Match Preview
Southampton go into tomorrow’s crunch game with Burnley in the knowledge that relegation to League Two is a certainty. The decision of the Football League to deduct ten points from the Saints is a massive blow to both the team and the fans and is the icing on the cake on what had been a desperately poor season.
Nevertheless, there is still much to play for. If Southampton are able to finish out of the bottom three this season, effectively avoiding relegation, then the ten point penalty will be effected immediately and they will drop down a division. Should Saints stay in the bottom three, the deduction will take place next season and they will start in League One with minus ten points.
It’s a bleak outcome regardless but that goal should be what coach Mark Wotte is drilling into his players. Saints are expecting a big turnout at St. Marys for what is the last home game of the season and the fans will want to make one last massive effort to raise the players and to show their love for the club. Wotte has spoken about the deduction and the effect it may have on his players. “We felt that there has been an injustice and it’s an extra inspiration for us to put in a good performance and leave the fans with a good feeling when they go home.”
Saints are able to welcome back Simon Gillet, who was back in training this week despite having surgery recently for a knee problem. However, the game has come too soon for defender Wayne Thomas who has just returned from a knee ligaments injury. David McGoldrick is expected to partner Bradley Wright Phillips in attack and continue the goal scoring form he has found himself in recently.
As for the visitors, they arrive well in the hunt for a coveted play-off spot. Having earned plaudits for their giant killing Carling Cup campaign in which they dispatched three Premier League sides in Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal, they came within a minute of reaching a Wembley final, almost beating Tottenham in the semi finals before two goals knocked them out. Their line will be lead by 33 year old talisman Robbie Blake who, despite his advancing years, is having a tremendous season
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Their cup exploits this season have dramatically increased the workload for the players but manager Owen Coyle is in confident mood ahead of the game. “It’s in our own hands from here on in and as long as we continue to play at the sort of level we have managed for much of the season, we should get ourselves into the top six.”
It certainly promises to be a lively game on Saturday, with both teams chasing very contrasting goals. One thing’s for sure, expect the Saints fans to create a unique atmosphere as they try one more time to raise their side.
Match Report
Southampton will begin League One next season minus ten points behind everyone else after a 2-2 draw at home with Burnley consigned them to a bottom three place and relegation from the Championship.
Saints took the lead early on through Bradley Wright Phillips’ deflected shot after being played by Andrew Surman. However, Burnley levelled midway through the first half after a penalty that Graham Alexander slotted down the middle of the goal.
David McGoldrick put Saints back in front just before the break with a tap in after Burnley keeper Brian Jensen had brilliantly saved from Paul Wotton. McGoldrick had the chance to increase Saints’ lead with a penalty but his tame effort was saved by Jensen.
And Burnley made Southampton pay with an equaliser from Clarke Carlisle who blasted home after a corner wasn‘t cleared. Not even a post match pitch invasion from the home fans could lighten the mood encapsulating the St Mary’s Stadium.
Southampton began the game knowing that victory could help them avoid a ten point deduction next season and there was a touching pre-match speech from Saints legend Lawrie McMenemy, urging fans to get behind the team.
They began the game in control as Burnley struggled to hold onto the ball. And their early pressure paid off in the 10th minute after two successive corners weren’t dealt with by the visiting defence and Wright Phillips’ shot took a lucky deflection and nestled into the bottom corner.
Saints continued to dominate with Simon Gillett having his weak effort saved by Jensen when he should have made more of it. Wright Phillips then had a golden chance but dawdled when played through one-on-one and his shot was smothered by the keeper.
Burnley then hit back when striker Martin Paterson was tripped by Jan-Paul Saeijs and veteran Graham Alexander struck the kick firmly past Saints keeper Kelvin Davis. Southampton continued to press forwards, however, and got their reward in the 43rd minute when Wotton’s effort was expertly kept out by Jensen only for McGoldrick to slot home and send the home fans into half time satisfied.
Burnley rallied after the break and substitute Jay Rodriguez forced an excellent save from Davis. Nevertheless, McGoldrick had a chance to further the lead from the spot after Rhys Williams fouled Wright Phillips but his penalty lacked power and was saved.
Burnley then scored the goal that their second half pressure had deserved when Carlisle found himself with space in the area after a goal mouth scramble and smashed home. Rodriguez then got through one-on-one with Davis but the Saints keeper heroically kept him out.
The game then flattened out slightly with neither team wanting to take a chance, with only a late charge into the area for a corner from home keeper Davis enough to rouse the crowd. The final whistle sounded to a anti-climatic atmosphere amongst the fans with the realisation that League One football is coming to St Mary’s hitting hard.
Quotes led piece
Southampton boss Mark Wotte has slammed the decision of the league to deduct ten points from the club at the start of next season, saying that they were punishing the club’s fans. Wotte, speaking in the wake of his side’s 2-2 draw with Burnley at St Mary’s, stated that he thought the points penalty was unfair on the loyal fans who had played no part in the downturn of the club and that they should not be punished.
“For me, the league is punishing the fans that we have, the fans that turn up every week and support the club. It is not their fault,” said Wotte, as the stadium stewards were doing their best to safely remove those fans from the pitch following a final whistle invasion.
Wotte also spoke of his pride in the performance of his players and how happy he was with how they had composed themselves. “I can only be proud of my players and how they performed. They were competitive and aggressive and tried to pass whenever possible and scored some great goals. It was one of our best performances at home this year but the fact that we didn’t win the game probably shows the reasons why we are going down.”
Wotte made no secret of his team’s deficiencies on the pitch but took the time to praise their effort. “You have to take your chances and be clinical up front to really go and secure the win. It’s unfortunate and I really feel sorry for the boys because everyone was giving 100% and they played a terrific game with an excellent team spirit.
“We deserved to win the game. In the first half we were much the better team, created some good chances and scored some good goals. We had chances to make it 3-1 with Bradley Wright Phillips, Simon Gillett and the penalty from Dave McGoldrick.
“We allowed them to score the second goal after a poor decision from the referee but at the end of the day we didn’t take our chances and that’s why we didn’t win. We’ve seen this before of course, and it’s not the first time this has happened to us.”
The Saints manager was keen to praise the fans for their passionate support of the club during the recent hardships, and bared no grudges over the pitch invasion at the end of the game. “We wanted to go out onto the pitch and thank the fans for their support but it wasn’t possible which is a little sad. My message to the fans would be to come back and support us again like you did today.
“It made me proud to be the manager of Southampton Football Club because although we were relegated, the way we played and the way the fans supported us is the way we have to continue doing things to get back to where we belong.”
Reflective piece
At the end of it all, the ups and downs of Southampton’s 2-2 draw with Burnley at St Mary’s were a perfect mirror to the rollercoaster fortunes of the club this season, although this seasons ride for Saints fans was worryingly short on highs.
It is perhaps fitting that Saints should go down on the back of one of their best displays of the season but, that being said, it is also fitting that their improved display should bring them only a draw. Quite simply, Southampton have had a shocker of a year, lurching from financial crisis to some downright awful performances on the pitch. Whilst the core of the team is young and promising, the results haven’t been good enough. For all the resonances of good, attractive football seen by Saints, there is nothing to show for it and now that relegation has been confirmed, a great deal of those bright young things will surely escape the sinking ship.
The 24,000 strong crowd at St Mary’s on Saturday were treated to a pre-match rousing speech from Saints legend Lawrie McMenemy, who did his best to create a passionate atmosphere and implored upon the fans not to turn their back on the club. McMenemy’s speech may have had an effect on the players - their first half performance left many wondering why the hell they are languishing at the bottom of the Championship. The passing was crisp, the finishing was confident and determined and the team spirit was evident for all to see.
That Saints were unable to close out the game and, ultimately, only take a point from it speaks volumes for their mental fragility and vulnerability. The game flattened out, much like Southampton’s season, and there was no great push for a winning goal until captain and keeper Kelvin Davis sprinted forward for a late corner, to no avail.
The final whistle sounded like a death knell for Saints fans. With Paul Wotton injured on the pitch, the ref blew his whistle and the home fans streamed onto the pitch in a mass invasion, completely oblivious to Wotton on the ground. Manager Mark Wotte later spoke of his disappointment that the players could not thank the fans after the match but surely had they stayed on the pitch the baying Saints supporters may have lynched them.
All in all, there’s hardly much to shout about. Going down, ten points in the red, no money and little hope of keeping their best players, Southampton Football Club appear to be in dire straits.
But the old saying ‘it is always darkest before the dawn’ sounds sufficiently suitable for this situation and if Southampton can keep their loyal fan base and consolidate their financial position, the only way could well and truly be up. Avoiding going out of business completely looks to be the main priority for now.
It’s going to be a depressing few months for the men in red and white.
(University assignment on Sports Writing, 2009)
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