Premier League hits and misses: Arsenal look tired as Tottenham run out of ideas against Newcastle | Football News

Arsenal stutter as fatigue sets in

Arsenal rolled into St Mary’s like a side top of the table that had won eight games on the bounce.

Once Granit Xhaka fired in the opener it felt inevitable that the floodgates would open. Southampton had no answer to the slick brand of football that has got so many people talking about Arsenal as serious contenders this season.

As the second half wore on, though, it became clear that Arsenal were unable to match the levels of intensity they had produced in the first half.

Arsenal’s number of attempts on goal halved to four in the second half during which time they failed to register a single shot on target. Their fall-off was evident out of possession too, with their number of successful tackles dropping from nine to three after the break.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been in title-winning form since the start of the season. The only question mark has been about the depth and durability in their squad and whether they will be able to contend with the rigours of one of the most taxing seasons ever owing to the winter World Cup.

Sunday’s draw with Southampton was Arsenal’s seventh match in 23 days and it showed.

Arsenal will be disappointed to drop two points, especially considering the chances they missed and the referee’s decision to ignore calls for a penalty for a foul on Gabriel Jesus by Duje Caleta-Car. But they remain in a strong position, leading Manchester City by two points after 11 games.

This season’s calendar is demanding on all teams. Competing at the top of the table and on all fronts makes it that much harder.

Finding a way to freshen up his squad will be of the utmost importance to Arteta if Arsenal’s title push is to have any longevity this season. The fatigue is starting to set in.
Zinny Boswell

Hasenhuttl deserves credit for tactical tweak

Ralph Hasenhuttl is used to pressure by now, but even the most cold-hearted Southampton fan would have surely let him off the hook had his side lost to table-topping Arsenal.

You got the feeling Wednesday night’s game against Bournemouth was a must-win for the Austrian. Sunday’s match against the Gunners, not so much.

A result against Arsenal at St Mary’s looked more unlikely with the Saints missing two key defenders. It was slightly ironic they kept their first clean sheet of the season at the Vitality Stadium without arguably their most gifted centre-back in Armel Bella-Kotchap. His replacement Duje Caleta-Car rose to the challenge, but right-back Kyle Walker-Peters being forced off with a hamstring issue gave Hasenhuttl another selection headache ahead of the weekend.

The Southampton boss had a significant decision to make. Starting with a back four with Lyanco filling in at right-back, Arsenal’s relentless pressure in the first half forced him to rethink – and he deserves huge credit.

He opted to change formation, with Mohamed Elyounoussi and Romain Perraud operating as wing-backs either side of a back three in Lyanco, Caleta-Car and Mohammed Salisu. It was a move that gave the hosts more stability and ultimately paid off as they earned an impressive point.

Hasenhuttl is undoubtedly still under scrutiny, but two draws and a win in just seven days have given him some much-needed breathing space.
Dan Sansom

Marsch really up against it at Leeds

Four straight defeats for Leeds and no wins in eight under Jesse Marsch. Fans booing, players out of confidence and goals flying in at the wrong end. How much worse can it get?

Well, take a look at Leeds’ fixture list and it could be quite a lot. Next on their agenda is Liverpool next weekend, then Bournemouth at home the week after. Either side of the World Cup break are Tottenham and Manchester City.

You do struggle to see where the points are coming from, especially given Bournemouth at home will contain a lot of pressure.

In their last four games, Leeds have put in varying levels of performance – but there is a common denominator. Marsch’s side should have been 3-0 up against Crystal Palace but threw away their lead. Leeds were unfortunate against Arsenal but gifted the Gunners their winner. At Leicester they were abject but literally put goals into their own net, and Leeds were so open that Fulham could have left Elland Road with a hatful of goals.

It seems that no matter what Leeds do now, they cannot help conceding via their own means. Once and Marsch can hide behind individual error. Four straight games? That is more than coincidence.

A leaky defence was the tale of the tape behind Marcelo Bielsa’s sacking – and his successor looks to be heading down a similar route.
Sam Blitz

Fulham are more than Mitro

It was almost inevitable that Aleksandar Mitrovic would score on Sunday afternoon.

The striker had previously been involved in six goals in six games against Leeds in his career – and the way he barged Luke Ayling out of the way to meet Andreas Pereira’s corner hinted at a personal vendetta against the West Yorkshire club.

By scoring at a crucial time for Fulham in their comeback win over Leeds, he reaffirmed his status as the Cottagers’ man for a big moment.

But, both on Sunday and in recent weeks, Fulham are beginning to show that the Serb’s goals are not the only reason why they are up to seventh in the table.

Pereira is producing more goal contributions as the weeks go by, as is Harrison Reed – who produced another impressive display at Elland Road after his heroics against Aston Villa in midweek.

Willian is rolling back the years with his ball-carrying ability down the wing, while Joao Palhinha provides steel in midfield. Goalkeeper Bernd Leno showed in countless moments on Sunday how effective a big-game shot-stopper can be at times.

Fulham are up to seventh and now three points away from the Champions League places. With three games to go until the World Cup break, including two at home, how far can this team go?
Sam Blitz