The higher stakes sequel to the season in brief following Winchester City in the Southern League Premier South. The Premier League slightly more grandiose than level 7 of the footballing pyramid nevertheless the premise remains the same, three games across the season to encapsulate the campaign.
Both cities share the SO postcode, they did not share similar fortunes. Southampton's season, including three outgoing managers and sixteen incoming senior players, suffered greater public scrutiny. Rightly so. Relegation was confirmed with two games to play, an average of 0.9 goals per game while conceding 1.92 goals per game.
A dismal season summed up nicely by defeats at home to Newcastle & Wolves and, strangely, a draw away to Arsenal.
Southampton 1-4 Newcastle
It doesn't take a date analysist to tell you Saints, statistically, should have won this game. Underperforming expected goals (xG) was a constant issue, in total this season Southampton scored 36 goals vs an expected 38. The madness of the final day against Liverpool actually skews the metric, making it look not as tragic as it was.
Mohammed Elynoussi & Che Adams the biggest underperformers in xG this Premier League campaign. Moi scoring one goal (xG of 3) and Che scoring 5 (xG of 7). This match a prime example of underperforming in front of goal.
At 0-1 both had golden chances to equalise. In the first half, a driven Stu Armstrong cross was met by the on rushing Elynoussi, the shot blazing over the bar. One of those 'easier to score than miss moments.' In the second half Elynoussi turned provider as he floated a cross to the back post for Che Adams to drag his volley wide. Its real hard to win football matches when you don't score.
Sure enough Newcastle had no such issues. Chris Wood adding a second before a counter attack saw Joe Willock mis-hit a shot past hapless Bazunu. An argument to made that Baz should've done better particular when you consider the overall xG of the match (above). Undoubtedly the Irish international has struggled this season however it is a gigantic leap from League 1 to the Premier League.
True to their 0.9 per game average, Southampton did manage a consolation goal late in the game. Romain Perraud the surprise scorer. Unlike his piledriver against West Ham in the FA Cup the season before, he took this goal gracefully. A fake-shot to go past the sliding Dan Burn, before finessing a shot with his weaker foot. Perraud would go on to be joint third top goalscorer (4) in all competitions, sharing third with Charly Alcaraz who wouldn't join the club until mid January.
A left back and a January signing on the goalscoring podium, not hard to identify a lack of clinical edge as a huge issue this season.
Southampton 1-2 Wolves
One of many egregious singular goal defeats - thirteen in total. This scoreline varience plagued our season. Happening seven times in away matches and six times at St Mary’s. In the case of fixtures against Villa, Wolves & Forest, it happened in both encounters home and away.
Granted selecting the specific match that best represent singular goal defeats plighting our season was tough. It was a toss up with this and Forest at home (0-1.) Earlier we discussed Ralph’s last match in charge, a fitting narrative to include the mad Welshman’s final match as a Premier League manager.
Banging the goalscoring drum again, this game highlights a key aspect of the second half of the season. Charly Alcaraz with the only Southampton goal, as mentioned before he finished joint third top scorer in all competitions. Third outright in the Premier League, only one behind Che Adams. Furthermore in the period 26/12/22 to 04/03/23 only he and JWP would score in the Premier League.
As Jones would often say the Liverpool (A) game didn’t count on his win ratio thus Adams goal in that match isn’t on his quota - only two players scored Premier League goals under Nathan Jones. Laughable!
Despite ‘not many better than him in Europe,’ NJ’s ineptitude shone bright throughout his reign; changing shape five times in the first half at home to Brighton, failing to nullify Fulham’s set piece threat & his stubborn fixation with playing a back five with a group of players not suited to do so.
Ignoring the mind boggling notion that somehow Mr Mining Community is potentially the man that stopped Manchester City’s quadruple, the lineup against Wolves with a front two of Kamaldeen & Onuachu, an AFCON Crouchy/Defoe if you will. Bizarrely it appeared Jones had stumbled onto something resembling a plan going forward.
Inevitably, given his lack of elite managerial experience, he shat the bed. Overseeing a 1-2 defeat, the opposition down to 10 men after 30 minutes.
Noticeably, NJ’s game management wasn’t quite at the level (lovely use of diplomacy there I must say.) Withholding his substitutions until after Wolves equalised was a huge error.
Starting big Paul, in this game, worked but to ask your 6’7 striker chase and harass a back line while your side drops deeper and deeper is ridiculous. Adams should’ve been introduced far earlier.
To be out passed and to attempt the sheer number of long balls, admittedly not quite at 75 Vs Forest levels but still ludicrous. An extra man on the field yes but Southampton’s 12th man exceedingly disillusioned.
Thankfully NJ was sacked after this match, bringing an end to his 14 game stint in charge. A period in which Southampton won just one league game during arguably the most favourable period of fixtures.
The writing on the wall certainly stencilled out at this point.
Arsenal 3-3 Southampton
How does a point away at title challengers Arsenal contribute to overall arc of this season?
It lends itself to a prominent sub-category of decent results that in context are not really helpful.
Alongside Manchester City the only other team to avoid defeat in both Premier League meetings against Arsenal was Southampton, drawing 1-1 at St Mary’s & 3-3 in North London. This campaign Southampton managed to beat Chelsea home & away, appreciate right now this isn’t that impressive however back in August 22 Chelsea were a functional side, the victory arguably the best of Saints league season.
A 0-0 draw at Old Trafford that potentially Southampton should’ve won - that Manchester United game one of Bazunu’s better displays. A spirited comeback against Spurs from 3-1 down to grab a point with a last minute penalty. Can even chuck in the final day 4-4 thriller versus Liverpool into the mix. Caveated by the fact it was a second choice goalkeeper and defence starting for Klopp’s side, the result nevertheless impressive.
Compare these relative scalps to a total of 20 points won - out of a possible 54 - against teams in the bottom half.
Taking some points of the ‘big six’ is great but ultimately irrelevant if you can’t win against those around you. *cough *cough home to Forest, Wolves and Bournemouth.
On a more literal sense of the seasonal symbolism, Charly Alcaraz scored (again) after a kind assist from Aaron Ramsdale. Charly emerging as a fan’s favourite, potentially a cult hero in the making - a new Guly Do Prado?
Shockingly Saints doubled their lead through Walcott, 0-2. When Duje Caleta-Car made it 1-3 in the second half pandemonium ensued in the away end.
Over the last few season Southampton have had a reputation for losing points from winning positions. This match was no different. Conceding two goals in the final 10 minutes, nearly fully capitulating if JWP hadn’t got a vital block on a Reiss Nelson shot.
A match between 1st and 20th, almost all Saints fans would’ve taken the point pre match but upon reflection definitely two points dropped. Oddly this our only point secured in April and wouldn’t secure another point until Liverpool on the final day of the season.
Respectable results, contextually irrelevant.
Keeping it brief
Lack of goals, single goal defeats & good results scattered amidst a sea of shoddy displays! Quick footnote about the emergence of Romeo Lavia as a mercurial talent and that’s pretty much the season.
Rule of three template is a cruel mistress so sadly Lavia missed out in this account. He was subbed off pre collapse against Arsenal, showing how without the teenager we struggle to control games - a player we’ll undoubtedly need to live without in the championship next season.
Championship football awaits, a typically difficult competition to navigate. The nature of a 46 game season often creates cagey moments, Southampton cannot afford to struggle in the goalscoring department as much as they have. Nor can the Saints afford to continue to fall the wrong side of those pesky one goal score lines.
