West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen inflicts tough Southampton baptism on Ivan Juric
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If we take the view that Southampton are doomed – and, as a reminder, no club has ever stayed in the Premier League with such a lowly points tally at this stage of the season – then small positives must be sought wherever possible for the unfortunate regulars at St Mary’s.
![[Southampton manager Ivan Juric exhorts his team]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f9bfe2b58d149346a5ddf51ecd82fd4cfb0e99ba/0_84_3392_2035/master/3392.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
So, while this defeat to West Ham extended the hosts’ winless streak to eight games, there was at least evidence that the Ivan Juric era might offer some fresh hope; if not for this campaign then beyond. The new Southampton manager’s first game at the helm was decided by a close-range prod from Jarrod Bowen just before the hour mark. It meant a result that was somewhat harsh on the home side, who held their own in a finely balanced match that could have swung either way.
As it was, West Ham’s unbeaten run now stands at four games and Southampton failed to score yet again. But tiny shoots are just about visible from the ashes of the Russell Martin era. Such a sharp shift in footballing style must come as a shock to the system for Juric’s troops. Take, for example, Aaron Ramsdale. Previously, since moving to the south coast in the summer, the goalkeeper had waged war armed solely with a smattering of wedges and a putter. Within two minutes of this match kicking off, he had used both feet to lump the ball as far upfield as possible no fewer than four times. The driver is again allowed out of the club bag.
If any Southampton fan had found themselves unable to stomach any more of Martin’s aesthetically pleasing but heart-stoppingly hazardous habit of delicately knocking the ball about from the back, Juric seems the ideal antidote, albeit with the hefty caveat that it is almost certain to have no bearing on the club’s Premier League status.
