Southampton Fan View: Mauricio Pellegrino's negativity cost the Saints again

With the topic of VAR being so prevalent in recent times, it was less than ironic that Southampton were denied their first win since November by an intentional handball.

Saints travelled to Watford in 17th place on the Premier League table and as they headed into the interval two goals to the good, all looked to be well for the team. The visitors were in cruise control and they had one simple task – to not lose that two-goal lead under any circumstances.

Nevertheless, lose that two-goal lead they did, as Andre Gray and Abdoulaye Doucoure inflicted yet another crushing blow on Saints, who now remain in 17th. As has been the case on many occasions this season, though, the referee came out of the match as the centre of attention and primary subject of conversation.

Roger East failed to distinguish which part of the body Doucoure used to stab the ball beyond Alex McCarthy in the closing stages. In such a key moment of the game, it’s truly unfathomable that the referee was unable to notice and act on a handball, which has only furthered the argument for introducing VAR imminently.

Southampton’s team and supporters felt robbed following the draw at Watford. The win would have been a light relief as they aim to drag themselves out of a relegation fight.

However, did Saints honestly deserve to come away with that win at Vicarage Road? For me, absolutely not. The tactical approach from Pellegrino in the first half compared to the second was totally polarising and he brought the ultimately negative outcome upon himself.

The display in the opening 45 was reminiscent of better times at Southampton. Although Watford were undeniably poor, Saints played with guile, confidence and intent whilst playing on the front foot. There was a clear urgency to drive forward and after taking the lead, there was an emphasis placed on kicking on and building on the advantage.

That was until Pellegrino’s half-time team talk, though. It was so abundantly clear that Marco Silva was going to alter his approach to suit a more attacking style in the second-half, yet Saints boss Pellegrino had absolutely no idea how to counter this.

I’ve lost track of the number of times that an opposition manager has utilised a physically imposing striker, played with two forwards up front, and aimed to whip balls into Saints’ box. Why is this tactic repeatedly used against Southampton? Because Pellegrino is still none the wiser to it, and he doesn’t have the nous to respond to it.

Troy Deeney was introduced and Saints crumbled. Wesley Hoedt didn’t win an aerial duel and Jack Stephens hardly has a reputation for being physically imposing. This was only an issue, though, because of how deep Saints were sat. The whole team should have been at least 10 yards further forward, but instead, they aimed to contain Watford and sit back despite the physical difference between the sides.

The main talking point of the game was the referee’s incompetence and failure to act in the most important period of the match. This was the reason for Saints losing out on two crucial points, according to pundits and large sections of the club’s fans alike. Although, how come no fuss has been made over Mario Lemina hauling down Stefano Okaka in the penalty area? Luck evens itself out over the course of the season and Saints were fortunate in that respect perhaps to have not found themselves level with a while to go.

Pellegrino’s failure to learn from mistakes has contributed to his disastrous tenure on the south coast. His game management, time and time again this season, has been appalling. Saints have lost several points from winning positions against clubs of similar stature and they are now paying the price for it.

The manager’s satisfaction and acceptance with narrow wins are going to send Southampton down to the Championship. Football is a game of two halves and the second one is often the most decisive, yet Saints crumble more often than not as the game goes on.

Of course, the draw at Watford can be put down to bad luck. It was a clear handball and ultimately, if a logical decision is achieved, Saints come away with three points. The question I ask, however, is how on earth were the Hornets even in the game at that late stage? Having been 2-0 up at half-time, Saints should have been absolutely out of sight, yet Pellegrino’s cautious approach inhibited and ultimately cost them.

We can discuss VAR and the standard of officiating for days if we want and we can rue the dropped points at Vicarage Road. However, it’s time to take a look at ourselves and think, do we really deserve to win games if we continue to make avoidable errors?