📸: arsenal.com

I must confess, as that match winded towards full time and seeing the scoreboard at 1-0 against Arsenal, I told myself that the Champions League dream was over for Arsenal as I can't explain how we have lost three games against teams way below us conceding six goals and scoring just one, despite attempting over 50 shots.

The only hope Arsenal still has in making this top four is thanks to the bottlers and falterers around them with whom they're chasing this last spot. I've always known that Tottenham are a very consistent inconsistent team and while I was happy they lost their game, I was sad because I just brought in Son into my FPL team and I capped him. Maybe I should have just capped Saka who has two games, at least, he'd give a minimum eight points over the two games, which is more than the six Son returned. Double tragedy for me.

I had hope that Spurs would play a score-draw and maybe Son score and Kane assist, but Brighton - spoilers that they are - wanted to give me more hope by winning that game in the last minute. Good for Trossard, scoring two important goals against bigger opponents in consecutive games. He must have "arrived" in his mind now.

Arsenal had all the incentives to play that game given that they played after Spurs. From last post, I mentioned that Nketiah was deserving of more game time due to his impressive cameos and it turned out he led the lines after Lacazette pulled out with Covid-19. In all fairness, I was impressed by Nketiah, but impression isn't what we need right now. We need someone who can deliver. Lacazette himself has been a big culprit with his profligacy in front of goal and after reading an interview this morning where he's mentioned that he's been talking to clubs and wants to leave to play in Europe, I can only say goodbye already. Didn't think I'd see this day when I'd be hoping he left.

It was difficult for us due to the personnel we have at hand knowing where our problems lie; our left back and mainly midfield. Arteta decided to move Xhaka back into the middle to partner Lokonga, which for me was a good decision but would have been better if he played Xhaka alongside Elneny. For crying out loud, why has he remained adamant to play an unprepared Lokonga over a more experienced player like Elneny. True, I must commend the positions Lokonga was getting into in that game. He got in positions in the final third where Partey would normally get, but he couldn't do anything with the ball. What's the essence of having a fine handwriting if you can't pass examinations?

At left back, Tavares was recalled and he also did better than his previous two games, at least he wasn't subbed off at half time like the other two games. We know he's a threat in the final third. We saw that with a free kick he won at the other end. That's the kind of dynamics he brings to that attacking option which I think Tierney doesn't really live up to. You don't have to cross all balls when you get to the byline. You can always cut inside and explore other options, like he (Tierney) did and scored against West Brom last season. However, a defender's primary duty is to prevent the opposition from scoring and Tavares improved on that in this game. That's commendable.

I'm still wondering why Cedric was allowed to take set pieces when we had Saka and Odegaard on the pitch. Two great setpieces in dangerous positions that could have caused Southampton problems if well delivered were wasted by Cedric. He just hit both balls out of play. He wasted our time and efforts to set up for the kick. After wasting the first one, I didn't believe he should have been given another one to waste. He's been a fair backup for Tomiyasu, I can't wait for the Japanese to be back and Cedric should most likely leave in the summer.

Five matches ago, I was very optimistic and was aiming to topple Chelsea in that third place but now, here we are, back in 6th place and struggling to even score, not to talk of winning.

A bigger test awaits us on Wednesday against Chelsea. This is a game I'm always excited about but I'm far from that right now because I know our midfield is in a mess and without that connector (which has been Partey), I'm not expecting anything from the game. But you know, the fan in me would still be hopeful. I'm expecting the worst so that when something good eventually comes, I'd be glad. I can't bring myself to do other way round.

On the flip side, I've been rethinking. I attended a training recently about rewiring the mindset and how we can stream energies to one another even though we're miles and oceans apart. In the last two games, I've been streaming not too positive energies at Arsenal, especially that Palace game due to the first leg and this Southampton game due to the two previous losses. I streamed a more positive energy against Brighton though, but we still lost.

I still believe in Arteta's project and I'm hopeful that a good summer spending may well spell boom for us. He has done enough up till this moment. I can cut him the slack on the kind of players he has at his disposal, even though he should have strengthened in January.

I'd just watch the game with the tiniest bit of hope. Knowing that Partey won't be available for the remainder of the season is enough discouragement to watch our games. I hope we can Bank of our history of doing well against big oppositions when the chips are down.

Thank you for reading.