Match Reports
Arsenal Home Won 4 – 0
Saints were supposedly undecided between fit-again Stekelenburg or Gazzaniga to face Arsenal, who only needed a solid away performance to reach the top of the league. I doubt if they really thought too long about electing to go with the regular first choice, and then the game had a cagey beginning, with Saints the cagier […]
Spurs Home
Saints reverted to their more orthodox defensive formation to face Spurs, and other than long terms injuries and the short term goalkeeping uncertainty, most fans seemed to believe it was the best XI available. As usual at St. Mary’s, Saints began with a flourish and Mané twice caused problems in the opening stages, including a […]
Crystal Palace Away
Missing from the trip to Crystal Palace were Pellè (half injured, so on the bench) and Stekelenburg (fully injured, so nowhere to be seen). That meant a return, not for Kelvin Davis but Gazzaniga, and he was soon in action, having to deal with a wayward cross that an awkward wind was taking towards the […]
Aston Villa Home
The home game against Aston Villa should have been a banker for Saints, but a run of defeats, one of them heavy, cast a mood of pessimism around St. Mary’s. There was no need for that, especially as Fonte returned to the side, and an examination of the visitors’ recent record shows them to be […]
Liverpool Home Capital One Cup
It seems a long time ago that Mauricio Pochettino picked a full strength side for a run of the mill midweek league game and a weakened one for an important cup tie. Ronald Koeman understands the expectations of the club far better and only the injured Fonte was missing from the best side we seemed […]
Stoke Home
Southampton’s only away victories in the Premier League to date this season have been followed by international breaks, so it could be that some momentum was lost. The nature of the next visitors to St. Mary’s didn’t help, though, as over-achieving Leicester arrived after the win at Chelsea, while this time Stoke City came to […]
Sunderland Away
Wanyama was banned from the visit to Sunderland while the home team were without their own ‘enforcer,’ Cattermole. A surprise omission was Soares, with Yoshida taking over at right back, the explanation seeming to be that Saints didn’t know what to expect tactically from the hosts following their heavy defeat last time out. As it […]
Bournemouth Home
Fortunes can change very quickly, so it’s premature to suggest that Southampton v. Bournemouth is the permanent replacement South Coast Derby, but it’s where we are at the moment. You knew where you were with the Skates, though: a mutual hatred that, let’s face it, reached unhealthy proportions. When Bournemouth people yell ‘scummers,’ it’s hard […]
Aston Villa Home Capital One Cup
Sometimes Ronald Koeman seems to treat the Capital One Cup with respect, and at others he can’t resist the temptation to rest the weary and try out the under-used. For the visit of Aston Villa in round four, the latter tactic prevailed with Yoshida, Targett, Caulker, Romeu, Ramirez and Juanmi Lopez all joining a side […]
Liverpool Away
With Stekelenburg recovered from injury, there was a predictability about Southampton’s line up at Anfield. That’s a sign that they are progressing in the direction the manager was hoping, but it was significant that Clasie made his first Premier League start. Liverpool are under new leadership, with Jurgen Klopp still looking for a first win, […]
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