To lose at home to a club like Liverpool is not the end of the world, but the lack of fight and heart that was evident in the second half certainly is.
The last twenty minutes resembled a practice match for the away side before their important European match in a few days.
Earlier in the day I watched the match between Huddersfield and Bournemouth and was most impressed by the commitment and heart shown by the Yorkshire side, such a difference to that on show later in the day by Southampton.
Then came MOTD and yet again I saw the same ‘do or die’ attitude from Newcastle United as they beat Manchester United and in both these matches, featuring two sides scrapping for survival, total and committed crowd support from start to finish.
It’s as if Saints have started to believe the television pundits who have often expressed the view that they are too good a side to go down; well the quicker they disabuse themselves of this fallacy the better.
What we saw on Sunday were the bottom sides showing their teeth and they will bite anyone who gets in their path.
When Saints return to League duty in two weeks time, a period where they will be locked firmly in a relegation place, they have a difficult list of fixtures including Burnley, Stoke City and Newcastle United, all of which will be, in old currency, six pointers.
Next Saturday sees the fifth round match away at West Bromwich Albion with whom they recorded their last victory, but it would be as well for Mauricio Pellegrino to remember the fate that befell his predecessor even though he got the team to Wembley.
There can be no hiding place as Saints majority shareholder Goa Jisheng and fellow owner Katharine Liebherr together with club chairman Ralph Krueger watched the match in China, where they will celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Well it’s good to know they will have something to celebrate as their football team was dire but what do that trio know about football!
Portsmouth left it late but picked up an excellent three points at MK Dons. They will, however, have to be at their best against Blackburn Rovers at Fratton Park this evening as the visitors are on the edge of the automatic promotion places.
Last Saturday I awoke to find James Vince was 20 not out in a poor batting performance by England in 20/20 match against Australia; rushing downstairs to watch “Flash Harry” I was just in time to see him bowled.
When will I learn that I have an adverse affect on his performance as this was the second time it has happened this winter!
Mind you as the tour decamps to New Zealand the television rights go to Sky so I will no longer be able to interrupt his elegant progress: I bet he is delighted with that!
