Having welcomed Brighton and Hove Albion to St Mary’s for Monday night’s Premier League action, Southampton started brightly enough with goals from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and a Danny Ings penalty given us a 2-0 victory with 25 minutes remaining in the game.
Not for the first time, Southampton moved from a comfortable position to an extremely nervy one as we let the opposition back into the game and we again dropped points as they scored twice to take a share of the spoils.
Frustrations are certainly growing within the fanbase again as old issues continue to appear in our play, as do selection issues but the most frustrating thing for fans on social media last night was manager Mark Hughes’ own words.
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Watch as a disappointed Mark Hughes gives his reaction to #SaintsFC's 2-2 draw with #BHAFC in the #PL: pic.twitter.com/ZK7r1fswUq
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) September 17, 2018
“At that point you expect the game to be over.”
'You get a two-nil lead and you expect the game to be over'
That's the issue. We seemingly think the game is over and allow the opposition to get chances and pressure us. This has happened too many times now, and we need to sustain high attacking pressure at any scoreline.
— JDeleay (@JDeleay) September 17, 2018
Stop picking Long and hoping he'll score. Through twice and blew it. We know this will happen. For all his qualities he can't do what strikers are there to do. Where's Sam G?
— Ch Howard-Williams (@French_Chris) September 18, 2018
Same old mark Hughes complaining about the officials, need to take a look at his own manager skills, most points dropped by a team from winning positions since he arrived, such a poor manger soton need to be doing better than him.
— wayne tancock (@WTancock) September 17, 2018
Only one who wants it is Pierre and he’s been sent by the gods, love that man.
— Lvke (@jukelhomastones) September 17, 2018
i dont think Hughes has been watching the same Southampton team as the rest of us. we struggle the most when we have the lead, so expecting the game to be over at 2-0 is absurd. He needs to find away to rid the anxiety when we're leading, otherwise points will be hard to come by
— Nick (@saintsnick21) September 17, 2018
There's the error – 'you got a 2 nil lead and at that point expect the game to be over'. There's no more dangerous scoreline in football than being up 2-nil.
— Rikki Lambert – Senate candidate (@rikkilambert) September 17, 2018
In fact what the team should have been doing at 2-0 was to be pushing for 3-0, then 4-0 and keep bloody going until the ref decides the game is over.
— Darren Boyce-Smith (@Boyce_SmithDJ) September 18, 2018
We've seen this film before.
And the many sequels.— Peter (@fawwon1) September 17, 2018
The above reactions to that single line continue to show our Achilles heel and whilst it didn’t begin under Hughes, the fact it hasn’t changed under him is a growing worry for many. He carries the can as manager obviously, but the players deserve their own criticism for stepping off once again when it appeared the match had been won.
