SOUTHAMPTON AWAY, DECEMBER 14TH.
By Mark Deeks
December 17 2002
Mark Deeks writes an account of the Southampton away game. A game that we SHOULD have won, but why didn't we? "Cos an old, balding midfielder, stereotypical journey man pro called Lee Marsden was allowed to ghost into the box. Not once. "

SOUTHAMPTON AWAY
DECEMBER 14TH.

So, according to all who witnessed it, this could have been 5-1 to us, 5-1 to them or 10-10 and no one could have complained. A full-on classic, a great advert for the premiership, one for the fans etc etc.

Well here I go to spoil it.

Why didn't we win this game? Cos an old, balding midfielder, stereotypical journey man pro called Lee Marsden was allowed to ghost into the box. Not once. But three times. The fact that he only put away one of those chances is neither here nor there. If we continue to defend like that we can forget it. Everything. Top four finish, FA cup run, and whatever is left of our Champions League adventure.

I know it was Southampton away, one of our traditional bogey fixtures. I know this is only the second point we have got there in our last ten visits. But when Little Craig gave us the lead with a truly wondrous strike (more of that in a mo), then we really should have been able to hold to the lead for more than 90 seconds. It was like the shambles at Old Traffod again without the good finishing.

Back to Little Craig. How is it that someone with such obvious ability can hit such a shot that leaves me bereft of superlatives from 20 yrds, but is unable to hit the target with a header from 4? Infuriating this football lark init? But then most of our attacking line were guilty of spurning easy chances on Saturday. If JJ had managed to do more than fall over the ball 60 seconds after our opener, then we would surely have been talking about our first victory on the south coast for thirty years!

But it wasn't to be. But let this be a lesson to all who started to slate Craig Bellamy after his Inter Milan shame. There was one guy who phoned 5 Live's football phone in 606 to declare that as a Newcastle United fan, if that was the last time Craig pulled on a Newcastle United shirt, then he would be the first one to lead the cheers.

Well I hopee you choked on your cold pie on Saturday mate. Cos that kid is THE most exciting, put you on the edge of your seat player, I have seen at SJP.

Period.

He gives us a whole new dimension. I know he's a bit of an idiot sometimes. But I tell you one thing. The game against Everton at SJP was the start of a new Craig Bellamy. I'm going to put my neck out. I don't think he will ever get sent off for NUFC again. Sure he'll get booked now and again, but as for the daft dismissal, I reckon that's it. From what I've seen of him in the last couple of weeks, he's starting to learn to control that Welsh fire. He's turning away from confrontations and decision questionings.

Mark my words. That player is going to play for the toon for years. And be a legend. And for that, we should ALL be greatful.

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