Puel hails gift of the Gab as Saints forget final woe
MANOLO GABBIADINI continued his exceptional scoring run since joining Southampton as he helped the Saints put their EFL Cup final defeat behind them.
Claude Puel was impressed with how his players responded from the late defeat to Manchester United but he could not resist having a dig about Gabbiadini’s effort in the first half at Wembley, which was incorrectly ruled out.
‘He scored seven goals — with three goals against Manchester United,’ Puel quipped with a cheeky grin.
‘It was difficult for him because he played against three centre-backs.
‘The next time it might be four centre-backs! But he continues to score.’
Southampton stored up the pain of that defeat and unleashed it upon their opponents in a Premier League match equally as enthralling as the final. They were behind early on; ahead by half-time and level with seven minutes left on the clock.
Gabbiadini helped Southampton back into the lead, before Nathan Redmond sealed the result with a few minutes remaining. Just as well, given substitute Abdoulaye Doucoure stuck in a stoppage time consolation for Watford.
Take a breath, Southampton fans. Puel’s men have barely stopped this season, battling to the EFL Cup final and competing in Europe.
‘After this great final the ability to come back into the Premier League and perform like that is strong,’ Puel said. ‘I’m happy for my players because it was a difficult game after the final disappointment.’
Southampton had almost a week to recover from last Sunday, but against Watford they were sluggish to react to a loose ball inside the box and were behind in the fourth minute as Troy Deeney guided it into the far left of the goal amid a crowd of bodies.
It was his 100th goal in league competition — including playoffs — and moved him alongside Cliff Hilton on 105 as the club’s fourth-joint highest scorer.
Puel named an unchanged starting line-up for the third successive match having never once named the same team for two consecutive games this season.
That cohesion began to show as the first half progressed as the Saints equalised in the 28th minute. Redmond was tackled in the box but the ball rolled back to Dusan Tadic, who buried his shot into the vacant space to the right of goal.
On the stroke of half-time Southampton took the lead with an intricate move. Redmond started it with a charging dribble from the half-way line, passing to James Ward-Prowse who turned sharply and rolled the ball to Tadic on the right.
The Serb cut the ball back into Redmond’s path who struck the ball into the bottom left corner. Southampton should have sealed the result but for a handful of fine saves from Heurelho Gomes which kept Watford in the game.
The final 11 minutes was nothing short of chaos. Isaac Success’s low ball from the left found Stefano Okaka who hit home and drew the Hornets level.
Four minutes later and Sofiane Boufal’s long shot was spilled by Gomes as Gabbiadini tapped in, before Redmond cut in from the left and fired past the Watford keeper.
Doucoure added a third late on but, fortunately for Puel, Southampton did enough to secure the points.