Yet again Arsenal failed to make early dominance count, and came away with a draw from a home game we should have won.

Wiltord got the opener after great play from Pires and Henry. The former slipping one his regular excellent balls into the box for Henry to run onto and take to the goal line on the right. He crossed it into the 6 yard box where Bergkamp went up a little half-heartedly for the header against Jones the Saints keeper. The ball dropped to the ground and Wiltord was first to react, poking into the open goal.

Upson had a disappointing game on his return to the starting line-up in place of Keown, and Luzhny did little to change anyone's mind. To be fair to them, both these players did well to get back and retrieve their own mistakes a number of times.

But it was Vieira's absence which probably made the biggest difference. He did start the game, but looked sluggish and went off early with a tight hamstring. Gio came on, and later had to move to left back when Grimandi came on for Cole. Ashley was forced off with an injury (brought about by his own excellent tackle on Davies). It all made the side look rather unfamiliar and shaky in defence. According to Ananona, Cole is out for 3 weeks. with knee ligament damage.

Maybe Arsenal aren't used to having 11 men on the pitch. That's what the crowd seemed to think as we shouted ironically for Edu to be sent off when he (according to the ref anyway) fouled on our left wing.

He picked up just a yellow card. And the equaliser came from that free kick, Jo Tessem rising unmarked in the centre of goal to head it home. Saints strikers tricked our defence rather too easily, all moving back onside as the kick was taken and leaving their markers rooted.

Of course, events on the pitch were somewhat secondary today, as there was an air of celebration following the unveiling of Arsenal's new crest.

For the record, Arsenal set a new Premiership record today, having scored in 26 consecutive Premiership games. This beats the previous record set by Liverpool last year. We'd gladly trade that record for a few more wins at home! Given the points dropped at Highbury this season to Bolton, Blackburn, Charlton, Newcastle, and now Southampton, it's amazing that we're still up there. That's got something to do with our unbeaten away run.

Thanks to Rob at Opta for the stats on that latter run. Man Utd currently hold the record for longest unbeaten away run: 17 matches in 1999. Arsenal's current run of 13 isn't our best either because the Gunners went 14 away games unbeaten between January 97 and the 3-0 defeat by Derby in November of that year, which is the second best Premiership run ever.

Wins for Man Utd (4-1 at Sunderland, how long now for Peter Reid..?) and Newcastle (3-2 at home to Bolton) move us down to third in the table. Liverpool play Leeds tomorrow.

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