City 3 Southampton 2
Would the dark, black clouds sitting above the A47 on the way to The King Power Stadium (still can't get used to this!) clear away so we will see the sun to brighten the day and provide the first City home win of the season, to take the pressure off Sven after 2 pointless games against Reading and Bristol City?
Top of the table and promoted Southampton were the visitors, who were keen to extend their excellent run of 11 successive league wins, including last season's results, and no doubt spurred on by their 100% record in the Championship so far, their supporters filling the away end corner seats making it a good atmosphere.
Sven selected an unchanged side from the disappointing draw at the Forest the week before, with Jeff Schlupp on the bench following his goal in the Cup match at Bury mid-week, but with the ridiculous 5-man sub rule still in force, poor Lloyd Dyer did not even make the bench after his spectacular goal at Bury! Waghorn's absence was ominous!
The game started well for City with some fluent passing moves, with Wellens at the heart of most things, and perhaps it was no surprise the Foxes took the lead in the 3rd minute when King found himself in space on the left, hooked the ball into the Soton danger area and there was Vassell to guide the ball home from a narrow angle past the portly Kelvin Davis.
After the opening goal, soon after, Nugent went down on the half-way line near the dug-outs, but after treatment, he hobbled off to be replaced by Schlupp, so hopefully he was going to see more of the ball than he did in his last home appearance. A Konchesky cross was headed over by King as the City went all out for a second goal. Then Mills headed straight at Davis from a good Danns corner and Wellens decided to beat players rather than shoot first time from the edge of the box….
Soton looked dangerous on the break and they were passing the ball around well, with Lallana looking the pick of the visitors players, but after a few minutes pressure, it was the City who extended their lead. Excellent work on the right just outside the box by the increasingly confident Schlupp, found Wellens centrally on the edge of the box and he caressed the ball into the top left corner of the goal past a diving Davis. The home fans went delirious but sensed it could go the same way as last week with 2 early goals.
Then 5 minutes later the fears were proved correct when Lallana forced his way down Soton's left. Confronted by orange-booted Pantsil, he jinked one way, then the other with Pantsil ending up on his rear end, Lallana's cross finding Soton's left back Harding at the near post who found the corner of Schmeichel's net with a forceful header.
The game swung from end to end and was very open with both sides going for more goals. Another King cross found the improving Fernandes who forced a good save from Davis, then a Konchesky 30 yard free kick went close. Then as half-time approached and with the heavens opening, a Dann's corner in front of the visitor's fans found Bamba 8 yards out, and as he climbed on the back of Lambert, the Soton player headed the ball past Davis into his own net. A first look at the Referee confirmed the goal stood but as half-time arrived, the Soton players surrounded the man in the middle complaining about Bamba's goal.
An excellent kids relay race at half-time cheered the fans as the City faithful contemplated an excellent first half, admittedly from both sides. The second half started as the first with both sides passing the ball well, but one City player who seemed to be struggling was Mills, as he was continually beaten in the air and when he had the ball, seemed undecided as to what to do with it as his usual long balls from defence continually find an opposition player.
The east standers were starting to get on his back, probably due to the expectation at a £5million price tag was that he was a commanding figure at the heart of the defence. Then, after 8 minutes, a Lallana cross was flicked on by Mills' head, only to find ex City player Connolly at the far post who stooped to easily head home.
As Soton went all out for the equaliser, the City were penned back in their own half, and even when possession was gained, the ball was easily given back to Soton, usually with long clearances up field to relieve the pressure on the City defenders but won easily against Vassell and Schlupp by the tall Soton defenders.
The home crowd were becoming very anxious, possibly seeing a 2-goal lead disappear, but then Schmeichel came to the rescue, surely answering any critics to his signing pre-season. The City defence seemed wide open as Connolly shot from a narrow angle but the keeper blocked the ball at his near post and held on to it when pressed. King, who was not having the best of games was replaced by Gallagher with 15 minutes to go, then Abe replaced Wellens with 8 minutes to go and he started to play well in front of the back four.
Then Lambert and Fox set up man-of-the-match Lallana, but Schmeichel raced out to block the shot at Lallana's feet. Then as the 90 minutes neared, an outstanding save from Schmeichel, again from Lallana at close range earned the plaudits from the home fans. Could the City continue to hold on after this Soton barrage?
As expected, 5 extra minutes were shown on the 4th official's board as desperate City players did everything to keep Soton at bay, with Pantsil making amends for his early slip with a good tackle. Lallana was probing everywhere but his efforts were in vain as the final whistle, eventually, was blown. Phew! 3 home points gained after a desperate second half battle.
We bet that Sven raised a huge sigh of relief as at last a home win was realised after a hard fought battle against an impressive Southampton side who probably thought they deserved at least a point. With Nugent possibly out for a few games, a 20-goal a season striker must be signed with the Maynard deal going on and on, Bristol probably holding out for more cash, and with Johnson, Cox and Beckford, to name but a few names in the frame.
Some good performances, Konchesky was solid and passes the ball well and Wellens and Danns had better games, but keeper Schmeichel was City's star performer, and with top of the table Brighton next at home, we hope that knocking teams off the summit of the table increases our chances of getting into the top positions.
Teams:-
City: Schmeichel, Konchesky, Pantsil, Mills, Bamba, King (Gallagher 75), Wellens (Abe 86), Danns, Fernandes, Vassell, Nugent (Schlupp 6).
Substitutes not used: Weale, St. Ledger.
Southampton: Davis, Richardson (Schneiderlin 46), Harding (Fox 79), Fonte, Seaborne, Cork, Guly (De Ridder 71), Hammond, Lallana, Lambert, Connolly.
Substitutes not used: Bialkowski, Martin.
Referee: S, Mathieson.
Crowd: 23,808
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation