Saints At Aston Villa The Verdict

It wasn't the result that Saints wanted but on an evening when things weren't going their way Saints dug in and rescued a point.

The game went exactly the way that Saints did not want it to, with Aston Villa getting the opening goal and then getting behind the ball and going on the break.

The statistics said it all 64% possession for Saints, but this was not a game o squandered chances, Villa had a game plan and stuck to it, they held their line just outside their own penalty area and didn't give us the chance to get the ball into Pelle who found himself isolated and rarely got into the game.

The goal against us was a little bit of a mix up to say the least, Toby Alderweireld could probably have reached the hopeful through ball, but Fraser Forster called and failed to make it and it was a simple tap in.

From then on Villa stuck to the script, happy to hang on to what they had and looking to attack only on the break and from set pieces.

Saints did not really get their game going at any stage, but every side has an off day and perhaps we were well overdue one, but credit has to be given as we dug in and made sure that not only was the game still there for the taking, but hen the chance did come we took it.

It was a cracker from Nathan Clyne but it did not prove to be the calyst for a winner, again Villa dug in and held what they had.

The plus points of the game were the fact that perhaps last season we would have lost this game, his year we keep going and who knows how vital this point may turn out to be come May.

A bad day at the office for Saints but as I said all sides have them and a old side will get something out of a game when they have played badly and that was the case or us tonight.

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