The FA Cup is a truly magical time of the year and is a huge opportunity for many clubs to prove themselves against bigger and richer clubs. However, when you are in the Premier League looking down, the job is to avoid the upsets.
That would involve not rotating too much of the team and there’s certainly no room for complacency. Would a team in 17th place battling relegation be helped by a cup run?
Southampton sit in 16th place in the Premier League and are currently only above the drop zone by one point. However, they are through to the FA Cup fourth round after a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage. They have only won four games all season and would need to win four rounds in the FA Cup to guarantee a final at Wembley.
A run in the FA cup may provide the players with the added motivation that at the end of a long and problematic season, they may still be able to snatch some silverware at the end of it. This may cause the players to work much harder; they would all want to play in the cup semi-final/final.
In the 2016/17 season, Claude Puel took Southampton to Wembley and they narrowly yet undeservedly lost 3-2 to a very strong Manchester United side. After that, the Saints won just four of their last 13 games and that was largely put down to the fact that they were stuck in mid-table, and didn’t have anything left to challenge for. The season had become pointless.
A brilliant cup run could also be exciting for the fans, who have endured and suffered a pretty dismal 18 months at St Mary’s stadium. Should they get to the fifth or sixth round, it could provide a reason for the fans to get behind the team and produce some optimism at St Mary’s. If the fans rallied behind the players, it would help the players regain their confidence and league form could then be lifted for several crucial crunch games in March.
The FA Cup could also provide a platform for some of the Saints’ strong youth players to be involved in the first-team squad. Josh Sims was on the bench for the trip to Fulham and Jan Bednarek started the game. Players such as Jake Hesketh, Nathan Tella and Marcus Barnes, although it is unlikely, could all be involved. Development of youth players would be aided, proving that we have young talent to bring through for the future while also having fresher legs available to play in any surrounding league matches.
Pellegrino picked his strongest possible team for the third round and the early indications are that he wants to challenge for the FA Cup. He has no other choice, as this could prove to be the saviour of their season, galvanizing players and fans together, saving the manager’s job.
Tiredness should not be an issue, as FA Cup games are played on Saturdays and Sundays for the most part and although we have a game against Brighton four days after we play Watford, I fully expect a strong side out in both games as they are both spectacularly crucial.
Some suggest that the FA Cup would tire players out for the crucial league matches, however, that would only be the case if we lost. A game four days after an FA Cup match could be just what is needed if the Saints prevail against Watford, to continue the positive feeling in the dressing room.
Only defeat would prove a problem and even then the squad would be keen to lift themselves quickly. Ultimately, an FA cup run would provide rest bite during a poor season for Southampton and could be the timely, essential and significant breakthrough that we need so desperately.
