RECAP: Southampton draw 0-0 with Swansea in season opener
By Erik Franzo
Southampton made it ten games in a row without a match-day one home win in a 0-0 draw with Swansea City. The Saints featured a full strength side against the Welsh club, which overshadowed the absence of Virgil van Dijk.
A packed house of supporters were fantastic from the opening whistle, but were ultimately let down from a lack of clinical finishing.
For Saints fans, it was the same old story. Great build up, control possession, create chances, and can’t hit the back of the net. In the 2nd minute Manolo Gabbiadini just missed putting Southampton ahead with a glancing header from an in-swinging Ryan Bertrand corner. Not two minutes later, Dusan Tadic missed the opportunity of the first half on a low driven cross again from Bertrand.
Cedric Soares and Bertrand were clear focal points of the Saints attack in the 4-2-3-1. The Swansea flanks seemed routinely unlocked with excellent combination play.
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This was evident in the 20th minute as Nathan Redmond slipped through the left side. His cut back ball for James Ward Prowse was deflected away by the Swans defense. Five minutes later JWP would fire a curling chance on goal from 20 yards out that Lucasz Fabianski handled in fantastic fashion.
A penalty appeal in the 27th minute on Tadic and an overhead kick by Maya Yoshida were the other first half moments worth noting.
Swansea offered very little attack and never tested Forster. Tammy Abraham offered a single threat on a header in the opening ten minutes.
The second 45 opened up with chances on both ends. Abraham turned well inside the Saints penalty area, but Soares came up with a well-timed block.
Redmond fired a deflected shot that from some angles convinced the crowd it went in. Tadic and Gabbiadini took 52 minutes to link up. The Italian just missing the corner he had picked out on his favored left foot.
Swansea looked far more dangerous on the counter to start the second half. Finally finding space to go forward, but it was short lived. Jack Stephens was impressive and confident, breaking up a number of opposing attacks before they materialized.
Charlie Austin came on for Gabbiadini as the first Southampton sub in the 68th minute. Sofiane Boufal quickly followed as he entered for Ward-Prowse in the 71st.
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Tadic’s best moment of the game came from a strike from distance which Fabianski skillfully parried away. On the ensuing corner, Yoshida would waste another chance on a header inside the six-yard box. Paul Clement all but conceded the three points in the 80th minute by removing Tammy Abraham.
Sitting atop the 18-yard line all alone, Tadic failed to hit the frame on his left foot, marking two shots on target out of 28 attempts for the Saints. All the missed chances, slowly reminded the fans of the end of the 2016/17 season.
Yoshida surprisingly was the choice hit a free-kick in extra time from just outside the box that landed wide. One more shot by Charlie Austin hit the side netting, adding to over nine hours of football at St. Mary’s without a goal.
What could easily be lost is an encouraging performance by the Saints under new boss Mauricio Pellegrino.
Southampton controlled the game from start to finish and played together as an 11. There may be some carry over mentality from a season ago in front of goal. Although you have to be pleased that they were a class above the Swans for the entire 90.