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It was the reaction from Southampton’s supporters to Claude Puel’s final substitution in the 86th minute that said it all.
They were a goal behind against Stoke and had not scored in their previous four consecutive home matches when the Frenchman hauled off James Ward-Prowse and replaced him with Jeremy Pied, a defender who has missed most of the season with injury and has made one start and two substitute appearances in a Southampton shirt since a free transfer last summer. ‘You don’t know what you’re doing,’ began, a warm-up to the loud boos that greeted a final whistle that ensured a 1-0 defeat and extended their record of home matches without a goal.
More dissatisfaction arose when Puel walked around the pitch applauding the modest smattering of fans who stayed at St Mary’s for the team’s end of season lap of honour. He is hugely unpopular in these parts and it is clear to see why.
This week Puel faces a season review, led by executive director Les Reed, where he is expected to be relieved of his position. After the defeat Puel repeatedly pointed to the EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester United and an eighth-place finish in the Premier League, ignoring the fact their 46 points is the club’s lowest tally in four seasons.
‘When I make a debrief, it’s not a debrief about one game, it’s a debrief about the season,’ Puel said. ‘The good things, the difficult things. It’s a balance of the season to see what we can improve. This is important. I’m proud of my players and my squad, to always keep a good attitude and spirit with all this competition. Now we want to come back to try to find European games for the season after.’
Even the manner of the goal conceded was farcical. There is a basic principle taught in football that you don’t have your 5ft 8ins full-back marking the 6ft 7ins striker when balls are played into the box. There is almost a foot difference between Cedric Soares and Peter Crouch but it was the Southampton defender at the back post on the hour trying to stop the Premier League’s greatest ever headed goalscorer. Geoff Cameron sent in a deep cross and Crouch brushed aside Cedric as though he was in dads versus kids match to head past Fraser Forster from close range for his 50th Premier League header — a feat unmatched.
'We all know that if we give Crouchie the service, he is the best in the business at what he does,’ Stoke manager Mark Hughes said. ‘He has had a great career and we hope there is more to come.’
In league position there was so little riding on the game that players kept gifting each other chances to score. Soares played a woefully weak back pass, intended for his own goalkeeper, into the path of Crouch on 27 minutes. The 36-year-old was never the quickest but 10 years ago he may well have reached a gallop sooner, reached the ball first and put Stoke in front. As it was, Maya Yoshida sprinted back at full pelt and stopped him with a desperate sliding tackle.
In first half stoppage time, Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland returned the favour to Southampton. Receiving the ball on the edge of his own area, Butland was under no pressure until he allowed Nathan Redmond to close him down, executed an awful feint that handed the winger the ball.
Redmond turned and, from 35 yards, chipped for goal, had the beating of Butland who was haring back to his line, only for the effort to strike the crossbar and bounce over. Puel was fortunate that moment of excitement came just as referee Lee Probert blew his whistle, otherwise more boos would likely have come from the St Mary’s support who had sat through hours of football without seeing their side score.
Worse would have come, also, had Cedric not headed from the line Mame Biram Diouf’s header at the back post a minute previously. Forster had run from his line to close down Bruno Martins Indi in a crossing position on the left, but the defender bypassed him with the ball in and had Diouf produced a more powerful header it would have gone in. They were eventually undone by a cross and a header as the 60th minute arrived.
In fairness to Southampton they tried; they really gave it everything. A well worked move in the 73rd minute allowed Oriol Romeu to cross low from the left and Steven Davis met the ball only a few yards out, but Butland produced a sensational save and matched it again when the ball came out to Ward-Prowse.
Manolo Gabbiadini came on for Charlie Austin, making a first start since dislocating his shoulder in December, in the 65th minute and should have scored with 10 remaining.
The Italian timed a run on to Davis’s chipped pass — Gabbiadini really is exceptional at that — and was through one-on-one. Butland slipped, but managed to block as he stood back up and the ball bounced back off the striker and out of play.
Two minutes later, Sofiane Boufal, another substitute, cut back on himself inside the box and shot hard, and though Butland misjudged the dive he clipped the ball over — somehow — with his foot.
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