Yet again Saints concede a goal in the final minutes and this one seems like the end of the world, but it isn't !
I delayed writing this Verdict for several reasons, the first being that I like many was gutted to once again see us throw away a goal in injury time and in such a vital game.
The second was that I wanted to wait a little, let my own emotions calm down and look at it rationally, on Sunday I saw many knee jerk reactions on social media, yes this was a disastrous result, but it is not a fatal one, some people have lost sight of all that Ralph Hasenhuttl has done and are using this game as a barometer for the whole season.
I get accused of all sorts of things at times if I put up a view that does not coincide with that of the popularist one, but I try to look beyond the easy options and look at all the evidence, I was hopeful that the arrival of Ralph Hasenhuttl would bring an end the era of bedwetting and usher in a new positive one, but it seems I was wrong, some people have short memories, the Koeman years are now looked upon with rose tinted spectacles, many forget the constant criticism that went on back then against the board, certain players and even the manager, I had hoped that this had now gone, sadly after our first defeat in 5 Premier League games it hasn't
The issue as in every game has been poor defending and in 3 of the last 4 games we have conceded goals in injury time, the last two games have especially hurt us in that they have cost us 3 points, the table would look a lot different with those two goals not conceded.
Without wanting to sound smug I have spent two years pointing out our deficiencies in defence, earlier in the season the scapegoat was Wesley Hoedt, with him gone nothing has really changed, we have taken a big big gamble in letting Hoedt go and not replacing him and so far it has not paid off, but the only table that matters is the final one.
Some even blame Gao for this defeat and demand he get out of the club, anyone get caught up in the queue of prospective owners stretching down Brittannia Road after the game ? I thought not neither did I !
We lost this game for the same reasons we have dropped points in others, lapses in concentration and poor defending leading to conceding goals we really shouldn't have.
But we did concede these and we can now not change that, I don't think that Ralph Hasenhuttl has done much wrong since his arrival, but I think he did get this one wrong, personally as I said in the preview, we needed to change the goalkeeper and a central defender and I was proved right.
I also thought we lacked the delivery that Matt Targett has given us in recent weeks, in a short period of time he has rocketed to the top of our list for assists, Ryan Bertrand did little wrong, but his final ball was not of the quality of Targett's in recent weeks.
But Ralph Hasenhuttl isn't the first manager to get it wrong tactically from time to time and he won't be the last, as I have always said it not about what you have just done it's all about what you do next.
This was not a great display but it was a dominant one, we had 67% possession, 14 attempts to their 6, 7 on target to their 3 and it's that last stat that tells it all, 3 attempts and 2 goals, their keeper was man of the match ours watched their injury time winner trickle in, defensively we seem to keep switching off at key moments, having snatched a late equaliser and being in possession we give an awful pass straight to Cardiff to allow them to break and catch us is complete disarray, that is just not acceptable.
I have been pointing out our defensive frailties for far too long now, often mine has been the contrary view to the popular one, I have pointed out the free headers given over the past couple of years and the poor marking, but been told I have something against the player and it wasn't his fault but someone else's.
Football is all about players who can change games, it's about those who perform well at key moments, I look at those who do that not those that flatter to deceive.
We are still in the relegation fight but we are far from finished and in better shape for it than we were a year ago, this was our first defeat in 2019, let's put it in perspective, there are five teams above us within 3 points, we are not cast adrift.
What this defeat has shown us is that we need to guard against complacency, that cost us for their second goal, that the FA Cup break is very welcome in that in gives us chance to get the injured players back to fitness, Danny Ings probably won't be fit for Arsenal away but he will hopefully be back for Fulham at home and that is the crucial fixture of the next month, as will hopefully Stuart Armstrong, Michael Obafemi and Mario Lemina.
The key though is not to let this drag us down, stay with the team and be behind them not against them, I'm sick to death of being surrounded by those whose default support of Saints is not "Come On Saints" but "Oh No Saints" or "For f*cks sake, Saints/Hoedt/Stephens/Targett/ Ward Prowse/Vestergaard/Long/Austin/ Elyounoussi or a host of other names and scapegoats, the fact I can name so many should tell us all something an make some stand back and consider whether they want to support or abuse the team.
I am not having a go at anyone hear just pointing out something I have noticed in watching most of the Saints matches home and away this season, the bulk of our support is superb and the numbers we turn up in is still good, but last season a toxic atmosphere dragged us down, I cannot argue that there was some good reasons for the discontent, and certainly the first half of this season.
But now we have a good manager, he is learning his way in the Premier League, he has worked miracles so far, we need him to work a few more so are you behind him or against him.
Now is the time to stand up and be counted, I know where I stand and that is I am a supporter of Southampton Football Club, I go to games to "SUPPORT" !