Portsmouth had 16 shots at St Mary’s on Sunday, only managing to divert three on target. John Mousinho’s side dropped to 19th in the table as Southampton climbed to 11th. Despite starting the season on minus four points, the Saints already find themselves just a single point outside the play-offs.
A gulf in class
Before Cameron Bragg was given his marching orders for a second yellow, Southampton dominated possession and it was already obvious that there was a clear gulf in class between the South Coast rivals.
About 2,500 of their supporters were inside St Mary’s to watch a toothless Pompey side struggle to create a clear-cut chance. They went home along the M27 with nothing.
How does a team with 16 shots end up on the wrong side of a one-goal derby?
Because only three of them forced a save. Daniel Peretz got down to his left to keep out a Colby Bishop header just before half time, and Portsmouth’s own match report admitted there was little else to trouble him in the first half.
Mousinho’s side have nine league goals from eight games. Sunday did nothing to change that.
Mousinho’s changes after the break
Segečić came on for Ryan Kavuma-McQueen at half time. A triple change on 65 minutes then took off Ebou Adams, Jayden Meghoma and Colby Bishop, and Keshi Anderson replaced Zak Swanson on 77 minutes.
Portsmouth’s report on their own game said they were perhaps guilty of trying too hard and became a little ragged as the minutes ticked down.
“For the territory and the opportunities we created, it was a good performance against 10 men,” Mousinho said.
The News, the local paper in Portsmouth, ran a piece headlined with criticism of the manager and a missed opportunity.
You can see why he is annoyed. Southampton were a man short for the whole second half. The team with the extra player never got close to an equaliser.
Early in the second half Léo Scienza was sent clear through on goal, and Nicolas Schmid had to push his shot over the bar. Ten men still had teeth.
For Saints, the afternoon changes the shape of the next few weeks. Southampton are one point behind eighth-placed Millwall, the last play-off spot, and Saints Marching has already argued that the club must focus on closing the Championship gap now the Eckert ruling is behind them.
The derby was an ugly win against Portsmouth, but it was worth three points all the same.
Pompey sit one point above the relegation zone. That game in hand is the only thing keeping Mousinho’s side from fearing the worst.
Before kick-off, the clubs were two points apart. The derby made it five. The gulf in class, well, that was huge.
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