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Southampton V Tottenham Hotspur The Verdict

After the defeat to Brentford, perhaps the last thing we needed was top 4 Spurs visiting St Mary's, the game didn't quite go to plan, but the truth was by the final whistle it felt like a win and suddenly Saints fans had belief that their team has the fight to stay up.

The usual pre match groans went up when the team was announced at 2pm , Moi Elyounoussi was in the line up and Charly Alcatraz and Kamaldeen Sulemana where on the bench.

But before we start it has to be said that Elyounoussi more than justified his selection as did Theo Walcott who in recent weeks has come in from the cold to play a good part in Saints revival under Ruben Selles.

Some games you can tell from the start whether Saints are up for the game or not, you could tell against Manchester United even before they had a man sent off that we were going to compete, in contrast against Brentford you could tell that we were going to struggle.

Against Spurs you felt that we would compete, we matched them in all areas for 45 minutes, despite the fact that by the 34th minute we had lost both of our central defenders to injury, indeed in this respect bizarrely both team had lost two players to injury in the first 37 minutes, Richarlison lasting only 5 minutes for Spurs.

The first half was a good one for Saints at least up to the first 45 minutes, barely had the announcement that there would be 7 minutes of injury time ended, then we were a goal time, Romain Perraud seemingly already having left the pitch and in the dressing room when suddenly Porro found that he was the only man on our left side and ran into the space, received the ball and smashed it home before anyone could get near him and cover the gap.

So going in at half time a goal down was not good, but many had not even got back to their seats in the second half when Saints equalised a minute after the restart, a great run and cross from Theo Walcott seeing Che Adams stab the ball home from close range, it was now game back on.

But again all our good work was undone and yet again it was a free header that saw us concede, Harry Kane had a couple of our players around him, yet neither could get anywhere near blocking him and he headed home on 65 minutes.

On 74 minutes Saints looked dead and buried, Spurs poured forward and we could do little about Persic's shot.

This silenced St Mary's and there were the usual people streaming for the exit's muttering dark things about Saints and the players, but it wasn't the mass walkout that we have seen on similar occasions, I can't say that most thought we could come back, but many stayed put and perhaps thought they would see what happens next.

Within 3 minutes they had the answer, Theo Walcott slotting home from a headed ball from Sekou Mara and suddenly the crowd believed and Spurs were on the rack, we had a spirit that Spurs didn't have, no one can deny the quality they have, but plenty can dispute the spirit in Antonio Conte's side, they could not match us for heart.

But it looked like they might hang on and like the first half there would be drama as the game turned into injury time, with 89 minutes on the clock and injury time being announced imminently Saints fans were praying that it would be the 7 minutes played in the first half, but then came a change in our luck.

Sarr who had only been on the field 3 minutes brought down Maitland -NIles and the ref pointed to the spot, of course this was far from certain that we would get a penalty to take and as we awaited VAR the board went up for 5 minutes injury time.

For once it went our way and it now needed James Ward Prowse to fire home from the spot, I have to say here I was a little disappointed it wasn't ruled as just outside the box, I thought JWP was a better bet to score from 18 yards than the penalty spot after his last miss, add that he would be taking his kick against former Saints Fraser Forster who had a decent record of saves during his time at St Mary's, perhaps the story would be the return of Forster to St Mary's and not the great comeback.

We all now know what happened next and St Mary's erupted, suddenly we were level and wanted the game over and a point secured instead of a long period of extra time, Spurs geed themselves up a bit for the final minutes but found a resolute Saints team and a St Mary's crowd who vamped up the volume.

The final whistle was greeted by an almighty roar and the Spurs fans who had spent much of the final 15 minutes singing "you're going down with the West Ham" were suddenly silenced .

The fans played a big part in this victory, they stayed with the team and never let up with their support, they sensed something in the air and it happened.

I still feel that we got the team selection slightly wrong, personally I would have played Ainsley Maitland-Niles from the start at right back and Kyle Walker Peters at left, I would have probably wanted both Sulemana and Charly Alcatraz in the starting line up, but I have to say on reflection that none of those that either would have replaced let us down.

We matched Spurs in every department, we got down and scrapped with them when we had to, the only downside was the first two goals, both of which should have been prevented.

Yes this week hasn't been great, 3 games played and just 2 points gained, this is less than what we need, but we are still in touching distance, Palace in 12th place are only 4 points above us, there is still a lot to play for.

There is a spirit in the squad that I feel is missing from many other teams in the bottom half, suddenly the likes of Forest & Palace are getting nervous as are several others like West Ham & Leicester as I said in another article reprising Kevin Costner in the film The Untouchables "Never Stop ! Never stop fighting till the fight is done !


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