'What dreams are made of'published at 07:42 18 November
07:42 18 November
Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis has described a "magical" night after scoring on his senior England debut against Republic of Ireland.
"It is every young kid's dream to make their debut for England, but to get a goal was magical," the 22-year-old said.
"I was given a few hints on Saturday that I would be needed at some point so I was just getting myself ready for that, but you also don’t believe it until it happens. When I got the nod to come on, I was over the moon.
"I fancied myself in the box as I like scoring headers.
"They have always spoken about how there is a pathway [from under-21s to first team], even when Gareth Southgate was in charge. We know the door is open if we take our chances
"Playing for my country at every level is something I take great pride in. To play for the seniors is what dreams are made of. It is the pinnacle of football."
Gossip: Saints in race to sign 16-year-old twinspublished at 07:36 18 November
07:36 18 November
Southampton and West Ham are both chasing 16-year-old twins Cole and Dylan Williams, with the Scottish midfield pair currently at Airdrie. (Sun), external
'Difficult' decisions with 'pressure' on injured playerspublished at 10:00 16 November
10:00 16 November
There has been some pressure on players carrying an injury going into international breaks with their national side because you are contracted to these clubs and that is where your income is.
But, for me, as a player I had a similar mindset to Harry Kane that I would always be available - injured or not injured. I would have injections when I was on international duty just so I could represent my country because it meant that much.
It is difficult, however. If you look at Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola's comments, he has a point because the forward has not been able to play for Manchester City because of injuries. So if you have been sidelined for three or four games, I would agree that you are then not fit and available to go on international duty.
But when you look at some of the other players, ones who have been playing and being managed by their club, then I do not see it being different to being played and managed by your country.
From the club's side, when they are competing at such high levels in the Premier League, you can understand why they would want their players to be rested and get fully fit again over the two weeks, rather than having to come back straight into a hectic period of fixtures.
I kind of get it from both points of view but, as a player, if I am half fit and being played by my club, I would be fully available for my national team.
It is really difficult with the pressure that is on the players, though. I would not look at it as a decision players have made solely.
Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson
🎧 Richard Osman as next Match of the Day host?published at 08:20 14 November
08:20 14 November
The latest episode of Saints and Sinners podcast has landed.
Tom Deacon is joined by Taskmaster host and Liverpool fan Alex Horne to look forward to Southampton's return to Premier League action against the Reds and discuss his position on the board at Chesham United.
BBC Radio Solent's sports editor Adam Blackmore also joins the podcast to discuss Russell Martin's future at St Mary's and who should be the next Match of the Day presenter.
'I didn't believe it at first' - Harwood-Bellis on England call-uppublished at 17:10 12 November
17:10 12 November
Taylor Harwood-Bellis has spoken of the surprise he felt when he found out he had been named in the England senior squad for the first time last week.
The Southampton centre-back, 22, has been called up for the Nations League games against Greece and Republic of Ireland.
Harwood-Bellis said: "Lee Carsley rang me in the morning and said, 'you'll be with us, with the seniors'. I didn't quite believe it at first. My partner was next to me and I phoned my dad, who was very proud. He loves when I play for England, even the younger age groups.
"One of the first people to message me was Aaron Ramsdale. I was happy to see his name as he's one of my mates at the club."
The two upcoming matches will signal the end of Carsley's spell as interim boss, with Thomas Tuchel set to take control of England in the new year.
The former Manchester City defender added: "It will be a big motivation for all of the lads, knowing that there's a new manager coming in and wanting to keep your spot - that's something that especially the younger lads will be pushing towards.
"It's going to be difficult because of the quality and experience in some of the lads that aren't here is massive.
"It'll be difficult but it'll be something that I'll focus on week in and week out for Southampton and if I get minutes here."
'Officials didn't get it right - neither did Saints'published at 12:29 12 November
12:29 12 November
Ray Hunt Fan writer
What a difference a week makes.
Two wins in a row, a clean sheet, off the bottom, and Adam Armstrong back among the goals. Flash forward seven days and the hysteria from the Everton win is well and truly forgotten.
We had the luck last weekend with the decisions, but I guess, that's our lot. Once again, we find the main talking point from Saturday's defeat at Wolves is VAR.
Ryan Manning's leveller was cancelled out by a needless VAR check on an incident that was not clear and obvious. Matheus Fernandes was found to have impeded Nelson Semedo in an off-ball collision. If anything, it looked more of a foul the other way. A goal at that point could have altered the path of the game, but instead gave the hosts an added boost.
Then, two clear infringements in the build-up to Wolves’ second goal went ignored. The decisions last week were correct. This week, they were farcical and have left us all confused and angry.
Mike Dean weighed in with his thoughts: "They should have stuck with their on-field decision in my view. I don’t think it was a foul. I don’t think it should have been overturned."
Is it high time we had officials conducting post-match interviews to explain their actions and the need to challenge the on-field decisions? For all the good that will do.
In truth, Saints never deserved to get anything from the match. Seventy one per cent possession but failing to register a single shot on target has been symptomatic of our season. If we cannot get it right - and the officials cannot either - then what hope do we have?
We can rue our luck, but at some point, it falls on us. We are still searching for our first point on the road and now I find myself fixture-watching in early November and am very concerned with the run following the final international break of the calendar year.
Gossip: Moyes wanted by multiple Premier League clubspublished at 06:54 12 November
06:54 12 November
David Moyes is eyeing a return to Premier League management with Crystal Palace, Wolves, Southampton and Leicester all potentially interested. (Talksport), external
Opta supercomputer predicts trouble for promoted sidespublished at 19:30 11 November
19:30 11 November
Opta's supercomputer has tipped promoted Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City as the three most likely teams to get relegated from the Premier League this season.
Southampton are bottom and winless after 10 games since returning to the top flight, with the computer giving them 94.9% chance of being relegated.
Despite climbing out of the bottom three with an impressive first win of the season against Tottenham at this weekend, Ipswich are the next side being tipped to go down with a 70.7% chance.
While Leicester are 15th, three points clear of the drop zone, they are the third most likely side to get relegated according to Opta, with a 46.9% chance.
Wolves, Everton and Crystal Palace are the remaining sides that have an 18% or more chance of falling down to the second tier by May.
Wolves 2-0 Southampton - the fans' verdictpublished at 12:33 11 November
John: A frustrating first-half performance after a stunning opening goal. We then sat deep which was strange as we are much better going forward but clearly afraid of giving away possession. In the second half we came out with much more energy, snapping away at Southampton and Joao Gomes in particular was immense. A great Matheus Cunha strike. Deserved win.
Geoff: Woeful, sideways, mind-numbing and pedestrian football, Gary O'Neil didn’t win the game... VAR ensured Wolves got a win! He has taken us from a fast counter-attacking style to the slow, patient, run-the-clock-down rubbish we saw under Mick McCarthy all those years ago. Far from a convincing win.
Graham: At last, three points. Dare I say the pendulum is swinging our way for a change? Two decisions have gone for us in as many weeks but not before time. Why did we not play like we did in the second half in the first? The international break will now give us time to enjoy this result. Well done lads.
Southampton fans
Darren: We had 71% possession and not a single shot on target. We are so one-dimensional. Russell Martin doesn't listen and will be sacked saying "we had lots of possession". He is clearly not a Premiership manager. Fix it now before it's too late!
David: Our manager continues to be a predictable 'one-trick pony', who seems incapable of fully appreciating how easy it is for other teams to set up, be patient and wait to pounce on our inevitable mistakes. Too many of our squad are Championship level, and Jan Bednarek is the ultimate ball watcher.
Derek: Just really, really disappointing. When it's a game we cannot lose and we have zero shots on target, it simply isn't good enough. Away from home we have to go for it and pressurise the home team because we can't even rely on our home form at the moment. Sadly, relegation is looking inevitable.
'It is almost impossible to outplay teams in the Premier League'published at 08:08 11 November
08:08 11 November
Former Southampton player Jo Tessem tells the Goin' Home With Adam And Jo podcast that Southampton's lack of threat in one-on-one situations is their biggest issue.
"We haven't got a squad. When you look at the changes we made, they aren't Premier League quality.
"The most important thing in football is having players with one-on-one skills and I don't think we have any. We have pace in the team but, with the way we play, we are never set up to have one-on-one situations.
"We are in the possession game where it is almost impossible to outplay another team and score goals in the Premier League. That is where you need the quick-thinking players who can make the right decision in one on ones and get past [defenders]. We don't have that.
"In the 4-3-3 formation, you have to have wingers high and wide on the ball side and a striker high up. You have to get the ball there quickly. We were [playing very deep in the second half].
O’Neil content to don his tin hat, winning ugly not an option for Martinpublished at 20:03 9 November
20:03 9 November
Tom Gayle BBC Match of the Day commentator at Molineux
This was your textbook six pointer. However, irrespective of the scoreline, the approach from the two men in charge was a strong indication of how each will go about their business when it comes to picking up points.
For Gary O’Neil the result was clearly more important than the performance. Despite leading 1-0, the majority of the first half was played out amidst an anxious atmosphere amongst the Wolves supporters, frustrated by the apparent lack of pressing from their team, and a reluctance to commit too many bodies forward.
We had the bizarre situation at one point where Rayan Ait-Nouri stood hand on hip in disbelief at his Head Coach’s instruction to play the ball backwards, rather than race forward with one of his counter attacking marauding runs home fans have come to expect. It was far from pretty at times, but O’Neil would argue the ends justified the means.
As for Russell Martin, and I won’t be the first or last to make this observation, Southampton appear stubbornly wedded to a possession based playing philosophy, that whatever the game situation or opponent, will not change. Speaking to both Martin, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis pre-match, they both made it clear the plan was to impose their game style on Wolves.
It was hard to keep track of the number of passes Southampton made with each venture forward. It’s no surprise they are still yet to score from a cross. Set-pieces and corners aside, never once did a Saints player opt to swing a ball into the box from open play and simply see what happens. Calculated and methodical, rather than throwing caution to the wind.
Time will tell how significant this game was in deciding the fortunes of both teams, and indeed the futures of both managers. Yet from I saw from up of the gantry, O’Neil appears content to don his tin hat when needed, and get the job done by any means necessary, whereas with Martin, winning ugly doesn’t seem to be an option he’s willing to explore.
'I would expect us to get something and we didn't'published at 17:21 9 November
17:21 9 November
Russell Martin spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Southampton's defeat to Wolves: "It's football and it's about how we respond. We started the game badly with two mistakes leading to their goal. We've dominated the ball, limited them to eight shots at home and lost 2-0. I would expect us to get something and we didn't."
On Ryan Manning's goal goal being ruled out: "I think it's open to interpretation. Semedo doesn't try to play the ball. he puts his leg across him and then there's contact. We were expecting a penalty. It is what it is. It's disappointing when you're on the end of two tough calls. We should have done better. We have a lack of punch. We have to create.
"We need to work really hard to try and improve."
Wolves 2-0 Southampton - send us your thoughtspublished at 17:00 9 November