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Saints V Huddersfield Town The Verdict

This was not a bad performance, but it was characterised by a lapse of concentration that cost us very dearly.

There could be a tendency to review this performance on just the result alone instead of take it in context, it was not a bad display, indeed over the past few years we saw many displays like this under both Pochettino and Koeman, where we kept things tight, took our chance when it came and took all three points.

But what could have been a decent display was ruined by another lapse of concentration that allowed a free header in front of goal, not the first this season by a long chalk.

I am accused of having agenda's against certain players so all I am going to say here is that a cross was put into the penalty area and that Depoitre was completely unmarked at close range, a man should have been marking him, he wasn't and it was a simple task to head home completely unchallenged.

That wasn't the first time this has happened as those who saw Burnley win and Arsenal grab a late equaliser will testify, the difference between Saints now and two years ago is the ability to keep it tight at the back for the full 90 minutes, just these three unmarked headers have cost Saints five points, with them we would be comfortably in the top 10 and looking to move up the league, but without them we are now looking over our shoulders.

That turned the game although in fairness it should have been closed out with Saints creating several good chances, not least the one by Nathan Redmond where he took on the defence and laid the ball into the path of Charlie Austin who fired narrowly wide.

Saints are not a bad team, but they are in disarray, the players seem to be low on confidence and there is something badly wrong in the dressing room, perhaps Van Dijk is at least partly to blame for that, but the reality is that we need to sort out a replacement for him literally on the opening day of the transfer window, or things will get worse.

Whether Mauricio Pellegrino is the man for the Saints job is still very much open for debate, certainly things are working against him over which he has no control, not least Van Dijk and injuries.

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