The Media Review: Southampton

Albion delivered the perfect post-Christmas present to the fans at Southampton, and the writers in the St Mary’s press seats also enjoyed the performance of Roberto De Zerbi’s men. 

As well as reviews of a disappointing home Premier League debut for new Southampton manager and our former defender and coach Nathan Jones, there were plenty of references to our World Cup winner and appreciation that the team could produce such a display without Alexis Mac Allister.  

Isabelle Barker of The Sun, for example, wrote that “Brighton showed they are still looking tasty without Big Mac. The Boxing Day bulldozing came without World Cup hero Alexis Mac Allister, who is enjoying a fortnight off after starring in Argentina’s triumph over France, and injured striker Danny Welbeck.

“Former St Mary’s skipper Lallana came back to haunt the club where he made his name and had so much success. Lallana didn’t celebrate against his old side, but the Brighton fans certainly did, giving it large in the away end.”

Watching Brighton players perform for their national teams in the World Cup has been mostly a pleasurable experience, but the 3-1 triumph in Hampshire reminded everyone that there is nothing quite like seeing them competing in the club colours – and winning.  

Mind you, they had some help from an almost over-generous home side. As Alfie House, taking a seasonal tone, wrote in Saints’ local paper, The Daily Echo, Albion “capitalised on late Christmas gifts from Saints to leave St Mary’s with a 3-1 win as the Premier League returned on Boxing Day. Gavin Bazunu will not want to watch the first two back as Adam Lallana scored against his old side with a slow header and Romain Perraud put through his own net. Solly March ended the contest with a festive cracker.”

In The Daily Telegraph, chief sports reporter Jeremy Wilson acknowledged the merit of Albion’s display. “The [Southampton] squad looks short of quality at both ends of the pitch,” he wrote. “Brighton, by contrast, were excellent and their ongoing development following the departure of manager Graham Potter to Chelsea is a testament to the off-field foundations that have been so meticulously built over recent seasons by owner Tony Bloom and chief executive Paul Barber. Alexis Mac Allister was absent following Argentina's World Cup win but they were still dominant and Solly March delivered the outstanding individual moment with a wonderful run and top corner finish.”

Tom Allnutt of The Times wrote that “Southampton were blown away by Brighton and, aside from a late rally, were fortunate not to lose by more,” and put forward a possible explanation: “Of all the Premier League clubs, Jones’s players had the fewest World Cup minutes and it was tempting to say they looked undercooked, like a team in pre-season still searching for clarity of thought and energy in their legs. Every Southampton player was slower to the ball, softer in the tackle and less precise in the many passes that went astray.

“Brighton, who had eight players in Qatar, including Argentina’s Alexis Mac Allister, who is still away recovering, or celebrating, were crisper and sharper. Perhaps Roberto De Zerbi’s side blew out some of the cobwebs in their midweek defeat by Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup. There are other factors at play, as shown by the Premier League table. Brighton are very much in the mix for European qualification, Southampton one of the favourites to go down.

“De Zerbi has overseen an impressive transition away from the system of Graham Potter, the former manager, while retaining the key principles that worked. Adam Lallana is fit and revitalised. Solly March’s strike for Brighton’s third will be a late contender for their goal of the year. For Jones, this was a stark reminder of the job he has taken on.” 

Adrian Kajumba of The Daily Mail believes that “Southampton could now do much worse than follow Brighton's lead in the following weeks after also being shown how it's done at St Mary's by the Seagulls, even without their World Cup winning midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.

“Brighton failed to win any of their first five league games under Roberto De Zerbi but have won four of their following six games and once again looked a slick outfit.

“It was supposed to be ex-Brighton player and caretaker Jones's big day against his former club but ended up being Adam Lallana's as he opened the scoring.

“The former Southampton academy product received possession with his back to goal and eased effortlessly away from pressure and into space with a trademark silky turn.

“He fed Solly March before drifting into another gap to divert his teammate's cross past Bazunu with a clever header.

“Brighton had no natural striker but plenty of quality elsewhere as they continued to look so at ease but also dangerous in possession.”

The story of the match continued in Ed Elliott’s report in The Guardian: “Saints’ defence had struggled to contain Pervis Estupinan and Kaoru Mitoma on Brighton’s left from the first whistle and ten minutes before the break they combined for the former to deliver a tantalising low cross which Perraud clumsily directed into his own goal under pressure from March.

“Southampton began the second period with greater purpose and Samuel Edozie twice threatened. But March soon halted any growing momentum by cutting in from the right to smash a stunning drive into the top left corner from around 25 yards.

“As Southampton supporters watched on with gloomy expressions, Brighton’s capacity following revelled in their side’s scintillating display, with chants of “the south coast is ours” followed by ones about the possibility of a European adventure next season.”

“’For the quality of play, the strategy of game, it was a fantastic day,’ said the Brighton manager Robert De Zerbi. ‘For me, the most important is not the result, it’s how much my players follow me. I’m very happy. We played probably the best game with me as a coach. We are improving’.”

The final word goes to Sky Sports, whose website reported that “Brighton, who welcomed back several stars from the winter tournament in Qatar, looked authoritative throughout and took control of the scoreline in the first half thanks to some calamitous Southampton defending.

“The game finished 3-1 and the result was a firm indicator of the situation both teams find themselves in. Brighton are seventh and now just two points behind fifth-placed Manchester United, while Southampton drop to the bottom of the table following Wolves' 2-1 win at Everton.”