The battle of the new blokes in the Premier League ended in a 1-1 draw at the St Mary’s as Southampton and Watford played out an exciting game on the first day of the new Premier League season. Troy Deeney and Etienne Capoue combined to give the visitors the lead in the 9th minute which they managed to hold for more than 45 minutes. However, Nathan Redmond, who was on his debut for the Saints managed to pull one back, setting up an exciting game for the last half-hour. Ben Watson, who came in with just more than half an hour to play was sent off for a foul on Long leaving his side with just 10-men for the last 15 minutes. But the visitors managed to hang on and leave with a point from this game. Here are the talking points from the 1-1 draw at the St Mary’s.
Nathan Redmond a perfect fit for Claude Puel
The former Norwich City attacker was one of the best players on the pitch on the night. He was electric and looked like he wanted to prove a point. He came into the game with good confidence and was lively in every minute of the game. He linked up well with Shane Long and Dusan Tadic in the final third and created a number of chances for himself and his team-mates. He is still a raw talent who needs to be groomed and if Puel can get him to play at this intensity, he can surely become a key player at St Mary’s.
Mazzarri an attractive addition to the Premier League
Watford’s new manager Walter Mazzarri looked a lively character during the game between the Saints and Watford. He was furious for most parts of the game for no apparent reason and looks like a manager who demands everything from his players in every game. He has an intricate style of play that uses an overload in the midfield with 3 at the back which can also slot in as a 5-man defence like it did after Watford went down to 10-men. The Italian is surely another manager who is looking to have an impact on the Premier League and judging by his debut in the league, he is a great addition for the Hornets this season.
Ighalo and Deeney still a dangerous pair
They looked a bit stale late last season and it looked like the new manager will have to spend to get some quality into the squad. However, Watford had just two of their summer signings in the squad for this game and will have Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney take up the bulk of the scoring responsibilities in the next season. Deeney looked sharp and dangerous and also picked up an assist for Capoue’s goal while Ighalo was silent for most game, he had his moments where he went close to scoring. This partnership will be an important one for Watford, especially with the new manager using a 3-5-2 system to accommodate and bring the most out of the duo. Mazzarri looks the right candidate to take this Watford squad ahead in the Premier League.
