How Southampton's ugly win against Portsmouth showed off their promotion credentials
In the build-up to the South Coast Derby, a lot of Southampton fans were getting caught up in the dizzying fantasy that their treasured team was going to hammer Portsmouth.
After all, heading into the Sunday lunchtime showdown, the Saints had scored a red-hot 15 goals this season in Championship action, just at St. Mary's alone.
This dream scenario didn't end up playing out, but the 1-0 win come the full-time whistle was still celebrated ecstatically, as Tonda Eckert's hosts had to win ugly to overcome their arch rivals.
Southampton had to win ugly vs Pompey
Eckert and Co. had to battle hard at St. Mary's to clinch the bragging rights.
Indeed, the Saints were down to ten men for all of the second 45 minutes, after Cameron Bragg foolishly got himself in the book twice in quick succession, so a gritty win had to be secured, over an eye-catching one.
This shift to a defence-first approach is reflected in the second half numbers, as Southampton's possession fell to only 34%, after just about edging possession at 51% in the frantic first half.
Southampton's first half/second half stats:
| Stat | Saints (first half) | Saints (second half) |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 51% | 34% |
| Passes | 298 | 104 |
| Tackles | 4 | 6 |
| Free-kicks won | 3 | 12 |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 3 |
Moreover, Pompey doubled the Saints' shot count - 10 to 5 - as Eckert's men hung on for dear life, with the blocks and interceptions being won by the likes of Keven Schlotterbeck and Flynn Downes celebrated like match-winning goals.
They also won a lot of fouls and 50/50's, with 12 free kicks being awarded in their favour, as they ran down the clock to a hard-earned 1-0 victory.
Of course, Eckert would much prefer an easy-on-the-eye win, especially so they can entertain their die-hard home masses.
But, a win at all costs mentality had to be deployed, and this narrow win over their enemies from down the road could stand them in good stead to go the distance when it comes to winning promotion.
This could stand them in good stead for promotion
Several notable EFL managers over the years have displayed the importance of picking up these gritty wins when the going gets tough in the promotion race.
Indeed, to get over the line and soar up to the big time, sometimes the victories do have to be ugly, and Saints fans would definitely take a few more of these attritional performances, if it ends in a Premier League red carpet being rolled out.
Sean Dyche definitely wasn't known for setting up his Burnley team to play the most expansive football, yet he managed to collect two promotions up to the Premier League from the Turf Moor dug-out.
He even lifted the Championship title at the end of the 2015/16 season, with the Guardian writing at the time that the Clarets' ability to win ugly was a "crucial asset" to have on their side, as they chased after promotion.
Even Russell Martin has understood the importance of nicking a win, despite being widely known as a stubborn operator, with Southampton's 1-0 playoff final victory over in Leeds in 2024, only seeing the Saints have 43% of the ball, despite Martin being known as a tactician who loves dominating the ball.
You have to be adaptable to reach the big time, and for one of the first time this season, we saw a meaner side to the South Coast outfit, away from their usual attack-minded philosophy.
Perhaps, Eckert will look to tap into this unattractive approach when it comes to finding a magic-winning formula on the road, as the Saints have struggled on their travels so far this season.
There are so many more games to come, and with how gruelling the 46-game schedule is, don't be surprised to see more plucky victories be secured, even when Eckert's men aren't reduced to ten men.
