Football: Gunners Beatt-en up

WHEN Southampton moved from The Dell to St Mary's last season there were fears that the gripping, intimidating atmosphere of the old ground could not be recaptured.

How foolish those fears are now proving, as Arsenal discovered yesterday when the league leaders were overwhelmed not just by the 11 men they faced on the pitch, but the admirable, passionate crowd who willed the home side on to a memorable victory.

The on-pitch heroics were down in no small part to James Beattie, who continued his phenomenal scoring run with a goal in each half. It says much for Beattie's performance yesterday that he was in no way embarrassed in comparison to his formidable Arsenal opposite number Thierry Henry.

Despite unrest about Henry playing 70 minutes for France in midweek, Arsene Wenger took the "gamble" of playing his leading scorer from the start.

Wenger took the decision after talking first to Henry but even if the 25-year-old had told him that he was so exhausted he could barely stand, the temptation would have been to play him. For immediately the Frenchman was in the thick of things, snaffling the ball from midfield and turning in an instant to set up a wave of attacks that broke down through little fault of his own.

It was a good job for Arsenal that Henry was looking so lively because many of his team-mates struggled in this absorbing game.

Arsenal had 14 players away on international duty last week, but it must still have come as a surprise to their supporters to see a strong line-up fail to control the game against supposed minnows.

It says much for Southampton's spirit and defiance that the first earnest chance of the match fell to them. In the 23 minute Pascal Cygan miscued his clearance, allowing Matthew Oakley a 20-yard shot at David Seaman, who was at full stretch to flick wide. Trouble is, allow Arsenal even one chance and you are flirting with inevitability. That became clear in the 36th minute when Sylvan Wiltord slipped past Wayne Bridge to cross from his right.

Most players running on to that ball would have done their best to control it before setting up a shot. Dennis Bergkamp doesn't need to do that.

Instead he thumped a first-time shot that skidded off the ground before flying past keeper Antti Niemi.

Prior to the goal, Bergkamp had ghosted in and out of the game, a subtle rather than an ever-present danger to Southampton's defence. Who cares? He is there when it matters.

But after Bergkamp's strike, Arsenal showed worrying signs of thinking that three points are almost a given for them these days. They should have known better. A free-kick in added time shocked them out of any complacency when Beattie whacked a stinging low shot passed Seaman.

For a man whose off-field antics so nearly threatened his bright future on the pitch, Beattie has seized his second chance well. This was his seventh goal in his last six games.

He soon made that eight goals, four of which have been penalties. Beattie's latest spot-kick triumph came as a result of the game's most controversial incident. Cygan put his side in bother when losing possession to Agustin Delgado, the Ecuador striker who was making his first start for Southampton after more than a year at the club.

Sensing the chance to be a hero, Delgado surged clear of the hapless Cygan and into the box.

There he was inelegantly bundled over by Sol Campbell, who appeared to make little attempt to reach the ball. Ref Paul Durkin wasted little time in pointing straight to the spot and showing Campbell a red card.

Southampton manager Gordon Strachan could not have been more fulsome in his praise for Beattie's performance, saying: "James could have scored four today. He gave us a terrific presence.

"Last week at Newcastle I said that Alan Shearer was the difference, today James was the difference."

Strachan had no doubts that Southampton deserved their penalty. "If you are going through on goal and someone brings you down that's it, it's a penalty."

Delgado, meanwhile, need not have worried about becoming a hero.

It happened in the 67th minute and followed a howler from David Seaman, who completely misjudged a Fabrice Fernandez corner from which Delgado scored at the far post.

Robert Pires put Arsenal back in with a chance with a goal late on. But an equaliser would probably not have been deserved. This was Saints' day, providing further evidence that they are now a team that can mix it with the big boys.

Wenger admitted he was unsure whether Sol Campbell should have been handed a red card for bringing down Delgado.

"I have been in England for a long time now and I still don't know what is and what isn't a penalty, so I can't judge the referee's decision," he said.

"Of course you can discuss decisions that the referee made, but we also have to look at ourselves. We could have won the game despite what happened.

"Southampton played very well, all credit to them. But as long as we didn't make a mistake it looked as if we would win."

SOUTHAMPTON ARSENAL

6 Shots on target 11

6 Shots off target 1

0 Shots blocked 3

3 Corners 8

10 Fouls conceded 17

3 Offsides 3

1 Yellow cards 2

0 Red cards 1

match VERDICTS

MAN OF THE MATCH james BEATTIE

Since a drink-driving conviction earlier in the season, Beattie has resurrected his career, and is currently on a sublime goal- scoring run. He impresses with commitment to the team, and was busy helping his colleagues in defence. He clearly knows how lucky he has been. From zero to hero, he is now being tipped for an England call- up.

RAISE YOUR GAME

PASCAL CYGAN

Inability to clear the ball put Arsenal in a mess that lead to the penalty. It was not the first time he had failed to clear, either. Martin Keown must feel confident of an instant recall when fit.

PLAYER RATINGS

SOUTHAMPTON Niemi 7, Bridge 6, Svensson 6, Lundekvam 6, Dodd 7, Marsden 7, Oakley 7, Delap 6, Fernandes 7 (Telfer), BEATTIE 8, Delgado 7 (Ormerod).

ARSENAL Seaman 5, Luzhny 6, Campbell 5, Cygan 5, Cole 6, Ljungberg 6 (Pires 7), Vieira 7, Wiltord 7, Edu 5 (Toure 6), Henry 7, Bergkamp 7 (Jeffers 6)

VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT

GORDON STRACHAN

I don't think anyone could say that we didn't deserve this result. It proves we have got a good side here and we just need a little belief. At half-time I told them how good they were and to stick to the game plan. It's good to play against good teams like Arsenal as it is a step to making us the good team.

ARSENE WENGER We had enough chances to win. I am happy with the spirit that the team showed. The sending off was not the only turning point. Southampton's first goal was also a turning point. Pascal Cygan jumped completely normally, the referee gave a free-kick, no one knows why, and Southampton scored.

VIEW FROM THE TERRACE

SOUTHAMPTON

Dave Roper, from Chandlers Ford, said: "Saints were always in control and I could not believe how ordinary Arsenal were. I never felt they were going to come back from 3-1 down."

ARSENAL

Paul Stopes, from Hemel Hempstead, said: "I don't know what has gone wrong, but the turning point today was the dismissal of Sol Campbell. Wenger must do something quickly, because the players did not look interested and they were brushed aside when it mattered."

REFEREE

P DURKIN Correct penalty call, but the sending off was less clear- cut and changed the game.....................6

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