Ralph’s Red -hot revival
SAINTS BOSS’ XMAS PRESENT IS FIRST BACK-TO-BACK WINS FOR MORE THAN 18 MONTHS
DAVID WAGNER will be glad to see the back of 2018 and no doubt raise a glass of John Smith’s to a happier New Year.
Huddersfield finished off the last 12 months at the John Smith’s Stadium with another defeat – their fifth in a disastrous December.
And it means the toothless Terriers round off the calendar year with just 10 Premier League goals scored at home, two of them courtesy of opponents.
No wonder the Huddersfield boss cannot wait to hear Auld Lang Syne and he can throw himself into a battle to the end to somehow keep his side in the big time.
It is clear that Wagner is in desperate need of a striker if there is even the remotest chance of shooting their way out of this misfiring mess with Philip Billing their lone goal threat.
There are no such net-profit problems for Southampton. Nathan Redmond grabbing his first of the season followed by a Danny Ings penalty and a third from substitute Michael Obafemi.
Downhearted Wagner said: “What it means for January I can’t give a serious answer.
“But we performed at a very high level in the second half. That’s why I’m more frustrated about the first half. The worst for a long period.
“We looked nervous. We were not calm enough. Not brave enough on the ball. We have to make ourselves independent from what’s around us in the table.” Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl enjoyed back-to-back wins – although he was a little embarrassed about a comparison with Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp.
He said: “I have my own philosophy and maybe some parts are similar to Jurgen’s philosophy but we are both clear about how football should be.
“He has a fantastic team and maybe they can win the Premier League.
“For us, we have other targets and it feels good. It was a fantastic first half. We were always very dangerous. I am very happy for our supporters. We have quality and we deserved to win.”
Wagner was realistic enough to admit before a ball was kicked that no opponent would give Huddersfield any pre-Christmas presents.
The German was spot on. In fact, Southampton went immediately for the throat.
There were only 15 minutes on the clock when the Saints flew into the lead with a magnificent move which left the Huddersfield rear-guard totally bamboozled. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg split the Terriers defence wide open with a slotted pass of perfection and Redmond raced clear to finish superbly.
Three minutes from the break, Southampton charged into a two-goal lead when Mathias Jorgensen tripped Ings and the Saints striker brushed himself off to score from the spot.
Huddersfield were stunned. They badly needed that elusive goal and their fans thought it was coming in added time but Steve Mounie despatched the ball high over the bar instead of bursting the net.
Then came the unexpected fightback with the Terriers responding to whatever Wagner bellowed in the dressing room. Jorgensen tried to make amends for his penalty error with a header which keeper Alex McCarthy saved in the 55th minute.
Three minutes later, a Huddersfield goal came out of nowhere. Billing picked up the ball in what looked like a harmless area and suddenly unleashed a swerving drive which embarrassed flat-footed McCarthy.
But just when you fully expected an equaliser sub Obafemi first missed but seconds later in the 71st minute he made no mistake.
Christopher Schindler got in a tangle and lost the ball to Redmond who fed Obafemi. His composed roll into the corner virtually ended proceedings for his first senior career goal.
And the teenager could have had more when he streaked into the box but this time keeper Jonas Lossl stopped him in his goalscoring tracks.