal’s 1st goal of the game. The youngster provided speed and attacking flair from the right side of the pitch. Very encouraging performance for the team and himself. Unfortunately, he was denied by the woodwork.

Attack:

Martin Odegaard (9): Odegaard was, undoubtedly, the best player for the Gunners. He was a constant threat to the Saints’ defence line with his passes and vision. Scored a goal that can be considered as a scrappy one, but they all count. He can be “Arsenal’s Own Frank Lampard” if he continues to lay in more like this.

Alexandre Lacazette (8): Lacazette will be pleased with his performance, having scored a goal. But, he could have scored more if he had taken his chances instead of attempting a pass. Nevertheless, he was more focused during the attacks (which was lacking in the last matches) and has proven his worth to warrant a starting place again in the upcoming matches.

Substitutes:

Rob Holding (5): Substituted for Gabriel on 70th min. The substitution was clearly made because of the yellow card. He played well for the rest of the game and had a good partnership with White.

Albert Sambi Lokonga (5): Came in for Xhaka in the last 10 mins. He had a fairly satisfactory game as Arsenal were in control and looking to keep hold of the ball.

Nicolas Pepe (NA): Played just 8 mins and hardly saw the ball.

Do you agree with the given player ratings from the Arsenal vs Southampton fixture? Do give your opinions in the comments section below.

Follow AD for the latest Arsenal Matchday Updates.