Southampton V Oxford United The Verdict
Thursday, 1st Aug 2024 09:58

Saints fans made up almost a third of the attendance at the Kassam Stadium, but after a lively start they were not too pleased with what they saw, but it is still early days yet in the pre season.

The first think to say about this match is that pre season friendlies are usually about two things, the first is getting match fitness and the second is about exposing the things that need fixing and in this respect Russell Martin will surely have noticed a few key areas for urgent attention.

We knew it was going to be a game of two halves and it has to be said that Saints did start well given that the starting XI contained few players who had been regulars last season, Sulemana looked sharp before having to go off injured on 36 minutes as did Charlie Alcaraz who went off on the cusp of the half time break.

Saints conceded two sloppy goals, Alex McCarthy did not look comfortable all evening in playing with his feet and some of the play for the first goal seemed to stem from his inability to play out from the back, he could not be faulted for the second goal, but again a sloppy pass across our back four gifted the home side a relatively easy chance.

The second half saw changes on the hour mark, but it did not change the game, that had fallen into a pattern where Saints passed the ball and Oxford tried to catch us with a quick press.

As I said pre season is about finding out what areas need improving and surely Russell Martin must see that if he sees Alex McCarthy as his first choice keeper, then he has to change the way he plays at the back, as he did out of necessity in the final games of last season.

Back them McCarthy seemed to have permission to put his foot through the ball, but last night it seemed he was under orders not to, indeed quite the opposite, it was about seeing if he could play the possession football game along the back to the level necessary.

The stark truth was that he could not, no criticism of McCarthy it is just not his game, so Russell Martin has to make dealing with this issue a priority and quickly

Southampton were poor, there is no denying that, but perhaps that is not surprising given the make up of the side, with few first choice players on for the first hour and several of those played out of position, including Ryan Manning who played in the centre of midfield and did not look to bad.

So a bad night at the office, but there is no need to get stroppy or miffed, it is pre season, games like this are to find out the bad things that need fixing and from this respect it was a roaring success.

Saints: McCarthy (c), Bree (Sugawara 60), Edwards (Harwood-Bellis 60), Wood (Bednarek 60), Taylor (Stephens 60), Charles (Smallbone 60), Manning (Downes 60), Amo-Ameyaw (Aribo 60), Alcaraz (Armstrong 45), Kamaldeen (Edozie 36), Mara (Dibling 23).

Photo: Action Images

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halftimeorange added 10:15 – Aug 1 I take little notice of friendlies since I saw Chris Marsden turn in a park standard performance against FC Utrecht which made me feel embarrassed in front of my Arsenal-supporting guest. Marsden then went on to have the season of his life for Saints. The point about McCarthy’s strengths and weaknesses is, however, valid. I’m still of the opinion that his re-emergence at the end of last season is one of the main reasons Saints were promoted. RM needs to consider what Alex can do well and play accordingly if he’s to be between the posts for us.

dirk_doone added 10:16 – Aug 1 Making Alex McCarthy captain sent out a terrible message to the team. They know what a liability he is and so do the fans. We need a new goalkeeper before we start the league season or we’re going to be relegated again.

dellboysaint added 10:37 – Aug 1 Agreed…..McCarthy played well in the play offs but so did the team as a whole. Less of the tippy tappy stuff at the back which McCarthy simply cannot do as it affects his game and the whole defence. Jordan Pickford often hits it straight upfield…..he doesn’t appear too keen to pass it around the back. So you pick Bazunu because of his passing ability…..no sense in that. Martin has got to get real otherwise we will ship a load of goals. McCarthy is not a no 1 and he and the rest of the team know it.

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