Richard Heathcote/Getty ImagesEven though Arsenal equalized after Gaston Ramirez's first half goal, Southampton put on a superb performance against the Gunners on New Year's Day.

Saints walked off the pitch this evening having earned a point. They achieved the same result at the Brittania on Saturday, yet the feeling among the supporters couldn't have been more different.

- Match report: Southampton 1-1 Arsenal
- Saints happy to hold Gunners

For as much as the Stoke draw felt like a defeat, tonight's tie felt very much like a victory. This has everything to do with the way the team performed.

Nigel Adkins raised a few eyebrows with his team selection, preferring midfielder Jack Cork at right back over those more experienced in that position, as well as bringing Artur Boruc in from the cold to start in goal.

It looked like the decision to recall the Polish keeper was going to backfire on his manager, as he dropped to bread and butter claims in the early exchanges, but Saints weathered the storm. Most were questioning Cork's movement to right back, not because he isn't capable of moving positions, but rather he has had such an influence over games playing in central midfield and the worry was that would be lost. Steven Davis came in to play in Cork's position and coped admirably while the hideously underrated Cork put in a man of the match performance at fullback.

It wasn't that Saints played well in this game -- that doesn't do it justice. They were far the better side, and anyone lacking experience of the Premier League might have tuned in and confused Southampton for the giant.

So why then am I so pleased with a point? Well, because when you look at the fixture list, you write off certain games as defeats and this was one of them. No matter what happened, a point was a good result and the formidable performance a bonus.

After Gaston Ramirez, in perhaps his most influential performance since joining the club, had given the home side the lead, it felt like a game where Saints might upset the odds, and it was only the much-maligned Guly do Prado and his unfortunate own goal that gave Arsenal a share of the points.

It is extremely satisfying to know that the Saints performance was live to the world too. When the television broadcasters pick out a game like Saints v Arsenal, you know it is because there might be a drubbing. You can't blame them for this, and of course, Saints were thumped 6-1 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. But Saints have grown into the division now and their league position is still more representative of their early season struggles than their more recent form.

The Saints defence has long been considered a bit of a laughing stock, but in recent weeks -- the Stoke three goals aside -- they have been performing much better, and today was no different. Jose Fonte and Maya Yoshida were immense tonight, and contained Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla et al, who were fresh from purring seven past Newcastle with relative ease.

This was a thoroughly encouraging team performance and not a single Saints player could walk off wondering if they did enough. Adkins got his tactics and team selection spot on, and showed the squad versatility with a completely different game plan to that at Stoke.

Saints aren't out of the woods yet. And as I said earlier, their league position still shows they are suffering for their poor start. But I am confident they can push on now and start looking up the table. There will be some movement in the transfer market no doubt, but Saints have the basis of a decent squad and there is much to look forward to in 2013.

Keep the faith.

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