Southampton V Arsenal The Verdict
Monday, 26th May 2025 10:35
I could be glib and just leave this Verdict as a one line sentence that reads " Thank God this awful season is over" that would be a clear and concise and accurate view of most people's thoughts on the game, but most left the stadium with at least some hope that next season will be better.
This was a performance that ensconced the whole season in one game, we battled hard and almost got something out of the game, but let in a late goal that ruined all that had gone on before.
Simon Rusk has had a thankless task as caretaker manager, taking over a side that was already relegated, he didn't try to impose his own tactics and try to push his case for getting the job on a permanent basis, he steadied the ship and meant that in the main we didn't see the shocking performances that had been the norm before he took the job.
Rusk stuck to the core of a team, didn't bring in any players from the cold or change tactics, just got the team organised and got us over the line so that we were not the worst ever Premier League team ever.
For this he must be thanked, whatever he did was not going to be enough is some people's eyes, but he held the ship steady and we at least went down with some pride regained.
Having said this in his final game he had a few shocks in store, a start for Charlie Taylor who had not played any part since 4th January and who had not even been on the bench for previous games.
Taylor came in and put in a performance that makes you wonder why he has been so ignored, he had the experience in the back line that we lacked, I would hope that he will be here next year and won't be overlooked by Will Still.
Another surprise was Jay Robinson, the 18 year old would have been well known to Rusk when he worked with the Academy sides and after 3 sub appearances the youngster was given his full debut and he had a reasonable game.
Less of a surprise was Ross Stewart and the centre forward had a decent game culminating in a headed equaliser and again he is one who could play a big part next season, he has slowly built up his fitness and worked hard both on and off the ball to show that at Championship level he can be a force to be reckoned with.
The after match walk to applaud the fans was obviously one that for some it was farewell and others just a brief goodbye for a couple of months, but as a whole this performance showed that although we will lose a few players, that we will still have the foundations next season for a side that can get promotion.
The key will perhaps be those that were not in this squad, the likes of Shea Charles, Ronnie Edwards, Gavin Bazunu, Adam Armstrong and Sam Edozie all out on loan, those largely overlooked this seasons such as Taylor, Ryan Fraser & Cameron Archer.
The youngsters such as Jay Robinson & Joachim Sanda who both played parts yesterday & one man who most forget is Juan Larios who has now been fit and playing for the academy team for the last few months.
Then those that played this season and will be here next, Flynn Downes, Ryan Manning, Welington, Nathan Wood, Will Smallbone, Sugawara perhaps even one or two from Joe Aribo, Taylor Harwood Bellis, Jan Bednarek, perhaps not quite cutting it at Premier League level, but good proven Championship players.
Finally using the money that comes in from the sale of major assets wisely as well as utilising the loan system.
A month ago perhaps we had little hope for next season, although I have always believed that as poor as we have been this season, Russell Martin & Ivan Juric have a lot to answer for in the way they have set their teams up and the tactics used.
In the last few months things have changed behind the scenes at St Mary's, Johannes Spors a new director of football has brought back direction and he has built his team behind him.
Then there will be yet another new manager, we know little about Will Still, most Saints fans will not have heard his name up till the past few weeks, yet here he is as our new manager.
He is an unknown and some will say a gamble, but every manager is a gamble and over the last 70 years, virtually every one of our managerial appointments has been up and coming coaches rather than the so called proven top flight managers, when we have appointed that type of manager, the journeyman such as Graeme Souness, Mark Hughes & Harry Redknapp it has not been a success, Souness & Hughes had last day escapes from Relegation, Redknapp got us relegated.
So I have hope for Still, and I have hope that the fans will get behind him.
So not the happiest of final days of the season, but we can take hope going forward and that wasn't something that we could say a few months ago.
Sport Republic have made mistakes, but they have now rectified those mistakes, things have changed.
We can hopefully now all enjoy the summer without the stress of losing games of football and hopefully refreshed next season things will be a lot better, there was enough in this game against Arsenal to suggest that it might be.
All Photos Via Reuters
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