Manchester City Home Drew 0 – 0 We Got 12 Points – Moaning Citee
We Got 12 Points – Moaning Citee
Southampton’s line up against Manchester City had no forwards in a something-something-zero formation that inevitably seemed more like 10-0-0 at times, once City worked out the home side’s game plan. I have no problem with it, and certainly not against the Premier League’s spendthrift elite – especially as it worked, thanks to the skill and resolve of the back line (all ten of them). Of course you need a bit of luck as well, and De Bruyne sent first half free kicks from threatening positions narrowly over the bar and then into the wall, whereas Ayew’s less well executed effort the previous week only set him up for a goal from the loose ball. Pep brought on Doku at the break in attempt to exploit our right flank where Bree was standing in for Walker-Peters who was unwell; for Southampton, Ugochukwu was replaced by Aribo as a precaution against a second yellow card after Big Les had conceded both the De Bruyne set pieces. For once there was a method behind the substitutes: Archer for Dibling who was looking tired, mentally as well as physically; Stewart for Sulemana to add a bit of height when defending corners; experienced Manning for surprise selection Welington who’d contributed a vital touch to edge a cross away from O’Reilly; Smallbone for Fernandes after Mattie had suffered a knock. So often this campaign have Saints conceded in added time, usually at St. Mary’s and often resulting in points dropped – and we don’t have many of those anyway; this time was different, but only because of the width of the crossbar that prevented Marmoushe piling on the season’s woe. It wasn’t the only close call of that second period as Ramsdale made several stops and Stephens spectacularly cleared off the line – I’m not convinced the ball would have found its way into the net on all those occasions but, buoyed on by a for-once supportive crowd, this was a time for action rather than hesitation. In the end fortune favoured the brave and not an increasingly petulant set of visitors, and the decidedly ungracious post-match comments from Dias was an additional joy – rarely can a 0-0 draw have felt more like a win.
Three LSSC Man of the Match candidates for you to choose from:
4. Flynn Downes. Left to sort out his own game after a caution, unlike Ugo who had been treading a fine line.
5. Jack Stephens. He’s not the best defender in the league (none of ours are, of course) but I don’t go along with those who pick on his every mistake. Here he was the one who had to cover Haaland when he went deep to attempt to pull back generously hit crosses… well you wouldn’t trust Harwood-Bellis who may have had lessons in how to deal with the Haaland family from his future father-in-law.
14. James Bree. Always nice to include someone who performs unexpectedly well.
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