Southampton

Things are looking bleak for Southampton.

The season has reached the midway mark and the Saints find themselves rock bottom with just six points following Sunday's defeat by Crystal Palace.

Derby's 2007-08 season was so bad that Paul Jewell, who took charge of 24 games during that time, said his managerial career "never really recovered".

The Rams finished that campaign with the lowest points tally ever seen in the Premier League (11) and a -69 goal difference. They won only one game.

Yet after 19 games they had seven points - one more than Southampton do now.

But Southampton can take heart from Sheffield United's 2020-21 season.

The Blades looked on course to replace Derby as the Premier League's worst team when they entered the season's halfway stage with just five points.

Unfortunately for Derby, Sheffield United - although they still finished bottom - had 23 points come the end of the season.

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Crystal Palace and Southampton, that finished 2-1 to the Eagles.

Here are some of your comments:

Palace fans

Paul: Palace are still wasteful, but the amount of chances being made, got them out of trouble. There was a similar situation against Arsenal, where the result could have been so different. Hopefully Eberechi Eze's confidence will have improved greatly after the goal.

Pedro: We wanted a statement win. We got a squeaky victory. We'll take that but we've got to do better. We're capable of more. We'll get there. It's the hope that kills you.

Sam: A game closer than Palace fans would have anticipated and Glasner and his players would have hoped, but in the end, good to get the three points. It was especially relieving to see our second home win of the campaign. Southampton were good in the opening 15 minutes but the Eagles dominated from there. Great to see Eze back on top of his form and finding the winner with a magnificent volley.

David: Trevoh Chalobah has been outstanding in defence and scored important goals including this one. Some of our forwards need to learn how to finish from him.

Southampton

Anthony: I thought we played better against West Ham, but this game seemed to show that our players are not up to standard. Also, the managers substitutions were too late and ineffective. So, Saints are doomed and we might as well get used to it. Horrible season.

Steve: Halfway through the season with 19 games left: 12 wins needed and with the six points we already have, on paper we can stay up. Being realistic, we haven't a hope in achieving that so we should plan for the Championship now and experiment with the players we have. Just don't want to go down with less than 12 points.

Mike: Ivan Juric would do well to realise that serial failures like Joe Aribo, Jan Bednarek (especially him) and obviously Adam Armstrong have no future at the club having all been previously found out at this level. There are plenty of others but these guys have been stinking up the club for years.

William: With Russell Martin gone, we're back to the awful football that got us relegated in the first place. Our plans lie broken and in ruins, and after this season we'll be starting all over again with a new coach, who I suspect will get neither the money he needs nor the time.

Chris Wise
Final Score reporter at Selhurst Park

Image source, Getty Images

If Southampton's name is mentioned in conversations about football at your New Year's Eve party, I expect someone will utter the words 'they are gone.'

It would be hard to provide a solid argument against that theory. When West Brom produced the most astonishing escape from relegation from the Premier League 20 years ago, they only had 10 points at the halfway stage of the season.

Southampton are now 50% of the way through their campaign, and have a mere six points to show for it.

There has though been improvements in Ivan Juric's two games in charge. They do not look as defensively vulnerable, and seem more comfortable in what they are being asked to do.

I would be shocked if Southampton go through the next 19 Premier League games and do not earn comfortably more points than the first half of their campaign.

But will it be enough to stay up? We would be talking about the greatest of great escapes if they did.

Kelly Somers introduces highlights and analysis from Sunday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Everton 0-2 Nottingham Forest

• West Ham United 0-5 Liverpool

Southampton and Ipswich are both keen to sign 29-year-old Rennes and Finland midfielder Glen Kamara in January. (TBR Football), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

A new episode of Goin' Home With Adam And Jo is available to download and listen to on BBC Sounds.

As they travel home from Selhust Park, hear Adam Blackmore and Jo Tessem dissect Sants' final game of 2024 being a loss away to Crystal Palace.

The boys also discuss the year as a whole for Saints, and what players need to go in the January transfer window.

Plus, they're joined by Alfie House and George Rees-Julian from the Daily Echo to chat about whether the football has changed under Ivan Juric.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Southampton manager Ivan Juric, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I think the first goal for me is a foul. This goal changes the situation and it's the second goal we have conceded from set-pieces. Like against West Ham we do good things but it wasn't enough today because we conceded really stupid goals.

"Yes [it was a foul on Aaron Ramsdale] it's really difficult for Ramsdale to do something if he has a player pushing him. I don't know what is in the rules, but for me it is a foul.

"Second goal is really hard to explain. Against West Ham it was a similar situation. We are not tough enough in this moment. And it's a real pity because we are competing and creating chances and we concede goals we don't have to concede.

"Against West Ham we did really, really good. Today we did something good and there were some things we could do better. We have players who can compete. We are competing and we have to be much better in the details.

"They are fighting every game. We have to believe, there is no other option."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Crystal Palace's performance

What did you make of Southampton's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

There are six games in the Premier League on Sunday, and we will bring you every moment.

• Leicester v Man City (14:30)

• Crystal Palace v Southampton

• Everton v Nottingham Forest - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Fulham v Bournemouth

• Tottenham v Wolves

• West Ham v Liverpool (17:15) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

This week, he takes on musician Emma-Jean Thackray, who is a Leeds fan.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Crystal Palace are definitely showing more mettle at the moment, and they were very well organised in their 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.

To be fair to Southampton, the same can already be said for them under new manager Ivan Juric. I know they lost to West Ham in his first game in charge, but they could have got something out of it.

Saints seem to have changed their style - from purists to pumping it - but there is nothing wrong with being direct, and they showed their resilient side when they got a draw at Fulham before Christmas, when Juric was watching from the stands.

I am expecting another close game here, but Palace will probably edge it.

Emma-Jean's prediction: 3-0

Palace look a lot more improved recently and they are my local team now I live in London. So I do have a bit of a soft spot for them, plus Southampton fans were not very nice about them getting promoted ahead of us last season. The bitter person in me wants us to go up and wave as we pass them on their way down.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, PA Media

Southampton manager Ivan Juric expects Tyler Dibling to play an important role in Saints' battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season but accepted the 18-year-old is currently not at his best.

The teenage winger was only used as a second-half substitute in Thursday's 1-0 loss to West Ham, with Juric saying he felt 18-year-old Dibling was looking "a little bit tired" after an impressive first half of the campaign.

"He started very well, he is an incredible talent and in the past few games I've seen him be a little bit less explosive, which is normal as he is only young," Juric said.

"He is a big talent, a great talent and I really believe he can be a really good player."

At the other end of the age spectrum, Juric also believes 36-year-old midfielder Adam Lallana can be important to the club for the remainder of the season.

"He can help me with many things," said the Saints boss. "As a player he did well [against West Ham] and he's a clever guy with big experience.

"Sometimes, I have feelings that I can speak with him like he was my assistant. He has told me some very interesting things."

Image source, PA Media

Southampton manager Ivan Juric has seen reasons to be positive about his team in the early days of his spell in charge.

The Saints followed Sunday's 0-0 draw at Fulham with a 1-0 home loss to West Ham on Boxing Day, meaning Saints are nine points from safety in the Premier League.

"I knew before that I arrived here it would be very difficult but watching these two games, I think we have to be positive and think positive," the former Roma boss said.

"Against Fulham, we were tough. We were the better team [against West Ham] and we have to be positive and try at Crystal Palace."

Meanwhile, Juric says Germany international defender Armel Bella-Kotchap could still have a role to play at St Mary's Stadium.

Having spent last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven, Bella-Kotchap has made only one appearance for Saints this season in the Carabao Cup.

Juric said: "I saw him playing here two years ago and he was incredible for me. He started to play in the German national team and he has the potential.

"Now it is about him. I said to him to work really, really hard and we will see in a few weeks if he will be ready.

"I think Southampton needs him and we will help to give him a chance. Now it is only on him and if he wants it."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Thursday's Premier League game between Southampton and West Ham.

Here are some of your comments:

Southampton fans

Cliff: We looked a lot more solid at the back and moved the ball quicker, but the lack of confidence, along with the quality in the final third and poor finishing, was the difference once again. Saints can improve their performances as much as we like but ultimately, it will come down to our same old problem: we simply don't have a quality finisher and don't score anywhere near enough goals.

John: When your luck is out, it can become very hard to remain positive; Saints certainly didn't deserve to lose.

M.Francis: One bad mistake at the back and Aaron Ramsdale should have cleared it. As soon as that goal went in, Saints heads dropped and in typical fashion, we missed too many chances. We need a clinical finisher in readiness for next season in the Championship.

Steve: Well that was different - pushing forward constantly and much improved. If we play like that for the rest of the season it could be quite exciting. It's a shame big Paul Onuachu didn't have his shooting head on we could have run away with this game. Overall very encouraging.

West Ham fans

Dave: Yet another substandard performance - we were lucky to get the win. Southampton's performance was better than their league position. We still lack that spark and Lopetegui doesn't know his best team or the players best positions. I am dreading the Liverpool result.

Leigh: Although Southampton had their fair enough amount of chances in front of goal, I thought West Ham were quite comfortable in defence. Unfortunately we lost Lukasz Fabanski in goal but Alphonse Areola was a worthy sub anyway. On the balance of play, Hammers just edged it and Jarrod Bowen took his chance well. Good decision for a change with VAR overturning the 'red' card to a yellow too. Fair play to Mr Atwell.

Stephen: Another lacklustre performance. Fortunately Southampton were not much better. Thankfully, we somehow won the game and three points. I expect we will finish somewhere around mid-table but I'm writing off this season which is so disappointing after a big spending spree in the summer.

Mark: It was three points. Nothing more. Even before Max Kilman and Fabianski's substitutions we were conceding the initiative to a team that has just six points. Mohammed Kudus was indifferent. He doesn't want to be out left and it shows. Without Bowen, we would be toast. A win but a desperately poor showing. Liverpool will eat us alive. Apart from improved possession, there is nothing at all to be cheerful about.

Highlights and analysis from Boxing Day's eight Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

A new episode of Goin' Home With Adam And Jo is now available to download and listen to on BBC Sounds.

Adam Blackmore and Jo Tessem reflect on Ivan Juric's first game as Southampton boss after enduring a 1-0 loss at St Mary's against West Ham.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Ben Collins
BBC Sport journalist

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A death metal music fan in his younger years, Croatioan coach Ivan Juric said this week that he likes his teams to play in a similar style.

And there was a glimpse of what 'death metal football' might look like in the 49-year-old's first game as Southampton boss.

He brought in 6ft 7in striker Paul Onuachu for his second league start of the season, suggesting Juric wants his new team to be more direct.

And it soon became apparent that Juric had instructed his players to get the ball wide as soon as possible, with wing-backs Yukinari Sugawara and Kyle Walker-Peters encouraged to push on and get the ball into the box.

That approach created several chances in the first half, with Onuachu having two headers saved, although the Saints did not manage to take advantage.

Their intensity dropped after the interval, with West Ham grabbing the game's only goal, and while Juric says Premier League survival remains 'extremely difficult', this performance gives him hope.

Image source, Getty Images

New Southampton manager Ivan Juric spoke to Match of the Day after the Boxing Day defeat by West Ham: "I think we did a really good game. We played much better than West Ham and created lots of chances, especially in the first half.

"We didn't score and we conceded one goal where we don't have to concede, but I'm very satisfied that after four or five days of work [in training] the players are starting to press hard, to steal the balls, to shoot a lot on the opponents' goal. There's a lot of things [that I'm happy with] but I'm not happy with the result."

On the team's lack of self-belief so far this season: "I don't think it's happened this season that the team shoots 18 times and create those kind of chances. I see one very good Southampton, very concrete, with high pressure. The players feel it, they have to adjust to believe and to go on.

"They are listening and they want to improve. Of course, if you have a lot of chances and you don't score, then confidence is a problem."

On task of keeping Southampton in the Premier League: "It will be extremely difficult but after today's game, I'm more positive than before because I saw that my players can play better than West Ham - or at the same level. There are a lot of things to gett better, some details, but we have to be confident that we can go on."

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton had 11 shots in the first half against West Ham, which was already more than they'd had in total in any of their previous nine games. It was their most in the first half of a Premier League game since February 2023 against Wolves (12).