Southampton vs. Arsenal: Final score 1-1 in a match that was almost football

The New Year's Day football slate kicked off with a wildly entertaining match between West Brom and Fulham. The mid-day slate produced plenty of entertainment, with the Premier League's current top three sides putting in impressive attacking displays. That set the stage for the night cap, a match between Sunderland and Arsenal that looked sure to produce plenty of chances and goals going both ways.

Instead, both teams were very bad. The officiating wasn't much better. Neither side looked like they had the slightest idea how to move off the ball or make attacking passes, but some hilarious defending led to a couple of goals in a 1-1 draw.

Southampton netted the first goal of the afternoon in the 34th minute, with Jay Rodriguez capitalizing on a giveaway by Bacary Sagna and the ensuing scramble. It appeared that the Saints were going to carry a lead into halftime, but they gifted Arsenal an equalizer, with Guly do Prado hilariously putting a free kick from Arsenal into his own net.

The Saints had a goal disallowed on 73 minutes, with the referee's assistant flagging Gaston Ramirez for offside. Unfortunately for the official, Ramirez wasn't offside at all. There weren't any terribly clear-cut chances in the second half other than this in what was a truly horrific game. Arsenal managed just four shots, with their only shot on target comfortably saved by Artur Boruc in the 71st minute.