Yesterday afternoon manager Mark Hughes and the Southampton first-team squad made the trip to the Midlands to face Derby County at Pride Park in our scheduled pre-season encounter.
FULL TIME: #DCFC 3-0 #SaintsFC
Second-half goals from Tom Lawrence and Mason Bennett prove the difference in our third pre-season contest. pic.twitter.com/jfRqhP7uqP
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) July 21, 2018
It was far from a great trip as Frank Lampard’s new side took a 3-0 victory on the day and, as the scoreline suggests, it was pretty comfortable for the hosts – although we did have opportunities.
Pre-season is about fitness though and working on performances so our Welsh gaffer would’ve certainly highlighted things that will now be picked up in training and worked on.
It was our first defeat of pre-season and Derby will be slightly ahead of us fitness wise as the Championship season begins ahead of the Premier League season, but 3-0 with the goals coming in the second half is still a little hard to swallow.
We did see debuts for summer signings Mohamed Elyounoussi and Jannik Vestergaard as they got 45 minutes into their tanks.
🎥
Boss Mark Hughes gives his thoughts following #SaintsFC's third outing of pre-season, against #DCFC: pic.twitter.com/zHh6EDVFDE
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) July 21, 2018
Derby:
Carson (Roos 72), Wisdom (Bogle 72), Lowe (Bird 69), Keogh (Hanson 77), Davies (Pearce 72), Ledley (Huddlestone 63), Wilson (Jozefzoon 63), Bryson (Johnson 72), Nugent (Bennett 72), Mount (Butterfield 77), Lawrence (Thomas 72).
Unused subs:
Thorne.
Goals – Lawrence (58, 71), Bennett (81).
Southampton:
McCarthy, Stephens (Clasie 80), Hoedt, Austin (Gabbiadini 63), Elyounnessi (Davis 45), Ward-Prowse (Hojbjerg 63), Armstrong (Romeu 63), Lemina (Gallagher 80), Bertrand (McQueen 80), Redmond (Reed 63), Targett (Vestergaard 45).
Unused subs:
Gunn, Sims.
Please please tell me you are joking…… #saintsfc
— Craig Justice (@JusticeCraig) July 21, 2018
Pre season or not, thats embarrasing.
— ✍???? (@CoastDzn) July 21, 2018
So our new signings have played 1 pre-season game and we're destined for relegation?????????????????????????
— bill (@billy_coleman19) July 21, 2018
It's pre-season, no one cares
— bill (@billy_coleman19) July 21, 2018