I find it impossible to go into the opening game of the season with anything other than unbridled optimism. While there are invariably a few butterflies during the close season, as there is so much riding on staying in the Premiership, these dark thoughts are easily pushed aside with the prospect of seeing the side run out for the first match.
Doom mongers have pointed at the lack of transfer activity, our supposedly dodgy 'keeper and a lack of depth up front. I feel that the squad needs minimal teaking so why bring in loads fo players to unsettle everything, Paul Joes is one of the better goalies in the division and we have more than enough strikers at the club in Beattie, Pahars, Ormerod, Delgado, Davies and Tessem.
Saints have their best squad in years, a great new stadium for them to show off in, financial security and the knowledge that other clubs will have to cut back their spending making us even more competative.
Such was my optimism that I had put Saints down for a 2-0 victory, even though we haven't won a opening fixture at home since thumping West Ham in 1988.
Of course, I was basing this on the assumption that Gareth Southgate wouldn't be fit. He makes the 'boro defence into a very cohesive unit and in partnership with Ehiogu would make it very hard on Saints attackers.
What would make it even tougher for Saints was the surprise inclusion of Marians Pahars in the starting lineup. Pahars was returning from injury and I felt it showed during the game. A better option I would have thought, would have been to start with Brett Ormerod (whose attitude Strachan rates highly) and bring on Marians to take advantage of the tired legs later in the game.
So it was to be a match hich hinged on the defensive strengths of the two sides. Saints are a far cry from the seive like back line of a few seasons ago. Bridge is the best English left back in the country, Dodd has over a decade of top flight experience, Lunkekvam shows consistently why he was the better of the pair which included Richards and Paul Williams is a straight forward, no nonsense centre half. Even a club whose aspirations are a top ten finish will be more than adequately served with Williams approach. It looks as though we'll be seeing a lot of it this season as Strachan has indicated that Michael Svensson will have to improve into a first team place, and Williams and Lundekvam will remain first choice.
For a goalless draw, it was an entertaining opener to the season. At least some of that was probably down to it being impossible to look on this as two points dropped so early in the campaign. Saints were lively going forwar. Anders Svensson impressed particularly and it's clear he will be a pivotal figure in the Saints team this season. Fabrice Fernandes was selected to be a more attacking option down the flanks. He's quick and showed some nice toches. Howev, his final delivery requires some work and I felt he should have tried to punish the full backs more.
Up front, Saints to my mind were a little lacking. James Beattie is far too good a player to be running a lone furrow as he so often seemed to be. Just hoofing it up to the big guy should really be consigned to the bin most of the time. Perhaps things will improve with a fitter Pahars to receive from Beattie, but we lacked a bit of real penetration yesterday and the lack of goals at home illustrates that clearer than anything else will. Having said that, Beattie still managed to get in a couple of good efforts.
So, all in all, a pretty good opning game from the Saints against a side which should finish in the top 8 and who have a pretty impressive defence.
My man of the match was Claus Lundekvam. Claus showed what a classy defender he was when he arrived under Souness, but lost his way a bit under later managers to the point that people fekt he was second best to Dean Richards. However Claus has emerged once again in the last two seasons to show why he's a vital part of the team. With a good back line around him he shows his defensive strengths and can get Saints moving forward with his excellent link up play. A top drawer defender who Saints got for a song.
Middlesbrough had to be content with a goalless draw on the opening day after their £20million summer spending spree.
They needed one exceptional save and several competent ones from goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to deny Southampton victory.
Marian Pahars and Anders Svensson both wasted golden opportunities in the first half and James Beattie headed over at full stretch from three yards.
But Schwarzer's best save came in the 61st minute when he dived to his right on his line to keep out a close-range header from Svensson.
Southampton, who had spent only £2million in contrast, dominated for long spells but Gareth Southgate was in outstanding form in defence.
Middlesbrough's £8.5million new striker Massimo Maccarone shot into the side netting but struggled to make an impact and was substituted with 15 mintues to go.
It was only after he had been replaced by Alen Boksic that Middlesbrough became an attacking force and it was Boksic who forced Paul Jones into his one meaningful save of the afternoon in the 81st minute.
Boksic shot into the side netting a minute later and by the end both sides were satisfied with an entertaining but punchless first performance of the season.
Southampton included Latvian striker Pahars as a surprise name on the team sheet after spending the summer recovering from a groin operation.
Pahars looked sharp and lively for an hour before tiring and being replaced for the last 30 minutes by Jo Tessem.
Tessem almost snatched it for Southampton late in the match but his low shot was saved at the second attempt by the busy Schwarzer.
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