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European away days look different, sound different and feel different.
There were not many players in last night’s Saints team that would have previously performed in such a fevered atmosphere, in front of such an intimidating crowd being led by a man on temporary scaffolding with a megaphone and a band of bare chested drummers to back him up.
Added to that the temperatures, the travel, the entire package of the first away Europa League group game was something entirely new for much of the squad.
This season is a learning experience for Saints, albeit one that comes with much hope and expectation of success along the way.
The kind of welcome that awaited in Israel was something else.
The Turner Stadium, a modern marvel in the southern Israeli desert, was absolutely jumping, as well it might given Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s record of having never been defeated in just over a year at their new home.
The travelling 300 or so Saints fans that made the trip did their best but the noise coming from Hapoel’s supporters was remarkable in its volume, and under the lights, even with the daytime temperatures of 30c having cooled off, the atmosphere was red hot.
Saints got a taste of it when they came out to warm-up. Normally back home this is a serene part of the day when few fans are in the stadium, or particularly care.
The eardrum splitting jeers, boos and whistles showed that Hapoel’s supporters were going to make this as intimidating and as hostile as possible. The blaring PA system, continual club songs on loop, the giants flags were a sign of passion and tribalism.
The only thing that was not intimidating was the security. For all the fears and worries, the Israelis were welcoming to all and not overbearing. Indeed, they went out of their way to be helpful to travelling fans, most of whom were bussed straight in and out from Tel Aviv by Saints, and staff.
Add to the atmosphere the large amount of travel, and you have mixed in the perfect cocktail of tricky Europa League football.
This game was a good testing ground for the Saints squad to really get used to what they have to contend with.
Though if they progress in the tournament they may well face better sides than Be’er Sheva, they are unlikely to face a more testing trip than this, so far from home, sandwiched between two domestic away games, with the heat and the wall of noise to contend with.
It all seemed to get to Saints a little in the first half.
Their play, under Claude Puel usually so controlled and measured, was, by contrast, frantic.
A few players looked below their best, and whether it was tiredness from the travel, the heat or being caught out by the atmosphere, it wasn’t particularly good.
Too often the passing game was left to one side in favour of direct balls, but without the personnel to play that style.
Indeed, Puel, who was hopping about furiously in the technical area, took the ultimate move at his disposal by making a change after just 35 minutes by bringing off Jake Hesketh in favour of Dusan Tadic to try and wrestle some control of the game.
Be’er Sheva were fairly slick and athletic without being overly threatening.
It could have been a different story had Virgil van Dijk converted a free header from close range from James Ward-Prowse’s deep free kick just four minutes in, but he put it off target.
It was the best, and really only, chance of the entire half for either side.
Saints were better in the second period but rarely looked a serious threat to Be’er Sheva’s well drilled back five.
James Ward-Prowse threatened with a well struck drive from 20 yards six minutes after the restart but David Goresh got down to his right to save.
The rest of whatever opportunities there were fell to Be’er Sheva.
Saints were carved open on 67 minutes but with the ball running away from Maor Melikson he couldn’t hit the target.
Anthony Nwakaeme had a go from the edge of the box but put wide while Ovidiu Hoban forced Fraser Forster into his only save of note with eight minutes remaining but the Saints keeper looked fairly comfortable making the stop.
Whatever the result of this game much focus was going to come onto Puel’s decision to leave Charlie Austin, Jose Fonte, Steven Davis and Ryan Bertrand back at home.
Some will argue it might have cost Saints the chance to get a win that, bearing in mind Sparta’s defeat of Inter Milan, would have given them control of the group.
But with Leicester coming up and such a long and tiring journey to Israel, he had to make decisions and stick by him.
You cannot fault Puel for being anything other than a manager of conviction in that respect, whether you agree with it or not.
Ultimately, a draw was not a bad result in Israel. However, a win at Leicester though and this would seem like a great week.
It’s the balancing act for Saints as they learn on all fronts.
There is little doubt this game was a huge part of that, in so many ways.
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