x

Southampton At Brighton The Verdict

This was yet another game where when the teams came out you wondered what the hell the manager is doing and also yet another game where we were the victims of a poor VAR call.

When the team selection was announced before the game, it would be fair to say most Saints fans I was with before the game were perplexed, the first surprise was the inclusion of Joe Lumley, given how he was overlooked at the tail end of last season when Alex McCarthy was hauled from the stands before the game against Preston and jumped in above him, I would suspect that he was as surprised as the Saints fans that he should now be making his League debut and indeed his first ever game in the Premier League against Brighton.

This seemed a trifle harsh on McCarthy, yes he was at fault with two of the goals against Liverpool, but the first was down to his instructions from the manager and not his own error, he had followed the game plan.

Then there was the inclusion of Ryan Manning, he seems to be in and out of the team and even the squad on a week to week basis, he was joined by Yuri Sugawara, who has himself been on the bench for the last few weeks.

The rest of the line up was fairly predictable, although the subs bench was also a bit strange, Ronnie Edwards and Nathan Wood or Nathan Wood-Gordon as he now seems to be called, slotted in.

For most of the first half the game seemed to follow the usual pattern, we passed it around at the back and seemed to have stemmed the tide, then we give a goal away on the half hour mark.

There weren't many Saints supporters at half time who were hopeful of getting anything out of the game other than yet another defeat.

Brighton who were now sitting in 2nd place in the Premier League as it stood, would surely win with ease now.

But with 14 minutes of the second half the game swung when Flynn Downes fired through a crowd to equalise and it seemed to raise the spirits, the introduction of Ryan Fraser offered us an attacking option and he looked to be back to his best.

Saints seemed to have belief and then came the moment in the game that could have given us all three points, Tyler Dibling made a run and fed Fraser who crossed for Cameron Archer to fire the ball home, as we all know Archer was onside, Adam Armstrong wasn't but appeared not to have influenced the play, but this was Saints and VAR and again as we all know the goal was disallowed.

Perhaps this stirred us on a little as we kept our shape and in fairness Russell Martin made the right substitutions that meant that we both kept it tight and also posed an attacking threat.

The referee added a lot on for added time, 10 minutes was justified, but he played 13, but we got through.

So an unlikely point and one we can build on, Brighton are a good side as was evidenced by their brief sojourn in second place this weekend, we have something to build on now, it is still a tough ask, but we are just 4 points off safety, in truth we should already have those points in the bag, we have thrown more than that away, so if we do cut out the errors then there is hope.

This was a game where the fringe players such as Ryan Manning, Joe Aribo, Ben Brereton Dias & Even Sulemana all played roles, Jack Stephens had to concentrate on defending and not trying to play a hybrid role going forward and his game was all the better for it.

Perhaps playing the better teams suits us, we have to sit deeper and defend and then go on the break, the last two games has seen us battle a very good Liverpool side and almost get something out of it, indeed we should have but for our own errors and VAR and then this game.

Things are of course far from right, but a point is a point and I would rather take the positives from this game, than look at the negatives.

A decent team performance for one where we dug in and showed that we still have team spirit, the season still has a long way to go and you never know this point might be vital come May.

What to read next:

Southampton Set To Keep Chelsea Loan Signing
A couple of weeks ago it was odds on that Maxwell Cornet & Lesley Ugochukwu would be recalled by their club's, but now the situation seems to have changed for one of them.
Southampton V Brentford The Preview
Make no bones about this game, should Saints lose to the Bees, then with only 3 days gone of the New Year, we will just about be done and dusted in any effort to try and avoid relegation back to the championship.
Shea Charles On The Radar Of 3 Top Flight Clubs
The silly season starts today and the rumour mill is already turning at Southampton FC, one man who Russell Martin deemed surplus to requirements was midfielder Shea Charles who is currently on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, however he is attracting interest for a permanent move.
Do Southampton Cut Their Losses Now On This Season And Cash In On Kyle Walker Peters
After the Xmas period Saints find themselves effectively 11 points from safety due to our abysmal goal difference, so is the time nigh when we have to write off this season and start planning for the next and that means cashing in on Kyle Walker Peters.
Southampton At Crystal Palace The Verdict
Another improved performance but unfortunately another defeat meaning that an Xmas period that has seen only 1 point from 3 games, means that beating the drop is now an almost impossible task.
Crystal Palace 2 - 1 Southampton - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Southampton At Crystal Palace The Preview
The clock is ticking now on Saints chances of survival in the premier League, the Saints board's hesitancy, has left Ivan Duric with an uphill battle and that means that every game is must win.
Southampton In Advanced Talks For Defender But Could This Spell The End For Walker Peters
Saints are said to be the front runner for a left back also wanted by Nottingham Forest & Benfica, but could this mean they will cash in with Kyle Walker-Peters with his contract due up in the summer of 2025.
A Rough Guide To Crystal Palace
It's been a couple of years since we have been up to Selhurst Park, so time for a quick refresh on how to get there and what's around the ground etc, in fact all the info that you need for the trip.
Southampton V West Ham United The Verdict
It was a different and far more positive performance by Ivan Juric's Saints side than under his predecessor, but despite the more attacking style employed the result was the same as most of those achieved before.