Southampton’s Sliding Doors: What Could Have Been

Article by e-Southampton Correspondent Sam Wilkes

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It is 17:00 on 12 May 2014 and captain Adam Lallana is leading Southampton out of the tunnel at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final.

The entire East side of the stadium is decked out in red and white as Saints’ fans make the most of their day out at the spiritual home of football. Whatever the result of the game to come, players and supporters are rightly proud to have made it this far in the famous cup.

If Mauricio Pochettino had put out a stronger team against Sunderland in the fifth round proper, it could’ve happened. Instead, Saints have just lost 0-1 at home to Cardiff, the worst away team in the Premier League in a season that is petering out badly for the south-coast team.

As with so many games this season, Southampton dominated possession in the first half but were unable to find a way through the massed ranks of blue shirts. Paulo Gazzaniga once again started in the absence of Artur Boruc who was still suffering with a back problem. Gastón Ramirez started on the left in place of Jay Rodriguez. Although Saint’s top scorer was missing, he was still very much in mind as the players emerged to warm up all wearing number 9 shirts.

Lallana was looking keen to impress in front of England Assistant Manager Ray Lewington. Collecting the ball in the middle of Cardiff’s half, he beat two players before hitting his shot straight at the outstanding David Marshall. Ramirez struck a shot against the bar with a deflected effort and Rickie Lambert forced a save from the ‘keeper from a well-placed but weak free kick 20 yards out.

Cardiff set out to frustrate the home team and catch them out on the counter-attack, a ploy which almost worked as Jordan Mutch ran from the halfway line before unleashing a drive which Gazzaniga did well to save. The young goalie had little to do in a first half where Saints had 66% of the possession.

The second half started in much the same way. Southampton pressed for an opening goal but instead they went behind with a terrific left-footed effort from centre-back Juan Torres Ruiz, “Cala” to his friends. A Cardiff corner was cleared to the edge of the box where Cala was lurking and he was allowed to amble sideways past a couple of defenders before he let fly past the helpless Gazzaniga.

Pochettino replaced Ramirez with Sam Gallagher and then Calum Chambers for Nathaniel Clyne in search of an equaliser. Both replacements were thwarted by Marshall in the closing moments of the half. Morgan Schneiderlin’s clever chipped ball found Gallagher who shot straight at the Cardiff stopper from 8 yards out. Clyne then tested his reflexes from the edge of the area after a defensive mistake.

Cardiff substitute Wilfried Zaha had almost put the game beyond Southampton as he outmuscled former team-mate Jose Fonte then skipped past Dejan Lovren before Gazzaniga did well to come out and block.

The bluebirds picked up only their 2nd win of the season and keep their slim chances of survival alive. Saints finished the game with 68% possession, 3 times more passes and 3 times more shots than the opposition yet still came out on the losing side. If only things had been different.

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