Arsenal and Southampton have very differing ambitions for the remainder of this season but neither were helped much by a 1-1 draw that saw both sides reduced to 10 men.
It was a slovely affair until just before the break when David Prutton fouled Robert Pires. The Southampton midfielder went down the tunnel after receiving his second yellow card, his Arsenal counterpart went to hospital for x-rays on an ankle injury.
Freddie Ljungberg scored almost immediately and Arsenal looked to be cruising when the game restarted. Then Robin van Persie also saw red for a second booking and soon afterwards Peter Crouch nodded Southampton’s equaliser.
Arsenal still had ample chanaces to win the game. Some they fluffed and some were saved by the excellent Paul Smith.
Ashley Cole thought he had won the game deep into injury time but his far post header was surprisingly disallowed for offside.
A disappointing end to an ultimately disappointing game.
Arsène Wenger sprung a surprise in his line-up by omitting Lauren. Kolo Toure moved to right back and Philippe Senderos stepped in to join Pascal Cygan at the back. Apart from that, the side nearly picked itself. Suspensions had robbed the manager of Dennis Bergkamp, Jose Antonio Reyes and Francesc Fabregas while ankle injuries had done likewise with Sol Campbell and Justin Hoyte. Edu was out with a hamstring problem.
As a result, Mathieu Flamini stepped into midfield and Van Persie joined Thierry Henry up front. Jeremie Aliadiere was named on the bench. It was the first time he had been involved in a competitive match this season after a serious knee injury.
Southampton started the game with the urgency of a side who knew they needed to pull out something special if they wanted to avoid the drop.
Henri Camara was the biggest thorn on the Arsenal side. With 80 seconds he had burst through on goal only to be dispossessed by Pascal Cygan as he looked set to shoot.
The home side had the better of the first 10 minutes but, amidst all that, Arsenal had the clearest chance. Flamini and Henry combined well as the visitors broke and the striker fed a low cross into the pass of Van Persie. The Dutchman set himself up nicely but his sidefoot shot flew wide.
The former Feyenoord striker was having a lively start and in the 17th minute conjured up a fine chance for himself. He collected the ball from Flamini with his back to goal and nudged it to his right to open an angle before beating his marker and firing in a low shot at keeper Paul Smith.
It was the best opening so far but it did not spark much life into a game that was, at best, tepid.
In the 31st minute, Rory Delap’s deep free-kick was nodded on by Crouch and Camara hooked a vicious shot towards goal from eight yards. However Jens Lehmann was well-positioned and smothered shot with some ease.
Patrick Vieira’s drive helped Arsenal get marginally on top towards the end of the first half. Then, in injury time, Prutton, who had earlier been booked for fouling Flamini, caught Pires near the touchline. The Southampton midfielder received his second yellow while his Arsenal counterpart was taken down the tunnel on a stretcher.
A minute later, Henry weaved his way through a couple of challenges in the area and prodded a ball to far post for Ljungberg to guide home a shot.
Wenger had just enough time to bring on Gael Clichy for the absent Pires before the half time whistle blew.
Arsenal seemed to want to kill off any chance of a comeback at the start. Flamini threaded a through ball to Van Persie, who cut inside and tapped a pass to the unmarked Henry five yards out. He had the goal at his mercy and that usual means only one thing. However his shot was at Smith who flicked out a leg to deflect the ball wide.
It was Van Persie’s last meaningful action. In the 52nd minute he fouled Graeme Le Saux and received his second yellow card.
Arsenal might still have got their crucial second when Henry set up Ljungberg and Cygan with chances. But Southampton rallied.
Their equaliser came in the 62nd minute when Jamie Redknapp’s corner floated over Lehmann and Crouch nodded down. The ball bounced up and over Cole and Ljungberg on the line. It was a “soft” goal but the home crowd did not seem to mind.
The beanpole striker nearly got another soon after when he held off Senderos on the left and sidefooted an angled shot past the advancing Lehmann.
But their revival did not last long. Henry’s deflected shot was gathered by Smith and then the Frenchman’s free-kick was deflected by Cygan for Ljungberg to nod towards the top corner only for Smith to save gymnastically.
Arsenal continued to get into good positions but the ball just was not bouncing their way.
Cole drove forward with six minutes left but could only stab his shot at Smith then, immediately afterwards, Crouch sent a diving header wide.
Henry escaped in the final second but again Smith prove equal. Right on the whistle he was beaten by Cole’s header from Ljungberg’s low cross but the celebrations were shortlived.
