Arsenal’s FA Cup journey got here to a painful finish on Saturday after the Gunners had been surprised 2-1 by Southampton at St Mary’s, and as Softfootball reported, it was one other irritating cup setback for Mikel Arteta’s aspect simply two weeks after dropping the Carabao Cup remaining to Manchester Metropolis.
For a staff that when had quadruple discuss surrounding them, this was a brutal reminder of how rapidly soccer can humble even the strongest-looking sides.
Southampton struck first within the thirty fifth minute via Ross Stewart after Arsenal didn’t take care of a harmful second in transition. Arsenal pushed for a response and finally discovered it halfway via the second half when Viktor Gyökeres got here off the bench and made an instantaneous influence, scoring the equaliser to revive hope.
However simply when it regarded just like the Gunners may drive further time and even discover a winner, Southampton hit them on the break within the eighty fifth minute and Shea Charles completed it off to finish a well-known upset.
The defeat will sting much more as a result of Arsenal had gone into the sport with a lot nonetheless to combat for this season. They’re nonetheless high of the Premier League and stay alive in Europe, however this newest collapse has solely intensified questions round their mentality in huge knockout moments.
It additionally got here with contemporary damage issues, with Gabriel Magalhães showing to select up one other challenge after so many Arsenal gamers had already withdrawn from worldwide obligation not too long ago.
After the outcome, Arsenal posted on their X deal with and followers wasted no time reacting. Tessy wrote,
cease avoiding trophies Arsenal,
whereas Bello mocked the upcoming European take a look at by saying,
Let’s hope sporting doesn’t flip your consideration again to the premiere league by Tuesday night time… 😂😂.
Aryan added,
From Quadruple hopes to bottling 2 trophies in 2 weeks 😂😂😭 Legendary Stuff!!
One of many harshest reactions got here from Hearth, who wrote,
10 Arsenal gamers ‘injured’ their manner out of worldwide obligation… simply to fly again and get KO’d by Southampton within the FA Cup? 😂 Faux accidents for membership, zero excuses on the pitch. Arteta’s miracle restoration squad couldn’t even beat the Saints. Karma referred to as, and it’s 2-1…
Gods1st Son additionally joined in with,
We’re profitable the quadruple they mentioned 😆 🤣,
whereas Emi Satan Ideas questioned Arsenal’s title credentials by saying,
Arsenal with this manner I don’t suppose they’ll win the premier League.
Nonetheless, not each fan fully gave up. Blaq tried to maintain hope alive, posting,
Chin up lads, we will nonetheless win the premier league and champions league.
And to be truthful, that’s now the fact Arsenal should face. Their home cup hopes are gone, however the largest prizes are nonetheless technically there to combat for.
Softfootball had additionally beforehand reported on Arteta’s response after Arsenal fell to Metropolis within the cup remaining, a defeat that already ended one trophy dream, and in addition lined how Arsenal secured their Champions League quarter-final place with a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, a outcome that confirmed the standard this staff nonetheless has when every thing clicks.
That’s the reason this Southampton loss feels so damaging not as a result of Arsenal are poor, however as a result of they maintain displaying flashes of being good, solely to crash when it issues most.
Now all eyes flip to Sporting CP and the Premier League run-in. The strain is rising, and after this newest collapse, Arsenal merely can’t afford one other slip. Southampton uncovered them. The subsequent few weeks will present whether or not this staff can really reply like champions.
