Three Things We Learned From Arsenal’s Shocking FA Cup Exit Against Southampton

Mikel Arteta’s side have found a new way to lose as some worrying cracks were exposed by the Championship outfit.

It was not a good day for Arsenal, or Gabriel Jesus. | Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images

“April is the cruelest month.”

The opening line of T.S. Eliot’s epic poem The Waste Land was not written with Arsenal’s fortunes in mind. But it works as an accurate description of so many seasons in recent Gunners history just as well as a subversion of Geoffrey Chaucer’s image of 14th Century England.

Mikel Arteta’s side lost two of the last three Premier League titles with notable stumbles at the start of spring and fumbled their FA Cup aspirations this year with a shock quarterfinal defeat to Championship outfit Southampton on Saturday, April 4.

On the same day Manchester City, Arsenal’s direct rivals for the Premier League title, delivered one of the most convincing performances of any club team on the planet this season in a 4–0 evisceration of Liverpool, April 2026 threatens to be another cruel month for the Gunners. Especially if they continue to play as they did on the south coast.

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The New Way to Hurt Arsenal

Southampton were wearing a kit inspired by their last FA Cup win in 1976. | Matt Watson/Southampton FC/Getty Images

Southampton’s player of the match Léo Scienza was at pains to dismiss suggestions that the second-tier side’s 2–1 toppling of the Premier League leaders was some fluke. “It was not luck,” he insisted. He was right.

Tonda Eckert’s royally in-form promotion chasers fully warranted their win by carrying out a brave game plan few others have dared try against Arsenal: actually attack. The Saints were masterful off the ball, perfectly picking their moments to push right up on the Gunners (specifically at goal kicks) and when to drop into a compact shape in their own half. Individual defensive blunders didn’t help the visitors, but these were very much a case of forced errors.

As Eckert explained, Arsenal want to “bring the game into your half.” Southampton did a superb job of delaying this process. “There are definitely some moments where you can take the game in your hands,” the Saints boss outlined. “You might need to be more active.”

All too often teams sit off Arsenal in a passive low block. This can undoubtedly frustrate Arteta’s team—particularly if they don’t have all their creative assets fully fit—but the north London side’s ruthless efficiency from set pieces invariably breaks the deadlock. “You can’t just defend over 90 minutes against the quality that they have,” Eckert rightly surmised.

Manchester City adopted a similar approach in the Carabao Cup final. It is one thing to be muzzled by the press of a Pep Guardiola team, but if the side sitting seventh in the Championship can also frustrate Arsenal, there’s no reason why every other opponent they face this season can’t adopt a similar approach.

Bournemouth await Arsenal next in the Premier League. Cherries coach Andoni Iraola, who was in attendance at St Mary’s, never needs an invitation to go on the offensive. But he certainly got one during his scouting trip.

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All Too Eager to Fall Back Into Bad Habits

Max Dowman led Arsenal’s attack. | Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images

Arsenal had chances of their own against Southampton, racking up 23 shots and an expected goals tally of 1.61. The issue was how they created so many of these openings—or rather, who created them.

Max Dowman shone on his third start of the season, but the 16-year-old really shouldn’t have had so much of the spotlight thrust upon him. As Billy Carpenter pointed out, Arsenal’s spindly school kid was the leader in almost every attacking metric.

Arsenal:
— Most dribbles: Max Dowman (3/3)
— Most touches in box: Max Dowman (17, next highest Havertz with 8)
— Most total duels won: Max Dowman (8)
— Most fouls drawn: Max Dowman (4)

A combination of 🥲 and 😬.

— Billy Carpenter (@billycarpy) April 4, 2026

On another night, one of Dowman’s numerous forward forays would have resulted in a goal that could have secured Arsenal’s progression to the FA Cup semifinals. However, without being blinded by result bias, it’s clear to see how Dowman’s performance was simply an example of the Gunners slipping back into the bad habit of burdening their right winger with too great a workload.

During the darkest times of Arteta’s tenure, the Gunners’ attack has routinely broken down into a predictable tilt towards Bukayo Saka’s flank, the ball constantly rolling out to the double-marked England international. As the squad’s frazzled minds quickly ran out of ideas against Southampton, it was damning how often they returned to the painfully familiar option of passing the buck.

In fairness to the midfield and backline, Arsenal’s attacking options outside Dowman were not entirely inviting. Gabriel Jesus labored through his 60 minutes on the pitch as though he was playing in a giant patch of glue. One of the few members of the squad not to have even had the chance to pull out of international duty, the overlooked Brazil international still managed to play as though he was jet-lagged.

Gabriel Martinelli had a bit more spark about him—perhaps a little too much when he unwisely shoved referee Sam Barrott while trying to take a quick free kick—but typically lacked the necessary composure.

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Brighter Moments Ahead

Martin Ødegaard impressed while he was on the pitch. | Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images

As much as it may feel as though the wheels are coming off Arsenal’s season—the last two games have indeed wiped out two title tilts—there is some scope for hope.

Martin Ødegaard impressed on his first start since January. The club captain is so much more comfortable operating in tight spaces than anyone else in red and will be immensely important during Eberechi Eze’s month-long injury layoff. While it didn’t help Arsenal on Saturday to have Ødegaard substituted just as a glut of attacking players were thrown on—robbing the team of its supply line—that caution could pay off in the long run to avoid another lengthy absence.

Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice will also be restored to midfield for most matches to come while Jurriën Timber should shore up the right back spot upon his return from injury.

Arsenal remain nine points clear at the Premier League summit and have arguably the kindest run to the Champions League final of any remaining quarterfinalist. All is not yet lost.

“We have the most beautiful period of the season ahead of us,” Arteta wilfully insisted. April has started cruelly, but there is a chance that May could still end in triumph.

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