Southampton v Stoke City

Source picture: Southampton FC official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/southamptonfc

On the second Saturday of February Southampton played Stoke City at St Mary’s. The weather conditions aren’t really ideal this match as there is a whirling wind ruling in the stadium and the prediction that rain and hail are on it’s way as well. These conditions might make it a bit tougher to play this match. Nathaniel Clyne is starting this game instead of Calum Chambers, who incurred a dead leg in the previous match and has missed most of this weeks training due to that.

The second change is Jack Cork who is starting instead of Victor Wanyama. Cork has proven his worthy after he came on in the last match against Fulham and changed the game around. This is the first time this season that Jack Cork has been preferred to Victor Wanyama. Cork his contract is running out at the end of the season and he is keen on signing a new deal. “I love everyone here, I’m so settled here,” is what he said. “I love everything about it, so I would love to stay here, but if things go back to how they were at the start of the season then things might change.” Referring to Victor Wanyama who took over his starting position.

Charlie Adams gets confused with which sport he is playing as he makes a handball five minutes into the game. Lucky for him he makes the handball just outside the box resulting in a free kick instead of a penalty. Rickie Lambert takes the free kick just outside the box on the left side of the goal. He curls the ball perfectly into the top right corner. This is one of Lamberts talents. I am sure that this 101^st league goal for him would have given him the same great feeling like the 100^th did if not a better feeling by the way he finished this shot.

After conceiving so early on in the game, Stoke City really seems to want to make the equaliser as they try hard to attack at the other end of the field.

In the 27^th minute Stoke City gets a corner but Southampton wins the ball back quickly. Adam Lallana plays the ball forward towards Steven Davis. Davis sprints away with the ball on the left side of the field when Nathaniel Clyne sprints past him. I am still wondering where Clyne came from and what he was doing on the left side of the field. It doesn’t matter though, what matters is that he was in the right spot at the right time when Steven Davis passes the ball to him. Clyne shoots the ball from the left side on goal but Amir Begovic saves it. However it was a great chance created by Southamptons quick play.

In the 37^th minute Charlie Adam plays a through ball to Peter Odemwingie, who is just on side. Odemwingie is fast and sprints forwards to get a one on one with Artur Boruc. Odemwingie scores in the centre of the goal and draw the Potters level with the Saints. Looks like Charlie Adams efforts to make up for the early Southampton resulted in an assist for him.

It only takes 3 minutes for another exciting chance, for the Saints this time. Steven Davis shoots from the right side from a long range with his left foot at goal. The ball shoots into the bottom left corner and it’s a goal for Davis. The strong wind may have played a part in it, but either way it was a well deserved goal for Steven Davis.

In the 43^rd minute Stoke City get a corner which Charlie Adam takes. Giant Peter Crouch is in the right spot in makes a header from a close range and gets the ball in the bottom right corner. I’m not sure what Artur Boruc was doing exactly when he dived backwards to the left. But 2 all it is, again only 3 minutes after the previous goal. Charlie Adam seems to have done his best to assist in making some goals for the Potters.

Both team go into half time with 2 goals each. This first half has been exciting and definitely had at least double the amount of action compared to the Fulham – Southampton match of last weekend.

History might be repeating itself when Southampton receive another free kick at the start of the half just outside Stoke City’s box. Luke Shaw and Steven Davis are both ready to take the shot, Shaw runs past the ball as expected, leaving Davis to shoot it. But he misses.

I get the impression that Peter Crouch is just being a bully when he keeps on trying to impress referee Craig Pawson. Crouch looks almost twice as tall as Pawson when he’s hanging over the referee to let him know his opinion on Pawsons call. Lucky Craig Pawson is not impressed at all by Crouch and just ignores him.

Substitutions are made late this match when Mauricio Pochettino makes his first, and only, substitution in the 79^th minute. Calum Chambers comes on the field to replace Nathaniel Clyne.

It takes Calum Chambers 4 minutes to give a good pass forward to Morgan Schneiderlin, who is on the left side of the goal and has to shoot the ball from a difficult angle. Unfortunately his shot misses slightly to the left, but I think he was offside anyway.

Nothing more exciting happens in the second half and the match ends in a draw. Southampton have been trying hard to score again to take the win but Stoke City’s defence was to strong for the Saints to break through. However I do believe Southampton shouldn’t have let Stoke City to get equal with them so easily.

The Saints should have taken the 3 points, definitely when you look at the match statistics. Southampton has had 60% ball possession, made 18 attempts of which 5 were only on target. Stoke City only had 5 attempts but 4 of them were on target. This shows that the Saints really have to work on their finishing skills. Just being the stronger side is not enough to win a game, because you have to make goals to actually take the 3 points. It only takes 1 goal to win a match, but to be able to make that goal, they have to aim more in target.

Katharina Liebherr was seen sitting in the crowd again. Maybe she has found her Southampton spirit and is really following now in her fathers footsteps to continue running the club. The Liebherr family has done much for the Southampton Football Club and it would be nice if Katharina Liebherr was to continue pursuing her fathers dream.