Football: Beatt rocks Wenger boys

WHEN Southampton moved from the Dell to St Marys 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 crowd 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 waive 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, 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. Denis 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 chose worrying signs of thinking that three points is 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-fields 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.

No, make that eight goals, four of which have been penalties. Beattie's latest spot-kick triumph came as a result of the games 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 handing Campbell a red card.

Delgado 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 Saint's day, providing further evidence that they are now a team that can mix it with the big boys.

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