Scuff of nightmares leaves Hasenhuttl facing mountain
ONLY time will tell whether Southampton’s new piano-playing manager Ralph Hasenhuttl will be sharp like Mauricio Pochettino or hit a bum note like Mauricio Pellegrino.
Yet this afternoon spent in the sideways rain of Cardiff was sobering for the Premier League’s newest addition.
Certainly it felt a long way away from the picturesque Austrian Alps where he has spent the last six months relaxing.
Southampton have a mountain to climb themselves if they are to avoid relegation.
Mistakes haunted them here and one piece of calamitous defending in particular proved their downfall.
Jannik Vestergaard’s scuffed back-pass gifted Callum Paterson his winning goal in the 74th minute. It was comical for Cardiff, and heartbreaking for Hasenhuttl.
‘Either we win or we learn,’ the Austrian said. ‘Today we learned. It’s gone. The points are gone. There are guys in the changing room with their heads down.
‘It’s all about staying together and taking the next step in our development.’
For Cardiff, they have now won three consecutive top-flight
home fixtures for the first time since 1961. They sit 14th in the table under Neil Warnock, who will not get ahead of himself.
’I knew when I woke up in the middle of the night last night that it was a big game,’ Warnock said.
‘We’ve already surprised a lot of people but we just need to keep our feet on the ground.’
Hasenhuttl was billed as Jurgen Klopp 2.0 ahead of this.
The two were born weeks apart, did their coaching badges together, are close friends and came to England from Germany.
The 51-year-old Austrian certainly looked the doppelgänger of Klopp on the touchline, pacing to and fro in his tracksuit and cap.
On the pitch, there was little Liverpool-esque about Southampton. Cardiff took the game to them in the first half. From Paterson to Harry After to Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to Josh Murphy, Alex McCarthy had shots flying at him from all angles. A mischievous wind made life uncomfortable at the Cardiff City Stadium and Mario Lemina sliced Southampton’s best chance of scoring into the stands. A corner at the opposite end was then caught by the wind and looked, for a moment, like it was curling in. McCarthy was spared the embarrassment as it whizzed beyond his back post.
Southampton supporters had spent the first half with hearts in mouths. The performance had not matched the hype of Hasenhuttl’s arrival but there were signs of life in the second half. On the hour mark, Southampton screamed for a spot-kick in vain. Stuart Armstrong sidestepped Victor Camarasa, who stuck out a leg. The Saints midfielder fell to the turf but referee Jonathan Moss said no, leaving Armstrong livid. Just as Hasenhuttl may have been hopeful of securing a winning start, Southampton shot themselves in the foot in the 74th minute.
Camarasa overhit a throughball and all Vestergaard had to do was calmly pass back to McCarthy. Instead, he scuffed it, leaving Paterson through to score from a one on one.
It was too late to stage a comeback and Hasenhuttl, standing drenched and defeated on the sideline, must have felt his native Alps were a world away.
With Arsenal up next at St Mary’s, Southampton can only hope their new coach tinkers with their tactics as well as he tickles the ivory keys. CARDIFF (4-4-1-1): Etheridge 6; Manga 6, Morrison 6.5, Bamba 6.5, Bennett 6; Mendez-Laing 7 (Hoilett 67min, 6), Gunnarsson 6.5, Arter 6.5 (Ralls 90), Murphy 6 (Harris 85); Camarasa 6.5; Paterson 7.5. Booked: Morrison, Bennett. Subs (not used): Smithies, Peltier, Reid, Madine. SOUTHAMPTON (4-2-2-2): McCarthy 6.5; Valery 5 (Stephens 45, 5.5), Bednarek 5, Vestergaard 4.5, Targett 5; Hojbjerg 5, Romeu 5 (Ward-Prowse 80); Lemina 5.5, Armstrong 5.5; Redmond 5.5, Austin 5 (Gabbiadini 75). Booked: Valery, Romeu. Subs (not used): Gunn, Yoshida, Hoedt, Elyounoussi. Referee: J Moss (West Yorkshire) 6.