Matt Targett has won the Saints official player of the month award for January, a very deserved accolade.
There will be some of us with a wry smile after learning that Matt Targett has pipped James Ward Prowse, Steven Davis and Shane Long to win the vote on Saints official club web site for the January player of the month.
In the opening weeks of the season with Ryan Bertrand out injured and Saints struggling to find form there were those on internet message boards who were quick to criticise Targett and claim that not only was he not up to the job, but he was proof that the youth system was now failing.
Those people claiming that seemed happy to ignore Targett's inexperience in their condemnation along with the fact that he was playing in a completely newback four bar Jose Fonte and with a new goalkeeper.
So it is with pleasure that I read that Targett has won this accolade, it shows that the doom mongerers who are quick to find an individual player as a scapegoat are in a minority and that the majority of Saints supporters are happy with the progress that Saints are making and that this is a long term project and a marathon not a sprint.
Targett revelled in his new role in the side in a more forward position and it enabled him to use his talent for putting in accurate through balls and crosses and having Ryan Bertrand behind him has given him the confidence to shine, as he told the official site.
"I’m over the moon to win the Player of the Month award."
"January was a massive month for us as a team and for me as an individual. I’m really happy to get the award."
"I think being part of the four nominees gave me lots of confidence. I didn’t think I’d actually win it so it has been great."
"I’d just like to say thank you to everyone who has voted and hopefully I can carry on the good form.”
"I’m enjoying it,” he affirmed. "When the manager said he wanted to change formation, he put Ryan at left-sided centre-back and me at wing-back."
"It gave me a lot of confidence and with Ryan behind me it gives me the belief to push on because I know he’s got my back.”