Carabao Cup 2nd Round - Cambridge 0 Southampton 3

 

That's What You Call an Entrance

Carabao Cup second round time again and this year we are away at Cambridge United who we apparently have never played in a full first-team game before. I’m pretty sure that we have played them in the Checkatrade trophy with our under 23s but that’s about it.  It will no doubt be a chance for us to play all the squad players and it might provide some pointers as to who is likely to be out the door when the transfer window closes on September 1st.

Cambridge are one of those sides in League One who could probably finish anywhere between 4th and 24th and it will certainly be their target to make the play-offs this season. Cambridge have never really been in our orbit, even when we were floundering around in League One. Those with a long memory like myself remember them having a very good cup run in the 80s when John Beck was their manager and their team featured Mr Homes Under the Hammer Stairs Up to the Bedroom, Dion Dublin. This was of course before he signed for Manchester United, then Coventry and we became the only team he ever scored against.  He may well be here today as the stairs he goes up in Cambridge, lead to the Boardroom, rather than the bedroom.

Dion... Before and After

Team news and shock of shocks, Saints are resting a load of players for this game, with Oriol Romeu captaining the side which contains virtually everyone not in the first team picture in the league at the moment. McCarthy is in goal with the back four featuring youngster Lewis Payne at right back, Yan Valery at left back and Bednarek and Lyanco in the middle. Diallo and Romeu are anchoring the midfield and the other four have more of a first team look about them with Adam Armstrong, Stuart Armstrong, Elyounoussi and man of the moment, Che Adams.

For some reason, when we line-up for these type of games in recent seasons, I don’t feel like we’re not going to be at it and so it proved as after three minutes as Valery gets a cross over from the left hand side and Adams turns a defender and rifles it in the bottom corner of the net but unfortunately, the ball’s hit his hand on the way through and the referee quite correctly disallows it. What you can say is that it was a great finish from a player clearly playing with a lot of confidence.

If Che Adams confidence is borne out of his performances over the last few games then I have no idea Elyounoussi’s confidence is from but he tries to score goal of the season, taking down a high Adam Armstrong cross on his chest before producing a wonderful turn and volley but he unfortunately doesn’t quite hit it properly and the goalkeeper manages to shovel it round the post.

Cambridge aren’t giving us any problems whatsoever and it’s just a case of how long it’s gonna take before the first goal goes in and it’s not long in arriving as Adam Armstrong shows the difference between League 1 defenders and the Premier League defenders by easily being able to hold off a defender on the edge of the box and roll the ball into the path of Payne on the right hand side and the youngsters low cross is turned into the net by Adams from virtually on the 6 yard line. There doesn’t seem to be anyone asking for offside which is surprising and the goal stands, I guess that the ball has come backwards.

Cambridge respond top the goal by still not offering much but if they do attack and we then play out from defence, we look very dangerous as our willing runners are able to drive forward virtually unchallenged. Adam Armstrong again causes havoc picking up a pass from brother Stuart and the pull-back deflects goalward off a Cambridge defender and is cleared off the line.

Lewis Payne again goes bombing down the right before finding Adams in the middle and he pulls it back to Adam Armstrong who cannot buy a fucking goal as he beats the keeper but a defender running back towards the goal manages to stick out a heel and block it.

Half-time and no worries really.  Might have to weather a bit of a storm at some point but it seems more likely that a second goal will kill it stone dead.  There’s a brief flurry from Cambridge at the start of the second half but nothing much and it’s soon ‘as you were’ regarding any thoughts of it getting any more difficult as Stuart Armstrong brings an early save out of Mannion in the Cambridge goal.

The game is put to bed not long after that and Stuart Armstrong again starts the move down the left hand side which results in Che Adams having a shot blocked, Romeu’s follow-up is saved by the keeper but unfortunately for Mannion, it bounces straight out to Che Adams who is completely unmarked to smash into the net.  2-0 Game over. Cambridge are complaining about a potential handball in the build-up but when you see the replay, it’s basically been hit into the back of Adams and he wasn’t even looking at it so that’s not going to get given as handball, even with VAR in the Premier League.

Easy, this Centre Forward Lark

It’s now a case of how many we are going to get with Romeu demonstrating why he’s never been a great goal scorer, screwing a good chance wide. Valery then cuts in from the left hand side and forces a good save by Mannion down low to his left.  He looks a decent keper to be fair and he’s acquitted himself really well.

Time to roll the dice and bring on some subs with Joe Aribo, Sekou Mara, Moussa Djenepo and Dominic Ballard coming on. It’s a big moment for Ballard in particular seeing as it’s his first team debut.  Valery has now switched to the right hand side and picks up a pass/clearance by McCarthy which takes out the left back and Yan’s cross goes behind Sekou Mara but picks out Dominic Ballard on the penalty spot and his first shot is again blocked by the goalkeeper but the youngster will not be denied and follows in knocks it into the roof of the net with his left foot. Brilliant stuff.

Another youngster in Diamond Edwards get s a run out for the last few minutes, which ends a perfect nights work – clean sheet, three goals, no injuries and a straightforward progression into the next round.

To be honest, this was pretty comfortable. Cambridge had a couple of moments but once the first goal went in from Che, then it was never in doubt. We were also never going to repeat last years’ 8-0 win at this stage which was of course against Newport County, so it was amusing that the same Newport County won 3–2 tonight against our friends from a few miles to the east.

The main positives to take out of the game are of course Che continuing his hot streak with four goals in about the last 90 minutes that he’s played. Strikers thrive on goals and take confidence from them so it’s never a bad thing regardless of who the opposition is. He has probably already guaranteed that he will be our top scorer of the season with the four goals that he’s got. Other positives of course were the performances of Lewis Payne and Dom Ballard.  Ballard had the very obvious moment of scoring his goal with virtually his first kick and Payne acquitted himself well at right back and got the assist for the first child goal of course.  Maybe these two will be the next to come through the Academy and establish themselves in a way that no one has really done since JWP nearly 10 years ago.

It was of course our first game since the passing of David Armstrong.  His name was chanted in the crowd today and of course, since Saturday when the news of his passing began filtering through, I have been thinking a lot about David Armstrong and also thinking about Saints players from around at the same time.  One of those was of course Steve Moran, who also scored with practically his first touch when he made his debut as a late substitute. If Dom Ballard goes on to have the impact that Steve Moran did, then we are all going to be very happy with things.

Next up is Manchester United at home on Saturday lunchtime, which has suddenly became more difficult than it was a week ago because they actually managed to beat Liverpool on Monday and played with some intensity, having left out all the players who can’t run. Hopefully they won’t be able to do it two games in a row but whatever United turns up, as long as a decent version of Southampton turns up, we have got a very good chance of backing up our win at Leicester with another three points. Up the fucking Saints.