BEVERLY HILLS, January 23, (THEWILL) – The elimination of the English FA Cup defending champions Arsenal from the competition that had earned them the title “Cup Team” at the hands of Southampton on Saturday came by a lone own goal scored by returning centre back Gabriel Magalhaes. It is a fitting metaphor for the Gunners’ entire season so far.
By definition, the own goal scenario results when a player inadvertently scores against his or her own team and defines a self-inflicted damage which, more often than not, ends up to be quite costly for the team as a whole.
This season, Arsenal has been a victim of literal and metaphorical own goals. Arsenal’s young talent with the most impressive stats this season, Bukayo Saka, got the own goal tally going in the 8th November 3-nil loss to Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium. Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang followed that act up with his own goal in the 1-0 December 13 loss to Burnley.
In the Premier League match that followed, Arsenal right back Rob Holding, joined the unfortunate duo in the unwanted list of own goals scorers when by diverting the ball into his goal, Everton beat Arsenal two goals to one in their December 19 clash at Goodison Park.
Saturday’s lone own goal loss is another addition to the blacklist. With it, Arteta, who won the FA Cup in his first season as a head coach, gets his first defeat as Arsenal boss in the Cup competition. To have his first competition ouster decided by another goal from one of his own must be stinging for the Gunners’ boss.
The metaphorical side of it is that it was Arsenal’s game to win. They had 61.6 per cent of possession, and were arguably the better team in the second half. Yet, with all that in their favour, they only managed two shots at target: one tame from Edward Nketiah, the other saved by the foot of Saints’ goalkeeper Fraser Forster from Nicolas Pepe.
The selection that allowed the unimpressive Willian and low-firing Nketiah to both start and finish the game is not only questionable but part of the self-infliction that has led to Arsenal’s unceremonious exit. Even Pepe was not at his obvious best but played on for all 90 minutes.
The proof of why the initial selection was another self-inflicted wound was the difference a player like Saka made with his introduction into the squad in the second half. The tempo of Arsenal’s entire play witnessed a positive upping as the young player injected some pace into the forward movement just as he nearly had an assist for fellow substitute Alexandre Lacazette.
In the end, it was Southampton that progressed to the next round with the joy of beating Arsenal in the FA Cup for the very first time. Their previous FA Cup encounters had the Saints drawing one and losing four against the Gunners. By so doing, they ended Arsenal’s run of 508 minutes without conceding in all competitions since Boxing Day.
However way the Gunners’ 2020/2021 season ends, they will look back at these self-inflicted damages and reflect upon the difference it could have made were they not as harmful to themselves as much as has been so far.
Mistakes are bound to happen in a game as football but selection choices and tactical interventions from the bench can make all the difference to how these mistakes are managed and applied for better results. Arsenal will hope they do not continue like this especially as they next play Southampton back in the league.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
