Saints lucky to dodge a Ralph rocket
BY THE second half of this drab draw, a pain was swelling around the waist of Ralph Hasenhuttl as he edged closer towards the edge of his sofa.
‘I was nearly in the television,’ the manager joked.
For once, there could be no snarling, and no prowling in the technical area.
Instead Hasenhuttl was left to stew in self-isolation after Covid infected a member of his household and disrupted his festive calendar hours before kick-off.
Without him, Saints struggled and a much-changed West Ham will feel this one got away.
Saints have now gone four games without a win and haven’t scored in three. This was a particularly dour climax to a brilliant 12 months for Hasenhuttl’s team.
‘It was horrible,’ he said of watching from afar. ‘It was difficult — we didn’t have a live picture or voice… that makes it difficult to coach and concentrate.’
His team are also missing a bit of punch in the final third. Danny Ings, back from injury, did find the net early on but it was disallowed for offside.
That was the closest either side came until the final five minutes, when Said Benrahma was denied his first Hammers goal by the outstretched hand of Alex McCarthy.
It was a brilliant save that cost West Ham a sixth straight win over Southampton and denied David Moyes the perfect anniversary present — he returned to the club a year ago last night. ‘It wasn’t a bad point, we’re pleased,’ he reflected. Earlier this year, of course, Moyes had briefly coached from the couch after catching Covid.
Last night, in the three and a bit hours after Hasenhuttl’s bad news, Saints set up a video link which allowed their manager to communicate and coach from home.
Even with his obstructed view he must have known Che Adams had strayed offside before Ings netted six minutes in. Everyone inside St Mary’s awaited a flag as Ings wriggled through and fired beyond Lukasz Fabianski. Eventually it came.
West Ham heeded the warning and in the stands, first-team coach Stuart Pearce was living every challenge. Unfortunately Adams soon felt the worst of them. From a West Ham corner, the ball dropped invitingly near Craig Dawson, who swung for it but only connected with the head of Adams.
With the last kick of the first half, Manuel Lanzini’s shot flew over.
The only hope for Southampton? Hasenhuttl hadn’t drifted off before he could relay his half-time instructions.
Whatever he said, it couldn’t rouse his team. They struggled for rhythm and in the end it could have been worse had Benrahma scored from point-blank range.
Fortunately for Hasenhuttl and his TV, McCarthy was on hand.
SOUTHAMPTON (4-2-2-2): McCARTHY 7.5; Walker-Peters 6.5, Bednarek 6, Stephens 6, Bertrand 6; Ward-Prowse 6.5, Romeu 6; Walcott 6.5, Djenepo 6 (Armstrong 78min, 6); Ings 6, Adams 5 (Long 58, 6).
Subs not used: Forster, Valery, Salisu, Vokins, Diallo, Smallbone, Obafemi. Booked: Bertrand, Djenepo, Walker-Peters. Manager: Ralph Hasenhuttl 5.5.
WEST HAM (4-4-1-1): Fabianski 6; Fredericks 6.5, Dawson 6.5, Ogbonna 5.5, Cresswell 6.5; Yarmolenko 6 (Bowen 72, 6.5), Rice 7, Soucek 6.5, Fornals 6.5; Lanzini 6.5 (Benrahma 60, 7); Haller 5 (Antonio 77, 6.5).
Subs not used: Randolph, Coufal, Diop, Noble, Snodgrass, Johnson. Booked: Yarmolenko.
Manager: David Moyes 6.5. Referee: Andy Madley 6.