Southampton At Birmingham City The Verdict Tuesday, 30th Dec 2025 15:41 Saints didn't change much from the side that started against Oxford United on Boxing Day and for a long while in this game it looked like they might get the same result, however they dug in and showed spirit to get a point, but it was a bitter sweet evening. The only change made from Boxing Day was Jay Robinson coming in for Leo Scienza and for the first 20 minutes up at St Andrews we were an absolute shambles, as Blues came out of the traps looking to catch us on the back foot. After that opening barrage we found our feet a little and had a chance or two and although the confidence started to return, we still looked a shadow of our former selves a month ago and it took a smart save from Gavin Bazunu to keep us in the game.
If the Saints fans thought that we could now go on and control the game then they would soon be proved wrong, Birmingham again came out of the traps fired up and with only 4 minutes gone of the 2nd half we were a goal down. It was one of the most bizarre goals I have seen conceded, firstly when the cross came in we should have dealt with it, we thought it was going out, but a Blues player hooked it back across goal, they then played a game of head tennis as we failed to get ourselves organised and on about the 5th header it went in, looping above Gavin Bazunu as he desperately tried to claw it out from under the bar.
At this stage you couldn't see a way back, we lacked punch we lacked confidence, but luckily we didn't lack spirit, we survived a few attacks from the home side and then started to work our way back into the game. Tonda Eckert chipped in with a couple of changes, firstly bringing on Elias Jelert for Tom Fellows did not look the best move, but it helped shore up the right side and would see the Danish International show why we signed him.
At the same time on came Leo Scienza for Jay Robinson and the game swung a little. Then with 22 minutes left came another double change, the two Cameron charge of Archer & Bragg with Armstrong & Jander departing again didn't look great, but truth was we looked a different side and we were the side pressing. It paid off almost immediately when Jelert made a great run down the right and crossed for Archer to poke the ball home from close range..
The last 20 minutes saw Saints in command but they couldn't find a second goal, a 5th change saw Matsuki on for Azaz, but the game ended in a draw, a result not really helping either side. From a Southampton perspective, it was a bitter sweet experience, on one hand we dragged ourselves back up off the floor, dug in and earned a point at St Andrews, a ground where only one side has beaten Birmingham this season, but on the other it leaves us floundering in 13th place, 6 points off the play off spots. This should have been the week where we stormed into the top 6 or at least on the cusp with two wins on the road, but it hasn't turned out that way.
The old issues still reared their heads, I am not convinced that the back 3 we have played in the last 2 games does not compliment each other and I will say it again, we need Harwood-Bellis in the centre and some strength, pace & passing ability alongside him. But we do have some plus points, we have team spirit, a team playing for the manager and fighting their way from behind. We saw the likes of Elias Jelert, Cameron Archer & Cameron Bragg come on and put in a great case for starting more games.
But ultimately is was two points dropped and we have to get back to winning ways, just 2 points from the last 4 games is not good enough and has seen us drop back in the promotion race. But it is not terminal, there is a long way to go this season, but I do feel we need something in the January transfer window. We march on, but now the game against Millwall on New Years Day is very much a must win game
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