Tuesday evening’s Premier League action between Southampton and Watford at Vicarage Road certainly had a few talking points.
Republic of Ireland striker Shane Long scored the quickest Premier League goal ever since the rebrand back in 1992 as he struck to give us a 1-0 advantage 7.69 seconds into the game, but Watford did level matters up in the 90th minute to take a point and deny us a largely deserved victory.
The point sends us one point closer to safety with a six point gap to Cardiff City in the last relegation spot, but as Watford levelled, Southampton set an unfortunate statistic for the 2018/19 campaign.
The game marked 25 top flight points dropped this season from winning positions and had we even halved that tally, we’d have enjoyed a very different season.
25 points dropped from winning positions! That is absolutely abysmal ????????????
— Callum James Guy (@CallumJamesGuy_) April 23, 2019
25 points dropped from winning positions now… Jesus Christ what a horrific stat ???? #SaintsFC
— Kyran Rickman (@RickmanKyran) April 23, 2019
Once again dropping points from a winning position. That's now 25 points dropped, at least double more than any other team this season. Really need to cut that out for next season. Should really be mid table and comfortable this season. #SaintsFC
— Jordan Taylor (@JordanTaylor_7) April 23, 2019
A point at Watford is a good point and one that brings us closer to safety. 25 points dropped from winning positions is frustrating to say the least. Could've wrapped that game up several times before the equaliser. #SaintsFC
— Alex Tait (@alextaitsfc) April 23, 2019
Saints have dropped 25 points from winning positions this season. Pick up all of those and we sit a very comfortable 7th and a shout for Europe. In reality, pick up half those points and we are up there with Wolves and Leicester. A lot is possible with a couple of additions
— Mike Elkins (@MikeElkins86) April 23, 2019
25 after today… far too many and hopefully something Ralph will look to sort over the summer!
— matthew samuel (@mattsamuel1992) April 23, 2019
???? didn’t realise it was that many .. don’t worry will learn from this one ????????
— Tom Hill (@tommyboo5) April 23, 2019
shocking.. 25 I think
— Stuart Hack (@HackStuart) April 23, 2019
There are plenty of things for manager Ralph Hasenhuttl to work on next pre-season and that stat will undoubtedly come into things as we look to push on as a club once more under the Austrian.
Given the improvements we’ve already seen both offensively and defensively under his charge, there’s every reason to be optimistic as we look to the future.