Southampton 1-1 Brighton: Three match takeaways 31/1/2018

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SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 02: Southampton’s goal keeper Alex McCarthy and Palace’s James McArthur get ready for the corner during during the Premier League match between Southampton and Crystal Palace at St Mary’s Stadium on January 2, 2018 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images) /

Alex McCarthy continues to outplay Fraser Forster

The last two games are prime examples of why McCarthy is starting every week.

Against Watford in the FA Cup, and Brighton midweek, the Southampton goalkeeper did not have much to do. However, you can still see the impact he is making.

First of all, his ball handling and catching are far superior to Forster. Balls driven in with pace are typically smothered, and rebounds are few and far between. Most impressively McCarthy is very confident in the air and anything over head height typically falls safely in his hands.

The full-backs show respect toward him following even routine saves. They also show complete trust to play the ball back to his feet, and listen for his call when coming off the line. There was a great moment in the Brighton game where he called Wesley Hoedt off a clearance that could have been difficult to handle.

Finally, where Forster struggled the most was in distribution. McCarthy on the other hand, always seems to know where he is going with the ball, and gets it to the feet of his defenders quickly, knowing also when to slow things down.

Honestly, it would be surprising to see Forster again this season, and one has to wonder if Alex McCarthy is the Saints goalkeeper of the future.