In a springtime ode to A Christmas Carol, Southampton Vs Brighton shone light on the Saints past, present and the future both on and off the pitch
While Brighton fans might hate it, the Southampton 2.0 tag is appropriate. At the start of the 2010s the two topped League One, Southampton would complete back to back promotions the following season whereas Brighton would remain in the Championship until 2017.
Brighton owner Tony bloom (in 2017) referred to Southampton as a ‘club we can look to model ourselves on.’ Southampton at the time coming off the back of an 8th place finish, Europa League group stage participation and a League Cup final.
That was then. As for the now, Brighton have well and truly leapfrogged Southampton. Everything that was said about the Saints then is the same rhetoric around the Seagulls now.
Both sides will be playing football in other European countries next season, sadly for Saints that country is Wales.
At present Brighton are at the peak of their powers. With no due disrespect, a potential 6th place finish is the glass ceiling for a side like Brighton. Southampton achieving this back in the 2015/16 season adds to the parallels surrounding the 2.0 commentary.
To Brighton, Southampton serve as a stark reminder that view from the mountain top is pretty but the fall can be excruciating. Along the way Southampton lost a plethora of players; Van Dijk, Mane, Clyne, Lovren and these are just the ones that went to Liverpool. Alexis Mac-Allister and Moises Caicedo both look set for exits, question marks over whether Mitoma or Ferguson will be poached. De Zerbi, the Italian Ronald Koeman, will he see Brighton as the most elite posting he’ll get or could the bright lights of Serie A come calling at some point.
While I can’t imagine Brighton offering Mark Hughes £2million to save them from relegation next season, the reality for any team outside the supposed top six is that a few poor decisions could derail the project.
Ghosts of Southampton 'past'
A midfield comprised of players that will soon be referred to as former players. JWP and Lavia continue their midfield partnership, alas a duo highly unlikely to join us in the Championship next season.
Both Walcott and Elynoussi have contracts expiring at the end of this season, Moi scoring his first goal of the season that ultimately will be the last for the club. Assisted, of course, by JWP who 5 minutes later played through Walcott to deftly lift the ball over Steele in the Brighton goal. Recurring pantomime villian VAR (Scrooge) had other ideas. A fourth incident of VAR overturning a goal for Southampton this calendar year, Walcott denied would could’ve been his last goal for the club.
A future with no VAR is a slight plus, no more will the hectic euphoria of scoring be snatched away from us.
Those present next season
With the centre of the midfield reminiscent of a ‘here’s what you could have won’ game show segment, elsewhere you had with Bree deputising at right back. Foreshadowing for the first weekend of August. Aribo as the 9, easily the most bizarre selection in the XI. For better or for worse the Nigerian will likely be here next season. I doubt he will continue in this role although his versatility given the playing demands of the Championship could prove useful.
Alongside Aribo, Alcaraz was operating somewhat as a no. 10, he continued to be a goal threat, having Southamptons best chance of the first half. A fast breakaway, combining with Walcott, the Argentine skewed his shot wide. As mentioned previously, Alcaraz is exactly the sort of player who could thrive in a Russell Martin team (should he be in charge next season.) Lots of internal and external negativity surrounds Southampton recent recruitment, Charly an outlier in this looking a key player going forward.
Clammer-man and the Academy Boys
A squad selection that ticked all past, present and future boxes was Tino Livramento back on the bench. 392 days after sustaining an injury at this very ground, a fitting moment to return. Livramento while injured became a “clammer-man” of sorts, feeling among the fan base being his return will start a new dawn - even if that new dawn is in the Championship.
Indeed in the, roughly, 20 minutes he played he posted respectable numbers. 24 touches, Completing 10/13 passes & winning 2/2 ground duels - a solid return to the fray.
The hope is predatory clubs are put off by the recency of Livramento’ injury allowing us to have him next season. Southampton handed Premier League debuts to two players who themselves may be part of the future project.
Dominic Ballard & Kamari Doyle.
Ballard with one senior goal, Cambridge United (A) in the Carabao Cup second round, coming on to lead the line against Europa League chasing Brighton. There’s levels to this. Doyle on the other hand coming on for his senior debut in all competitions never mind the Premier League. Regardless of the lack of pressure with relegation confirmed, both players deserved the chance to step up having been critical to the B teams title win.
Aside from Nathan Tella briefly in the Covid season, academy graduates have seldom had opportunity to play for the senior side. To see both, finally, get some minutes is undoubtedly a positive.
Unlike the climax of A Christmas Carol, Southampton do not turn into a kinder, gentler version of themselves post Brighton. Instead the reflective exercise enables some perspective in relation the state of play on and off the field.
That perspective is that football is inherently cyclical, Brighton are at a peak whereas we are at the trough. This low will not last, future stars like Ballard, Doyle & Livramento providing belief that ‘good times’ are ahead.
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