Southampton secured back to back wins at home for the first time since March as they emerged victorious in a game that could have massive implications within the relegation battle, come the end of the season.
The opening 20 minutes of the game was a nervy affair, with neither side being able to take control or settle into the 90-minutes. Just as Norwich began to play some attractive football, they were struck with a devastating blow at the hands of none other than Danny Ings. James Ward-Prowse smartly won a free-kick after winning the battle for possession with Cantwell, just to the right of the penalty box, a JWP dream come true. The Englishman then proceeded to whip a fierce ball into the danger area, which was cutely nodded in at the front post by Ings, making that four goals in four games, bringing his total for the season to 10 in all competitions. The goal came at the wrong time for Norwich as a Southampton barrage followed for the remainder of the half.
Southampton were blessed for their efforts just before half time in the 42nd-minute with JWP playing a huge part once again. Norwich had been struggling to deal with the Saints’ corners and paid the price after an out-swinging corner was met with a glace by Shane Long, who redirected the ball perfectly into the path of Ryan Bertrand who made no mistake from two yards out against his former side.
This gave Southampton a huge advantage going into the break, providing the Canaries didn’t come back to snatch the win, something they were not able to do making it 10 games lost when going behind.
Norwich proved they weren’t completely down and out though, as with only 25 minutes remaining, they pulled one back. A fantastic through ball from Alexander Tettey was latched on to by their top scorer Teemu Pukki, whose left-footed effort flew past Alex McCarthy at his near post.
This piece of play brought the game to life again, Norwich needed to commit men forward, and Southampton were attacking on the counter; with chances falling to both teams, left right and centre with the best opportunity falling to Norwich’s Sam Byram in the final seconds of the game. Brilliant work from Hernandez down the left hand side gave Byram two attempts at hitting the target from inside the box, in which he failed both times and the game ended not too long after, lifting Southampton out of the bottom three and extending the gap between them and Norwich to four points – a crucial three points for Ralph Hasenhuttl on his 364th day in charge of Saints football club.
Reignited fires
Southampton have now picked up seven points from their last three Premier League games, a huge turnaround considering they only managed to win eight points from their first ten fixtures. A noticeable feature of this has been the hunger and desire present on the pitch which, before the 9-0 hammering against Leicester, was non-existent.
Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Ings, Redmond and Bertrand specifically standing out. Games like this are huge when battling in and around relegation and despite the nervous, cagey start from the Saints, they managed to pull through. Pressure from the front two and two midfielders really gave Norwich problems and did not allow them to play their football, especially Shane Long. Long’s contribution may not have ended in goals and assists, but his tireless running allowed Saints to press high and keep the ball in Norwich’s half.
Pukki party
Teemu Pukki has now scored eight goals in the Premier League this season and in a struggling Norwich side, that is nothing short of impressive. Not only does Pukki score, but his movement and activity in and around the box also gives defenders huge problems.
His clinical finishing draws defenders in, to attempt to deny a shot, opening space for teammates along the flanks. A system that could have been used more against the Saints to a positive effect. If the 29-year-old keeps causing problems in the Premier League, he could well earn a move back to the if Norwich do go down, a scenario he will be desperate to avoid.
The final five
Fans from either team will both agree that the last five minutes of the game were incredibly tense, with heart rates surpassing 100 bpm across the board. Norwich had the upper hand and were pummelling Southampton’s defence, but squandered their opportunities, something they may live to regret later in the season.
From a Southampton point of view, holding on was huge. They felt the heartbreak away to Arsenal, and the nerves set in, but they held on to win their second match in a row at St. Marys’. An early Christmas present for the fans who have been waiting since March to see two consecutive wins. Their next game at home is to Crystal Palace, who sit six points above them, in seventh place. A perfect opportunity to stamp some authority on their intentions for the remainder of the season.
Defensive woes
Defensively, Norwich were not good enough. Their ambitiousness when going forward cost them, and if it were not for Saints missing great opportunities, the game could have been dead and buried by half-time.
Between the two sides, they have conceded 65 goals, averaging over two goals a game and Southampton have failed to keep a clean sheet at St. Marys’ for the previous 13 games, showing that despite the win, Hasenhuttl has a lot to work to do.
Looking ahead
Southampton’s next two games consist of Newcastle away and West Ham at home. Two incredibly difficult games. However, games that Hasenhuttl will be looking to take points away from and climb towards the top half of the table, continuing the momentum gained from the last two home wins.
Norwich’s next three games are Sheffield United, Leicester and Wolves, all of which will create a lot to worry about for Daniel Farke. If he takes anything from his last game, the defense must be tighter otherwise a more experienced side will punish the Canaries, and heavily.
