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Southampton At Chelsea The Carabao Cup Verdict

Saints went out of the Carabao Cup in a penalty shootout, but they came through the came with a fighting spirit and pride that made you proud to be a Southampton fan, we can march on with our heads held high.

Both sides put out vastly changed sides from the weekend and it was the home side who made the early running and it needed a great save from Fraser Forster to keep Saints in it.

It was the same old story for Saints though just before the break, we had got ourselves into the game and looked solid then we got caught on the break and although we got the ball out for a corner Havertz had a free header to put Chelsea ahead on the stroke of half time.

When the teams came out for the second half there weren't many Saints fans with high hope of the second half, surely Chelsea would now swamp an inexperienced Saints side.

But within two minutes of the restart it was the home fans who were silenced, Yan Valery pressed and won the ball, Kyle Walker Peters surged forward and his cross ball was swept home from close range by Che Adams.

Now it was game on and both sides went backwards and forwards, but Chelsea found Lyanco a solid rock in the centre of the Saints defence, he was mobile he was strong and he didn't know when he was beaten, he inspired his team mates both in his performance but verbally as well, I can see Lyanco being the latest cult hero.

If Chelsea did get past the defence and that was mainly from shots rather than carving us open they found Fraser Forster in inspired form, he produced several superb saves and stood strong from start to finish, he looked like the Fraser Forster of old, confident and strong.

But it wasn't just these two it was every player on the pitch, some were not having the run of the ball but they put in a shift and battled hard to make sure Chelsea never got a real grip on the game even when they brought on the big guns late on.

In the final minutes it was Saints who could have won it, Arrizabalaga saved brilliantly twice in quick succession as Saints ended with a flurry of corners, both Lyanco & Salisu were left wondering how he had kept out their attempts.

But it was not to be and in the final minute Fraser Forster had to make a smart save before the referee blew for time.

So to penalties and sadly it was not be our night, Forster saved well from Mason Mount but Theo Walcott and Will Smallbone failed to convert and Saints were out.

But as disappointing as it is there were plenty of plus points from this game, the main one being that we have a squad now who have spirit and fight.

Jan Bednarek and Alex McCarthy must be worried about their place for Watford on Saturday, Forster was magnificent and Lyanco was the big strong defender we have lacked for a long while, if he can repeat displays like this in the Premier League , then he will tighten up our back four.

All in all as I said in the Preview, a couple of years ago I would have said the League cup was our best chance for Europe, but with Manchester City winning it 5 times of the last 6, that has now changed.

We should be proud of our team tonight, no one and i mean no one let us down tonight, they played for the club they played for the manager and they played for pride, we may still be short in a few things but we don't lack spirit, this can see us through.

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