SFC Ref isn't just an expert on the laws of the game, he also takes a keen interest in Southampton FC and like all of us he has his opinions about where Saints are going wrong or for that matter right.
Saints Watch
It was quite a poor display on Wednesday against Brentford with us just creating absolutely nothing in this game, and just highlights of just how little threat we’ve got up front and how desperate we need to find a way to get the ball into the back of our opponents net without it coming from a set piece!
But still the result meant that we really did need something in Saturday's game, and going into it really if we were to well and truly keep everyone’s hopes up we really needed a win, with a draw depending on how those around us did for how we felt going into the international break.
But I was always saying that Saturdays result was going to be also down to which spurs would turn up, whether it was the one that could beat Man City or the one that could get hammered by Leicester was going be a big part of how we fared, which it did.
As when the team for Saturday came out I had mixed opinions towards it. Charly Alcaraz being on the bench I could kind of understand, as he’s been playing loads recently so may not of been fit enough to start this game without any risks of injuries.
But our back line seemed good, and it was nice to see Romeo Lavia back in the squad and Stu finally getting a start, but why Elyounoussie was in there I didn’t get, and even thought that tall Paul should’ve been playing over Adams after how he’d been recently.
So some mixed thoughts towards the starting 11.
The first 37 minutes was a very different experience for many of us at the game, as both teams had to take off two players due to some early injuries on both sides, leading to both teams having simply 1 opportunity to makes subs (other than half time) for the rest of the game. Apparently this was only the second time in Premier League history that both sides have made two substitutions each before half time, so given the limited number of substitutions allowed before 1992, possibly only the second time in the history of the English game.
After hearing that Jan Bednarek has a fractured rib, it certainly doesn’t sound the best for him, which is annoying seeing how decent he’s been since coming back and has proved many that criticised him very wrong.
I’m not sure what happened to ABK but he didn’t look good either, and then both coming off lead to us having to play a fullback/winger, Maitland-Niles, in the Centre half role alongside Salisu.
But we started the game quite well, and for the first 40 minutes were all over them, but unfortunately just never getting those final touches and just couldn’t seem to score with no shots on target throughout the whole of that first half.
Yet just after the injury time board went up, with their first shot on target of the day, Spurs went 1-0 up just before half time, just like the usual nonsense saints get!
Still you couldn’t of asked for much more of a better start for that second half, with us getting an equaliser straight off the trot, with a great goal from Adams who’s finally got a league goal this calendar year. But after that it all started to fall to pieces and we just seemed to lay back and switch off, with spurs taking over and not surprisingly going 3-1 up due to some poor mistakes from the lads.
As after Spurs got their third, I saw many saints fans leaving, and rightfully so for what we’re used to getting, which almost included myself, but did decide to give it another 10 minutes or so, which was certainly the right choice!
Many weren’t too happy with Ruben changing up our forward line just before they got their 3rd, but all 3 of Mara, Alcaraz and Sulemana got us back into this game and were important in our comeback.
Those last 15 minutes and the determination those lads showed, is a major reason as to why I’ve got some hope that we can still stay up this season. As the second goal was again another decent one, and the penalty from Prowse was so stressful to watch after his last one against Leicester, but to have the guts to hit that top bins in such a pressurised position, was something else and a great penalty from him.
So as much as we did need more than a point, it was still a decent performance from the lads, even more so for how we had to change both our centre half’s within the first 34 minutes.
To be rock bottom of the league, 3-1 down, to get back into that game and even not be too far off getting a winner, was a great show from the team, and some stress in the right way for once at St Mary’s.
But also Ruben did shut up some of his critics, including myself, with how well his subs worked and how good Walcott and even Elyounoussi were, with both playing fairly well. So really a decent result for us and has kept us battling for survival.
To read this week's Ref Watch this week use the link below:
https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/59877/referee-watch-with