It was a 0-0 draw but no one was bored in this one with Saints getting stronger as the game went on leaving most present hopeful for the season ahead.
Mark Hughes surprised a few people with his team selection, Jack Stephens coming in ahead of Jan Bedarek and Yoshida as the right sided player in a back three with Yoshida not even making the bench.
Also a surprise start for Cedric who had not registered any pre season minutes due to his World Cup duties.
But if Mark Hughes thought Burnley might be a bit jaded he would be wrong, at least in the opening 20 minutes, Burnley seemed to have benefited from already having played 3 competitive games and had an edge and sharpness that Saints lacked, we also seemed to struggle with the formation and finding our positions.
Sean Dyche seemed to have targeted our right flank in the first half and Stephens and Cedric struggled, neither seeming to knpw where they should be or whom they were marking, luckily enough although Burnley had a lot of the ball and got in plenty of crosses, Vestergaard and Hoedt seemed to deal with them all comfortably, in those opening exchanges the visitors had more shots on target that they had in total in both games last season and Saints had Alex McCarthy to thank for a smart save to make sure the game reached half time scoreless although we had held our own after that initial dodgy period.
Burnley came out of the traps at speed again in the second half, but we held firm again and ten minutes after the break a double substitution of Elyounoussi for Cedric and Danny Ings for the injured Armstrong seemed to give Saints a lot better balance and both seemed to be able to get the ball down run with it and create.
No one could accuse Mark Hughes of being cautious or not trying to win the game with Manolo Gabbiadini coming on for Charlie Austin, but although Saints pinned Burnley back they hung on with Joe Hart looking more like the keeper he used to be with several smart saves and some dangerous crosses dealt with.
But it was scoreless at the final whistle, however the mood amongst Saints fans was one of optimism, this was not the bore draws of Puel of the ultra cautioness of Pellegrino, it had been a decent game of football and you felt that now Hughes seems to have a little more idea of his team and how he wants it to play, we can start to get some consistency.
It was hard to pick a Saints man of the match, but several deserve a mention, Jannik Vestergaard looked like the missing link we have needed for two years, strong and dominant, he looked like he will form a strong partnership with Wesley Hoedt.
Nathan Redmond looked to be playing without fear and was a constant threat running with the ball and Danny Ings looked like he could well be the man to get the side scoring again, he looked strong and mobile and his arrival saw us play some quite intricate football.
So overall a lot of plus points that were there for everyone to see, last season you really ad to work to find anything in our game as a cause for optimism, this season there are a lot of good things to see, when you look at how strong the bench now is and the options on it Mark Hughes must feel he can surprise a few people this season, but also those that couldn't even get on the bench, Steven Davis, Shane Long, Yoshida and Fraser Forster all considered first choices for much of the last two seasons, not to mention the likes of Josh Sims and Matt Targett who you would be looking at to make a breakthrough.
This will hopefully give us that sharpness and edge and competitiveness that has been lacking, we won't have to indulge players nor will there be any excuse for anyone to be left in the side when he is playing badly.
So not the win we hoped for on the opening day, but a good point all the same.
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