PICK AND MIX
Hasenhuttl’s decision to ring changes is spot on
SOUTHAMPTON fans were left scratching their heads when Ralph Hasenhuttl picked a team showing nine changes.
But a side that had no right to beat a virtually fullstrength West Ham at St Mary’s did just that – and they thoroughly deserved to.
Following the Saints’ win over Norwich on Friday, maybe the Austrian was saving his resources to challenge for a European place in the Premier League?
But in the end, thanks to Romain Perraud’s glory goal, James Ward-Prowse’s penalty, and Armando Broja’s late strike, Southampton’s manager turned out to be spot on. It was, though, a result that will leave
Hammers manager David Moyes fuming – his team fumbling to a sloppy defeat against a makeshift team. Another trophy chance gone. His side started well and only a great last-ditch tackle from Jack Stephens denied Jarrod Bowen.
But Tomas Soucek shot wastefully wide, and then Bowen headed just wide from Michail Antonio’s cross. Gradually, Hasenhuttl’s young side began to get a grip on the game. First, Adam Armstrong shot over, but then when Kyle Walker
Peters played the ball square, West Ham’s defence stood off and Perraud raced in to crash his shot gloriously into the far corner from 35 yards.
It was the French full-back’s first goal since his £10.3million arrival from Stade Brest in the summer.
West Ham were rattled and Will Smallbone could have had a second when he flicked an effort just over.
Then Ward-Prowse, left, curled an effort an inch wide. Moyes’s men finally found their feet again, as Kurt Zouma headed just over.
And then came disaster for goalkeeper Willy Caballero when the 40-year-old
POSSESSION % SHOTS ON TARGET SHOTS OFF TARGET BLOCKED SHOTS CORNERS FOULS YELLOW CARDS RED CARDS
Argentinian dropped the ball under Zouma’s challenge, Issa Diop squared and there was Antonio to tap in a simple leveller.
It looked like West Ham would take control then but suddenly substitute Broja burst through, fell under Craig Dawson’s clumsy challenge – and VAR awarded the spot kick.
There was only one man who was going to take it – and Ward-Prowse slammed the penalty home.
Caballero kept his youngsters afloat with a great late save from Dawson’s header and then in the 95th minute, on-loan Chelsea striker Broja grabbed the third when he jinked past two challenges to shoot home. SOUTHAMPTON (4-2-2-2): Caballero 6; WalkerPeters 7 (Livramento 57, 7), Stephens 7, Valery 6, Perraud 7; Ward-Prowse 8, Diallo 7 (Romeu 89); Smallbone 7 (Redmond 80), Djenepo 6 (S Armstrong 46); Long 6 (Broja 46, 7), A Armstrong
7. Goals: Perraud 31, Ward-Prowse 69 pen, Broja
90.
WEST HAM (3-5-2): Areola 6; Dawson 6, Zouma 7, Diop 6; Johnson 6, Soucek 6 (Benrahma 53, 6), Lanzini 6, Rice 7, Fornals 7 (Vlasic 75 6); Bowen 7, Antonio 7. Goal: Antonio 60.