A tale of two halves as Saints dominated the first and struggled in the second, the game hinged on several key moments, lets take a look at them and see how and why it all went wrong.

I have taken my time putting this review up, I didn't want to write it in the cold heart of day only minutes after the game had finished.

Likewise I didn't want it to be read whilst emotions were running high, I wanted people to look at what I see as the key points and consider them rather than just blindly ranting, as is the norm for some people after a defeat.

It is our worst run of League defeats in our history, there is no getting away with that, but this is not a normal season and there is no getting away with that either, so where did it go wrong, what could we have done differently.

I thought the first mistake was retaining Alex McCarthy in goal, I think at the moment he has a fragile confidence, it was time to give him a rest, initially in the first half he looked Ok, although his kicking was still out, but in the first half everything looked good, we dominated the game and had a deserved lead through a superb goal from Danny Ings.

Saints looked strong in defence and good going forward, Nathan Redmond retained his place up front and was at the heart of most of our moves, a good run saw him play a lovely ball play Minamino through who got away a shot which the keeper could only parry and was scrambled away for a corner, strangely the linesman flagged Minamino offside when replays showed he was two yards on.

Then Redmond himself did everything right but saw his curling shot tipped around the post.

Stuart Armstrong made a surging run to the byeline pulled the ball back and Redmond shielded the cross to block Conor Coady attacking the ball and allowing Danny Ings to hit an unstoppable volley into the net.

At half time it looked like we had our mojo back, but sides who have come through what we just have in terms of injuries etc and results don't just click back into being good sides straight away and it was a different Wolves who came out in the second half.

Initially it looked like we could handle it, but then came the moment that changed the game, Wolves had a shot and Ryan Bertrand turned his back, but had a trailing arm and it hit it.

There was some debate as to whether this should be a penalty, but my take on it is this, if your arm is outstretched as Bertrand's was then if the ball has hit it then you have gained an advantage, to me the law should be simple, if the penalty was up the other end and hadn't been given to us I would be livid, this was a penalty, just as the one against Aston Villa should have been, when the Vila' man's arm was stuck out.

Now it was game on and Wolves were on the front foot, but again they weren't getting any real chances, McCarthy hadn't had to make a save of note in the entire game and that wasn't changing.

But then came the winning goal on 66 minutes, Neto did well to turn Vestergaard, but he was at a tight angle, but he put the ball across McCarthy and all the keeper did was drop to his knee and throw up an arm, this was the third goal in virtually exactly the same situation in the last month where the keeper has done the same thing.

He had his angles all wrong and really should have done better, Neto had only inches either side of McCarthy to put the ball, yet it still went in, it happens once in a while, but to happen three times in the last 5 games is a flaw being exposed.

McCarthy needs a rest it should have been this game, but we played him a game too far.

This would be virtually his last piece of action, Wolves had a lot of the ball and run at us, but what chances there were fell to Saints, James Ward Prowse had a good shot well saved, but try as we might Wolves were digging in and we couldn't muster up a real chance of note.

So this game was a disappointment, it is not good that we have now lost 6 in a row in the Premier League, it is a disappointment that we have dropped down the League, but we are in a slightly better position than this time last year after 23 games when we had 28 points and things will change and we are capable of another run as we did earlier this season and at the end of last.

At the start of this season, I would have taken this position and a place in the FA Cup quarter finals and been happy.

What I am not happy about is the errors and bad luck that have led to these defeats, we just can't catch a break at the moment, I don't think we have anything to argue about in this defeat, but what was applied on Sunday wasn't applied against Aston Villa and we need to something to go for us to break this run.

What I am not happy about is some of the stuff I read on Social Media, a Premier League manager over the weekend described social media as the new toilet wall, back in the 90's people used to write abuse on toilet walls, now they do it on twitter.

A minority our supporters have unrealistic expectations and when the slightest thing goes wrong they bleat like sheep, I even see some people suggesting that Ralph Hasenhuttl should be replaced by Eddie Howe, how strange !

They complain about a lack of investment as though money is the answer, it might be if you are Liverpool or Manchester United and can generate massive income from across the World or if you are Manchester City and have owners who will spend £40 million for a reserve central defender and can afford a£20 million slap on the wrist for breaching financial fair play, but for the rest it is not the answer.

Everton are a club we can measure ourselves against, they stole Ronald Koeman 5 years ago and their owner boasted of being bigger than Liverpool, they have spent the multi millions that our fans crave that we find an owner who will match that spending.

They have fared no better than us in that period since Koeman left St Mary's , in fact some would say worse as they have not played in a major cup final in that time.

Anyway I digress, my point is we need to see Southampton Football Club for what it is, it cannot take on the BIg Six on their financial terms, we have to do what we do and do it better.

We are still a work in progress, Ralph is building something here and he is only a little over two years into that project, I cannot think of a manager I would like here in place of him.

This is the time as the saying goes to keep calm and carry on, Ralph will get it right and it could be this season.

Things are not handed to us on a plate, they never have been, but at this stage I am entirely happy with the position we are in, still in with a shout of a top 10 place and in the FA Cup quarter finals.

Photo: Action Images

wessexman added 23:47 - Feb 15 I Agree with sentiments on social media to some extent What does get to me is the nearly constant attempts to shut down any critique concerning the way the club is run or the way the team is performing. Let us not beat around the Bush here, we are on a dreadful run and as much as we can lament VAR, it is not the reason we are in this predicament. Yes this is not a normal season but every club is in the same boat. Ralph has managed to turn water into wine but, he has also presided over some truly dreadful performances, not least two 9 nil pastings. The way this team capitulates at times is truly astonishing. There are many of us who see our owner as malign and want him gone. Yes, beware what you wish for! Our excellent start has, again, papered over the cracks. Many of us were not fooled by the lofty league position of a few months ago. I am now wondering whether we are really safe from relegation? Our defensive problems are still there for all to see as is the lack of a leader. Dare I say it...there are 3 worse teams than us but to have to rely on that every year is as arrogant as it is dangerous. There is also the pertinent question about Ralph's will to keep wanting to push that boulder up hill...every time he stops pushing it rolls back. Pointing out flaws, worries and venting our frustration has nothing to do with being disloyal or the insulting label "plastic". Looking at things through rose tinted glasses is not going to make our very real problems disappear.

3

KriSaint added 00:53 - Feb 16 A lot of frustration here which is perfectly understandable. I won't add much but just give everybody a kind clap on the shoulder and say that I share your frustrations, because we all love Saints and have Saints in our blood, so let's hope that we see an unexpected huge reaction vs Chelsea, get a point from that game and then beat Leeds = 33 points and 99 % safe from relegation because of some pretty winnable home games left in the league; so we can concentrate on what is now our main objective: to win the FA cup. Which I know is not easy having followed Saints since 1979/80, but we can do it if we pick up our form from 3 months ago with some good timing, and if I have read my crystal ball correctly.. With some luck, that we surely are to get some of soon, we can hope for a final vs a team that we can beat, meaning every team left in the competition besides Man. C., hopefully a warn-out-Leicester. So, let's beat Bournemouth, which we should, and see Everton get a shock win vs City and see Leicester beat Man. U. and then beat Everton in the semi-final while Leicester beat Chelsea in the other semi-final and THEN let's beat a tired, Europe league fatigued Leicester team in the final. Final result: 1-0, Vestergaard, will do. Plenty to play for, people. Cheer up. I sincerely can't see us get relegated. Come on.

3

Foreverred added 08:15 - Feb 16 On the question of handball in the area, I believe the FA must make it clear whether it deliberate Handball or not. When a player deliberately using his hands to gain an advantage it must be a penalty, but when he turns his body to block a shot and it hit his arm, then that is not deliberate.they must change the rules to rule out the inconsistency of referees. On that basis Bertie arm ball was not a penalty, but cash of Aston Villa was , and I will repeat myself by saying if cash was standing on the goal line, mason would have given a penalty no question. So to cut out the inconsistency of the opinion of referees and that of VAR if a hand is outstretched that is deliberate then it must be handball ,but if it hits his arm while blocking a shot then it is not. In my opinion.

4

Nomaesaints added 08:56 - Feb 16 It was hard to believe that we were watching the same team that dominated the first half. Once the pressing game is stopped we do not have alternative tactics. I reckon the lads have put so much into the first half that they can't sustain the press in the second half allowing the opposition to take control, When Wolves had a few corners all our outfield players were back in the penalty area, even schoolboy footballers would understand the merit of leaving someone on the half way line? In the 92th minute we were still playing as if there was a half hour left with the ball going back and forward along the backline. As I said before the more times the ball is in the oppositions penalty area the more opportunity there is to score. It was worrying to see McCarthy beaten again when the opposition had little or no space to shot at. Unfortunately I'm not sure Fraser is the answer. As for loaning out players when the the squad is so thin on the ground, who decided this ??

4

KriSaint added 11:18 - Feb 16 Ralph probably decided this. The players who went on loan were not playing consistently well enough and needed playing time in the championship + the money received from those loan deals were used to fund the loan signing of Minamino. Ralph lost faith in Valery in his current state, and I don' t blame Ralph for that. Ramsay can come in and do a decent job as right back, supposedly. I am more worried about cover for Bertrand, who has become increasingly important. Does anyone know how serious KWP's injury is? And Diallo's?

0

SanMarco added 11:43 - Feb 16 Yes Foreverred - "deliberate", "intentional". We all know what those words mean in relation to our own actions but when it comes to handball they are causing absurdity. Cash WAS clearly intentional but was excused by a tweak to the rule (it graze his thigh - SO WHAT) and Bertie's was clearly unintentional but was given - but presumably he just needed it to graze him on the way through. They need to sort this out quickly - VAR is adding a level of absurdity to the already annoying problems of handball rule/referee errors. And they shouldn't alter the rules during the season - sets up a situation where a team could be serial victims of the various 'tweaks'.

1

Blogs 31 bloggers

Stockport County Polls