You never know what you're going to get in these cup games. (Liverpool definitely doesn't.) On the one hand, Southampton hasn't been great this season and is coming off a hard fought midweek EFL win at Anfield. On the other, this team eliminated us from the League Cup without much trouble in the Fall. And complicating the picture is the fact that managers will rest some of their stars and give youngsters a run out. So I was hopeful, but not brimming with confidence.
The lineup was exciting: Welbeck up top, with Perez and Walcott on the wings; Ospina had Gibbs (that's Captain Gibbs to you!), Holding, Mustafi, and Bellerin in front of him; and the major gamble, as I saw it, was the overhyphenated midfield triumvirate of Maitland-Niles, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Reine-Adelaide. I know he's played there before in the youth setup, but I don't think of the Ox as a holding midfielder; and I had my doubts about The Jeff in Ozil's spot. But (spoiler alert) they did great. I was very impressed with all three of our mids. They got back when they had to (Ainsley mostly stayed back) and played about as well together as you could possibly have hoped from guys who don't normally play in those positions at all, not to mention together.
I don't have any criticisms of any of our players, actually. They were switched on all game, even when way ahead, and looked to go forward. The passing was pretty good. Obviously, there will be giveaways when these makeshift lineups play, but it was the Saints who were coughing up the ball with regularity. Ox, in addition to controlling things in the center of the pitch, made at least three fantastic passes to release our front three. He's always had that in his locker, so on days like today when his shot was not there he can still do a lot of damage to the opponents. Lucas Perez didn't have a goal (he should have had one), but I thought he was excellent all game. He and Ox made a good case for more playing time.
It was the goalscorers who will grab the headlines, though. Every goal was really well taken. Maybe their GK could have done better on one or two of them, but there was some excellent finishing on display today. Welbeck looked as good as I've ever seen him, and Theo was up for it every minute (as you might expect at his youth club). When Alexis came in for Danny, he was fantastic, and got the assists on Theo's second and third goals. Iwobi had some quality minutes too.
Hector is getting back to 100%. He needs to work on his crosses. Gibbs was solid. Holding was plenty good enough--I really like him. He may push ahead of Chambers and Gabriel next season if he improves as with top flight experience. Mustafi was the rock, though. He took command back there in Koscielny's absence and was imperious. Ospina keeps having shaky moments, but today none of them hurt him. He made some smart stops and was in charge of his area more than usual, grabbing corners and crosses instead of punching them or flapping at them.
Yes, the Saints looked quite poor at times, but they went after us all game and I think our guys made it look easier than it was by some sharp play and clinical finishing. The fifth round draw is Monday, I believe. I was hoping for Tottenham to go out or at least get a replay, but an own goal at the death bailed them out at home against League 2 Wycombe, 4-3. Wolves knocked out 'pool, but there are plenty of heavyweights left in the draw.
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