City Goal Cost Saints In The Pocket
In terms of relegation Manchester City's injury time winner cost Saints nothing, but in terms of income from the Premier League it meant we missed out on a not insignificant amount of cash.
Saints fans did not feel too disappointed when Jesus scored with virtually the last kick of the game at St Mary's on Sunday, there was no feeling of dejection as there had been 8 days earlier when Everton scored in the last minute of injury time, we knew the job was done, indeed some Saints fans were almost happy that City had scored and reached that 100 points total.
But there would not have been two many smiles in the directors box, that goal meant that Saints dropped a position, with Huddersfield losing to Arsenal and us drawing we were above the Yorkshire club in 16th place and it wasn't just the fact it made the League table look a bit more respectable that was the reason for the long faces, dropping a league place meant that we only received £7.7 million in the prize money for League places, some £1.9 million down on the £9.6 million we would have received if we had held out for those final seconds.
Although in the grand scheme of things £1.9 million doesn't buy you much these days, it is still better in our bank than in Huddersfield's and from that perspective Ralph Krueger was not as happy as he might have been.
But the main thing is that we are still in the Premier League for next season and that means far more money than £1.9 million.
Raplh Krueger and his board now need to identify where we have gone wrong this term, although I suspect that they already know that, implement the changes needed and get back to what we have done so well for the previous four years.
What to read next:
Saints V Stoke City A Look Back In Pictures 2In the second part of our pictorial look back at some of our games against Stoke City from the past, here we look back at more recent games, so most of you would have been at them.
Southampton V Stoke City The PreviewSaints go into the last two games of the season with their hopes of automatic promotion ended, even the hope of finishing 3rd is only a point away from being ended, but they do have something to play for and that is getting back the togetherness, character & fight Russell Martin has recently be moaned.
No Togetherness No Character No FightNot my words, but those of Southampton manager Russell Martin, who should ask himself the question why two months ago we had all those attributes and now we don't !
Southampton At Leicester The DebacleThe big question is how can a side that was so tight at the back, so clinical up front and who could pass the ball around almost with their eyes closed, become the disorganised rabble that they were at the Leicester City this evening.
Southampton At Leicester City The PreviewSaints travel up to Leicester knowing that it is almost certain that they will just be in the play offs come the end of the season, however there is still the feint hope of 3rd place to play for, however the Foxes are playing for a bigger prize.
A Rough Guide To Leicester City FCSaints head up to Leicester City this evening with their automatic promotion hopes just about over, so for the 3,000 fans who bought their tickets when there was hope here are the details.
Southampton At Cardiff City The VerdictThere can be no excuses for this defeat, a loss that effectively means that it will be a play off spot and not an automatic promotion place for Southampton, so where did it all go wrong.