Yet again Saints concede a goal in the final minutes and this one seems like the end of the world, but it isn't !

I delayed writing this Verdict for several reasons, the first being that I like many was gutted to once again see us throw away a goal in injury time and in such a vital game.

The second was that I wanted to wait a little, let my own emotions calm down and look at it rationally, on Sunday I saw many knee jerk reactions on social media, yes this was a disastrous result, but it is not a fatal one, some people have lost sight of all that Ralph Hasenhuttl has done and are using this game as a barometer for the whole season.

I get accused of all sorts of things at times if I put up a view that does not coincide with that of the popularist one, but I try to look beyond the easy options and look at all the evidence, I was hopeful that the arrival of Ralph Hasenhuttl would bring an end the era of bedwetting and usher in a new positive one, but it seems I was wrong, some people have short memories, the Koeman years are now looked upon with rose tinted spectacles, many forget the constant criticism that went on back then against the board, certain players and even the manager, I had hoped that this had now gone, sadly after our first defeat in 5 Premier League games it hasn't

The issue as in every game has been poor defending and in 3 of the last 4 games we have conceded goals in injury time, the last two games have especially hurt us in that they have cost us 3 points, the table would look a lot different with those two goals not conceded.

Without wanting to sound smug I have spent two years pointing out our deficiencies in defence, earlier in the season the scapegoat was Wesley Hoedt, with him gone nothing has really changed, we have taken a big big gamble in letting Hoedt go and not replacing him and so far it has not paid off, but the only table that matters is the final one.

Some even blame Gao for this defeat and demand he get out of the club, anyone get caught up in the queue of prospective owners stretching down Brittannia Road after the game ? I thought not neither did I !

We lost this game for the same reasons we have dropped points in others, lapses in concentration and poor defending leading to conceding goals we really shouldn't have.

But we did concede these and we can now not change that, I don't think that Ralph Hasenhuttl has done much wrong since his arrival, but I think he did get this one wrong, personally as I said in the preview, we needed to change the goalkeeper and a central defender and I was proved right.

I also thought we lacked the delivery that Matt Targett has given us in recent weeks, in a short period of time he has rocketed to the top of our list for assists, Ryan Bertrand did little wrong, but his final ball was not of the quality of Targett's in recent weeks.

But Ralph Hasenhuttl isn't the first manager to get it wrong tactically from time to time and he won't be the last, as I have always said it not about what you have just done it's all about what you do next.

This was not a great display but it was a dominant one, we had 67% possession, 14 attempts to their 6, 7 on target to their 3 and it's that last stat that tells it all, 3 attempts and 2 goals, their keeper was man of the match ours watched their injury time winner trickle in, defensively we seem to keep switching off at key moments, having snatched a late equaliser and being in possession we give an awful pass straight to Cardiff to allow them to break and catch us is complete disarray, that is just not acceptable.

I have been pointing out our defensive frailties for far too long now, often mine has been the contrary view to the popular one, I have pointed out the free headers given over the past couple of years and the poor marking, but been told I have something against the player and it wasn't his fault but someone else's.

Football is all about players who can change games, it's about those who perform well at key moments, I look at those who do that not those that flatter to deceive.

We are still in the relegation fight but we are far from finished and in better shape for it than we were a year ago, this was our first defeat in 2019, let's put it in perspective, there are five teams above us within 3 points, we are not cast adrift.

What this defeat has shown us is that we need to guard against complacency, that cost us for their second goal, that the FA Cup break is very welcome in that in gives us chance to get the injured players back to fitness, Danny Ings probably won't be fit for Arsenal away but he will hopefully be back for Fulham at home and that is the crucial fixture of the next month, as will hopefully Stuart Armstrong, Michael Obafemi and Mario Lemina.

The key though is not to let this drag us down, stay with the team and be behind them not against them, I'm sick to death of being surrounded by those whose default support of Saints is not "Come On Saints" but "Oh No Saints" or "For f*cks sake, Saints/Hoedt/Stephens/Targett/ Ward Prowse/Vestergaard/Long/Austin/ Elyounoussi or a host of other names and scapegoats, the fact I can name so many should tell us all something an make some stand back and consider whether they want to support or abuse the team.

I am not having a go at anyone hear just pointing out something I have noticed in watching most of the Saints matches home and away this season, the bulk of our support is superb and the numbers we turn up in is still good, but last season a toxic atmosphere dragged us down, I cannot argue that there was some good reasons for the discontent, and certainly the first half of this season.

But now we have a good manager, he is learning his way in the Premier League, he has worked miracles so far, we need him to work a few more so are you behind him or against him.

Now is the time to stand up and be counted, I know where I stand and that is I am a supporter of Southampton Football Club, I go to games to "SUPPORT" !

Photo: Action Images

ExiledSupporter added 16:20 - Feb 11 Here are the oddest things: # the manager (dutifully) agrees to reducing the size of the squad relying on young unproven talent when there are (yet again) existential threats to our continued PL membership. I consider RH to be far better than the previous three; but didn't anyone say to him that kids will not likely get you out of our slough of despondent habits, we need skilful, experienced and committed players. Didn't anyone say to him that small squads don't work in the PL because of the inevitable injuries and loss of form and exhausting schedule, or is he just doing what he has been told because there is no spare money available # what sense is there in depending on a strike force with at least two regular 'sick notes' in the injury prone Austin and Ings, the barren goal scoring habits of Long and the clearly untrusted Gallagher (must assume that he is not up to standard in RH's eyes) # why have we replaced the outgoing players with such unreliable (physically) and hugely disappointing (performance) players; was that all Reed's fault or was there a systemic failure in the club to identify decent players. The lack of any consistent quality playmaker at No.10 for so many seasons (ok Tadic was occasionally good enough in that role and Armstrong looks better than most recent incomers, but that is a low bar to overcome), but Elyannousi looks bereft altogether (Boufal was frustrating but at least his talent was apparent) # we have no spine - not one of the three (four with Yoshi) are commanding in the six yard area Bednarek looks quite capable, Vestergaard turns very slowly, Stephens is a ball watcher and weak in the air and his distribution is highly erratic (terrible showing vs Palace) and Yoshi does seem to lose concentration occasionally. But Romeu is a limited player, good covering midfielder but always exposed when in the opposition half where he should rarely appear. And no target man to challenge anyone in the air, but we don't play that way do we. # Redmond, of course, has been outstanding amongst the dross, but he can't bear the whole weight of the attack...who is there to help him? Austin when available is fine in the 6yd box, but contributes little elsewhere and his speed frightens nobody in this league. # and where has the high press game gone to, not very noticeable ie. consistently recently RH is a good bloke with the right vision, but he has inherited dross, he must get the best out of Bertrand, Ings, Armstrong and Lemina when they get back otherwise we are toast (and it won't be the fault of the young lads...

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Colburn added 16:54 - Feb 11 It’s our first loss of the year, don’t panic Mr Mannering.. time to stop blaming deference or individuals, it’s a team game. Did someone offer Stephens an option with their movement, were we looking to hold on to a draw? If he’d have lumped it up field would the crowd have booed him for that? If we had taken our opportunities in the first half then there’s less pressure in the back 3 or 4.. but our lack of goals means all eyes on them to make no mistakes. How many times do our best forward players lose the ball without criticism. It’s the same error.. If as it seems we are desperate for attacking options and goals then why did Hesketh go out again and why are Carrillo and Boufal not recalled. Bad management somewhere along the line, which is why Reid has to go. We will fight and get some points in games we don’t expect and still stay up but only with the fans on side. I am a bit surprised we didn’t bring one attacking player in during the window given our injury prone and goal shy attackers..

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schatfield added 19:40 - Feb 11 same old comments from half the posters here......blame the board, sack the board, they don't spend money, they just want to sell, etc, etc.... pintsizedsaint that was one of the best posts I have read in a long time
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REEDYREEDOREEDZ added 22:30 - Feb 11 Ralph got it wrong on Saturday. He should never have played 3 centre backs and 2 defensive central midfielders. Very rarely did any midfielders get beyond the strikers and offer something in the final third. Long and Redmond were isolated with very few options. It was like Puel was in charge again. No urgency. Pedestrian. 100 sideways passes. The worst thing was that he didn't change it until too late. The pattern of the game was so obvious. He should've hauled off Long at half time as he offered absolutley nothing. At 60 minutes it was crying out for some changes but they only came once we were behind. My only hope now is that Ralph will go back to the high press against the big teams coming up and we manage to snatch a couple of draws and beat Fulham. It's very difficult to see where the goals will come from though. Never mind the error prone defence. It's dejavu. We've been saying the same thing for 2 years now and it won't change until either the club actually bring in some quality players or we go down.

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sandywelsh added 23:45 - Feb 11 Newcastle got a good point tonight away to Wolves what did we do lost at home to poxy Cardiff. Newcastle fans moan about their board but ours is worse!!!!!
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davidargyll added 08:13 - Feb 12 Well said schatfield and pintsizedsaint. We just have to face the fact that we are a bottom half club and all this carping on about we ought to be back in the top ten is unrealistic in the extreme, not necessarily because we’ve got worse but others have got less unreliable. I too was depressed by our performance vs Cardiff but they did come with a plan which they executed to perfection and we got caught. And we have to face the fact that when everybody plays out of their skin we are a match for anyone, but when they don’t...am I for example the only person who thought Hojberg for a long time one of our really reliable players looked really off the pace at the weekend. So let’s not get too depressed. Cardiff was a set back certainly but I for one think there are at least three teams worse than us (including Cardiff) - not that that will necessarily save us - but if we can get anything out of the Arsenal and three points from the Fulham game we will look just a little more secure.. Finally I firmly believe a good defence is what keeps teams up not a load of goal scorers. When it comes to goal difference and goals against we are 16th and 15th respectively. Not brilliant but not the stuff of relegation...yet...!

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zonehead added 08:25 - Feb 12 The home performances of the last 2 games have been a throwback to last season and we seem to have lost our way a bit . I think the new manager bounce is over and now is the time to see what kind of manager Ralph is I think we’re more set up to play away, cos we lack the ability to break down mass defences especially when the teams around us visit, although I expect us to beat Fulham, one further point Stephens is good player but lacks concentration which at this stage of the season is a liability.

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BaselSaint added 11:38 - Feb 12 I also couldnt look at anything football until today. Too raw. One important difference that stood out for me that I also noticed was that Bertrand does not have the same penetrating forward play and crossing ability as MattTarget which shows just how good Matt has been. Bertrand often made backward passes which gave a negative feel in the centre of the pitch. We are very short up front, Nathan, PEH and Armstrong cant replace a proper striker every week. I take the point its not the end of the world. RH expected much more from the team for sure but he just didnt get it.

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LordDZLucan added 10:21 - Feb 13 Good to see Newcastle have the same problem as us i.e. self destructing at the death! it could be between us and them to go down. Game at St. James Park in April might just decide it.
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