2 weeks Ago
What a kick in the guts. That was a hard one to take, wasn't it? From that elation and excitement at half-time to the complete opposite of your emotions. There was a bit of uneasiness in the stadium at 2-1 and you just think, 'Oh God, let's secure all three points here'.
It went from bad to worse. To come away with nothing, not even a point, and in the way we conceded. The timing of it.
I was thinking back to whether I was in that position. We had a bit of a collapse at Tottenham Hotspur in 1992/93 after we went 1-0 up through Iain Dowie and we maintained that until the 55th minute. Then it all just came from underneath us.
By the 60th minute, Spurs were 4-1 up. Four goals in five minutes. Then, two minutes later, I got sent off.
They scored almost as many goals in as many minutes and my head just went. I was red-carded for a challenge on Nicky Barmby. ❤️🙏🏼 Keep being amazing Scott 🌟 https://t.
co/YAmy5UcXjV — Francis Benali MBE (@FrannyBenali) October 22, 2024 It was terrible from a personal perspective. From winning at half-time to being 4-1 down in a matter of minutes, it was a bad day for us all. In the 1989/90 season, Rod Wallace scored two first-half goals to put us 2-0 up inside 29 minutes and Chelsea had one back before half-time.
But then they scored an equaliser in the 81st minute and a winner in the 82nd minute so obviously that was not a great experience either. But the big difference was I think we were around about sixth in the league at that point. Everybody knows the importance of securing that first win now.
Given where we are in the table, Saturday felt even worse. But I'd like to stress that it is difficult sometimes. Clearly, we've got to look back on these games .
Because of when I write this column and it goes in the newspaper, it's completely understandable and normal to look back on the last result. Set-pieces were always important from my time but there was not quite the detail that seems to go into them nowadays, like a lot of things in the game. Different coaches and managers would adjust things from time to time to mix things up and you would have certain routines you looked at.
It's important in both boxes. It's crucial. You've got to be right defensively and when you attack, it can be the difference between winning and losing.
We saw that last weekend. We see lots of things like zonal marking now, whereas back in my time, you were assigned a player and it was your job to stop them scoring. You stayed with them wherever they went.
It was an easy job description. If I was told to mark you, then I did everything within my power to make sure that you didn't challenge. It’s always been an honour to wear the @SouthamptonFC badge ❤️ Sunday’s charity match was no different 🙏🏼 Hopefully no one saw me fall over! 🤦🏻♂️😂 @SFC_Foundation @RMFoundation5 #SaintsFC 😇 📸 @MWatson_Photo pic.
twitter.com/qfmWfBJE48 — Francis Benali MBE (@FrannyBenali) October 16, 2024 Speaking as a former defender, any time there's a set piece, there's an element to it that you've got to switch on mentally. We saw that that wasn't the case.
The goal we conceded against AFC Bournemouth from a free kick, the players turning their backs and switching off for a second. You get caught out at this level. If you haven't got the determination and mindset of attacking a football and heading it away then you're always liable to concede.
It always just comes back to these fine margins. That's why everybody has to be on their game 100 per cent and then you have a chance. But again, as I was thinking of these personal scenarios that I experienced in my career, your mindset as a footballer just looks ahead.
You have to learn from them and you may have that really down weekend but then you come in on Monday morning and it's like, 'OK, it happened, we can't change it'. All we can do now is look forward to the next game. Clearly, it's a huge test for us today.
Manchester City away doesn't come any tougher. Especially given the next two games after that, which are going to be matches that everybody's talking about as 'must-win' fixtures. Given how we've given points away through mistakes and errors, it just adds pressure and importance to those games against Everton and Wolves As a player and even as a fan, I've been in scenarios where the next weekend can't ever come quick enough - and it's when you've had a result like last week.
As difficult as today is going to be up in Manchester, it's an opportunity to go out there and put things right and move on - and move forward. That's all you can do. That's the only way you can continue to improve and change things around from the position we're in.
I wish the players and staff the best of luck. Up the Saints , Franny Benali..
