Wolves Home Carabao Cup Lost 0 – 2
There was every chance that Snr. Pellegrino would go the whole hog with eleven changes to his starting line up as Saints prepared to meet Wolves in what is now the Carabao Cup. It turned out to be just six, but with a different defensive strategy: a back three, while the opposition apparently did go the whole hog regarding changes from their Saturday team. Our defensive three didn’t look very clever in the opening stages as Dicko’s pace and Bednarek’s worrying lack of it posed several problems. Dicko’s finishing was not even of Championship standard and Southampton began to ask questions of their own. Norris made a brilliant save to keep out Bednarek but the visitors were struggling to clear their lines and Tadic should have done better with the clearest shot at goal. All the signs were that Saints would go on to win the game in the second half but Wolves made a tactical change at the break and were subsequently rarely threatened. Tadic might have had good claims for what would have been his side’s third penalty in two games, but instead they recorded their second blank in three. That was to prove fatal when Batth headed Wolves ahead from a corner, despite the presence of three centre backs. The manager switched to a flat back four when Redmond replaced Bednarek, but with no change in fortune at either end, Stephens continuing to look uncertain despite a more familiar role. An equaliser would surely have led to an unwanted period of extra time, but a late goal on the break from Wilson put paid to that idea, and a return to Wembley will have to wait for the F.A. Cup… and Spurs, of course.
LSSC Man of the Match: Maya Yoshida, doing his best amongst a whole bunch of under-
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