FA Cup 5th round and a trip to Craven Cottage to play Fulham. Not a new ground for us of course because last year we played them in the Premier League and got a pretty credible 0-0 draw here which of course brought us 1/12 of our seasons points tally. Simon Rusk was the manager that day, in a caretaker role after the sacking of Russell Martin. He was back as a caretaker of course by the end of the season, after the largely pointless reign of Ivan Juric.

Marco Silva was a graceless twat at the end of that game and he also managed the trick when they beat us in the last minute at St Mary’s. He wasn’t happy with us because we set up to defend in both games. He was clearly not impressed that we nicked a point at Fulham. That’s ok though because I wasn’t impressed by him being a massive fucking bellend. The St Mary’s game was one where a common occurrence happened, in that we were in the game until we made substitutions and got weaker, whilst Fulham could bring the likes of Adama Traore and Emile Smith Rowe off the bench to set up and score the goals that won it. Ryan Manning for one will be delighted that Traore has moved on to West Ham, who have taken on the task of stressing that it is all genetics and he never lifted weights or took steroids, or anything like that.

Fulham are an interesting case study into what we might need to do in the event of us finding ourselves back in the Premier League next season. One thing I noticed when we lost the Fulham last season was that virtually all of the players that they had on the pitch had been signed from either other Premier League clubs or from decent sized clubs in Europe. There was Leno and Smith Rowe from Arsenal, Traore and Jimenez from Wolves, Wilson from Bournemouth, Berge from Sheffield United and a host of others. None of them were unknown quantities, plucked from nowhere. Because these players have played rather Premier League clubs, I would imagine their wages were quite high but Fulham knew what they were buying and that allows a manager to plan with confidence for the season ahead. Should it arise, it will be interesting to see if we go more down this route, rather than whatever it was that we did two years ago. Fulham are still recruiting in a similar fashion, with this season seeing the arrival of Oscar Bobb from Manchester City. Would we be prepared to invest in players as heavily as Fulham have done?

With the FA Cup, there always the question of how seriously the teams will take it with regards to changes in their starting XIs. I fully expect us to make some changes and Fulham will do so as well, despite being in the kind of League position that Crystal Palace were in last year when they went on to lift the FA Cup. Fulham haven’t won anything since the 50s, so you would assume that they would be quite keen to have a go at winning a trophy but you never know. Managers from abroad, like Marco Silva, often seem to be not that interested in the FA Cup as it’s all about League position and what it looks like on their CV. Mauricio Pochettino was very much like that when he was our manager.

For us, it’s a good chance for individual players that are out there, to show what they can do against Premier League opponents. We have a few who didn’t do themselves justice in the Premier League last season, so they should be wanting to prove either to us or to any potential new club, that they can handle it. If you can handle it in one off game, then of course you have to prove that you can do it over a number of games and that was the problem for the majority of our squad last year. Some had the occasional good game, but they could never string three games together where they looked like a competent Premier League footballer.

The magnificent Saints away travelling support is certainly taking this game seriously, with the initial allocation sold out and the extra allocation sold out as well, meaning that we will have just over 4500 fans at Craven Cottage. Hopefully, that backing is enough for our players to give it a proper go and take our 50 Year FA Cup anniversary on to the last eight.

So, 4500 in the away end at Craven Cottage, with one block mysteriously left open for segregation purposes, which seems completely and utterly pointless unless prawn sandwich Fulham fans are going to throw shit down on the Saints fans from the cottage corporate balcony. Anyhow, to the teams and Fulham have made nine changes but still include players like Smith-Rowe, Bobb and Andersen, who all cost more than we’ve ever paid for a player. Others like Muniz, Chukwueze, Castagne, Reed, Cairney and Sessegnon are all getting minutes in the Premier League this season. Saints meanwhile bring in Nathan Wood for Captain Jack, with Casper Jander being picked in the centre of midfield and Tom Fellows on the right wing. Shea Charles isn’t anywhere, which all leaves a place on the bench for Romeu and Matsuki.

Away we go and it becomes apparent that we are going to sit quite deep and look to counter attack through getting the ball up to Canada Cyle and him battling with the centre backs to try and get us up the pitch. Nice theory until a heavy touch from Larin gives the ball to Fulham and they work it to the right to Oscar Bobb, who cuts onto his left foot and drills the ball straight down Peretz throat and the keeper holds it comfortably.

Saints are showing very committed defending straight away, with an effort from Sessegnon blocked by THB and then the rebound shot from Bobb being blocked by Jander. Eventually it pops out to Tom Cairney about 30 yards out and he well he sends it into the home fans cheap seats, which probably cost about £200 each.

Larin is fighting for everything but not getting anything off the referee and he’s Clumsy Cyle when he clatters into the back of Bobb and Fulham launch the free kick into the penalty area, which is headed wide by Muniz. Peretz tries to take the goal kick quickly and smashes the ball into Manning’s back and it bounces into the middle and is knocked into the net by Muniz. What the fuck has happened there? No alarm because the referee has already blown his whistle. Absolute fucking shambles? I have no idea what he’s given to be honest? Doesn’t look like it’s offside so I can only assume this some other issue. Maybe Muniz was not out of the penalty area. Anyway, we have VAR today so it must be right.

Fulham, irked by their perceived misfortune, attack again and Chukwueze win a corner off of Bree, who has taken over the Steeeeeeeeeve howl of appreciation from the fans, originally reserved for Steve de Ridder. In it comes, headed away by Larin and Manning gets the ball to Azaz, who flicks a lovely ball over the top for Scienza to run onto. He beats Sessegnon to the ball on the halfway line and is clean through with just keeper Lecomte to beat. Larin has made a huge ground to his right and he could slip him in but he’s never going to pass it and he approaches the keeper, dinks it over him, we all go up behind the goal in premature celebration and with that, the fucking ball rolls a couple of feet wide of the post. Fuck.

Back come Fulham but they’re not really getting anywhere with their attacks and just win a corner as Manning puts it behind. Reed’s delivery goes over everyone and Andersen meets it beyond the back post but a combination of Wood and Peretz block it wide for another corner.

Even during Fulham’s spells of attacking, we are maintaining a significant attacking threat on the break and Fellows comes alive for the first time down the right wing and finds Jimmy Bree and his deep cross towards Larin is flicked away by a defender but lands on the right boot of Scienza to volley and with goal of the season in his mind, he slices across it and it eventually goes out for a throw on the far side. Again, the away end were all up before all calming down again.

Saints have a bit of momentum now with us as winning the ball and finding Scienza just inside the Fulham half. He plays it right to Bree, whose low cross is brilliantly placed between defenders and keeper but a big Cyle can’t quite get a touch as he launches himself at it. Probably offside anyway to be fair.

Half-time and we’ve been decent to be fair and it’s been a good game. We certainly don’t look like the team from the lower division and we should be ahead to be quite honest. Scienza’s miss is a bad one and there have been two or three occasions where our final ball has just not been up to it and the chance has not become the shot on goal that it should have become.

No changes at half-time and Fulham appear to be upping the pace a little bit and Castagne gets down the right and puts over across which Muniz gets his head to and heads it over the bar. More Fulham pressure and we are not getting near them in midfield with Downes temporarily unable to make up for Jander‘s malaise in getting about the park. Ex-Saint Harrison Reed decides to try and recreate the goal he scored against Liverpool a few weeks back with a long range blast but you are not going to beat Peretz from there and he’s just casually pats it down from above his head.

The referee is beginning to piss of both Cyle Larin and 4500 of us as he allows Andersen to basically foul at will. Larin makes it too obvious though, chasing Cairney back through midfield before he goes in for the challenge and sees it given straight away. In it comes from Reed, headed at goal by Andersen, saved well by Peretz but bundled into the net by Castagne but there’s no time to get annoyed as the flag is up straight away and it’s Fulham’s turn to sit down and shut up.

Fulham are still dominating possession, with us struggling to get a foot in, until Manning leaves Bobb in a heap and gets the ball to Larin, who sets off optimistically from half way before swapping passes with Azaz and then moving it left to Tom Fellows on the left and lets it run across him onto his left foot and then produces a back pass which Lecomte kicks away. It’s a shit effort to be honest – should have taken it with his right but with Tom, it probably doesn’t matter. This is the thing with this game, Fulham possession and optimistic effort and Saints creating glorious chances and then missing the bastards.

It’s certainly an all action game with Muniz trying to bundle his way through and Peretz coming off his line smartly to claim the ball, before bowling it out first time to Scienza on the right and he manages to get the ball away to Azaz before being absolutely wiped out and Finn gets his head up and plays it behind Andersen to send Cyle clean through and here we go….. fucking wide again of the far post. We then realise that Gillet has stopped the game and has whistled already for the file on Scienza.

Marco Silva has sent on Alex Iwobi, one of their best players to try and get this one over the line and he is immediately involved in a move three times before playing a low cross in for Muniz to scoop over the bar. Twenty to go and it’s there for whoever wants it?

We’re now getting a little bit closer to them and Fulham try and play out from the back which ends with Manning bundling Bobb off the ball before playing a lovely disguised pass into his Azaz who takes it on and shoots from about ten yards but a defender Cuenca gets a foot in and it looks like it’s going to loop up over the keeper and drop in but the bastard manages to get touch and tip it onto the bar and over.

Substitution time with the struggling Jander, joining Larin in being replaced with Bragg and Stewart. Castagne gets a bit of a lucky break on the edge of our penalty area and finds the ball at his feet and he shoots at the far post but it’s always going a yard wide. I don’t think Daniel Peretz was as convinced as I was that it was going wide.

It’s time for the wingers to come off with Fellows and Scienza being replaced with Edozie and Matsuki. Fulham are still trying to play their way through us with Smith Rowe showing well to send Sessegnon in on goal from an angle and he absolutely smashes it at the near post but luckily, getting in the way of the ball is the face of the onrushing Peretz, who takes one full in the mush. After a bit of a break for him to come to his senses, he then shows he has fully recovered by calmly catching the resulting corner.

90 minutes are up and the extra time that no one wants is looming. The ball is with goalkeeper Lecomte and his chip forward as well won by the leaping Matsuki and it drops down to Stewart, who immediately turns it around the corner to Azaz who is in the area and he tries to cut back inside Andersen and over he goes. From our end of the ground we’re all yelling for a penalty and much to our surprise, the referee hears us and points to the spot. Of course we are off to Stockley Park.

Hi Jared… you’ve had a beast out here today
Yeah, whatever boys, do your job on the penalty I’ve just given
No need boss
Why?
Well, you given Southampton fuck all free kicks all game
So what?
Well, you’ve given this one so it must be an assault
Yeah, I guess so
Anyone complaining?
Nah, Andersen’s looking guilty as fuck
Penalty it is then?
Ok – you boys can still get these Championship wankers in the Quarters though?
You can count on it Jared

People around me are very unsure as to who’s going to take it but I know it’s going to be Ross Stewart and he’s already grabbed the ball. I have a feeling he is not going to fuck about with this. He starts to run up and….. it’s a thunderbastard to the goalkeeper’s right. He gets fingertips to it but he’s never keeping that out and we are ahead with just the six minutes of a time to go. Fucking get in.

There was a curious lack of action from Silva and the Fulham bench as the minutes ticked by with no real alarm. In the 96th minute we win a free kick and our own half which is greeted almost as enthusiastically as the goal and all that’s left to do is for Peretz to smash the ball out of play int he far corner and the referee blows. Fucking brilliant win.

What a brilliant performance that was. Superb team effort from start to finish, all backed by 4500 magnificent travelling supporters that I was privileged to be in amongst. There are some games, where it can be a bit dead and the atmosphere is prone to large lulls, but today it was intense from the first whistle to the last. There was a real sense that it was a great effort from the whole club, from the management to the players to the fans and that’s what got us over the line with Ross Stewart’s penalty of course being the defining moment.

And what a moment it was. The only way it could’ve been any better is if it was at our end of the ground but never mind, it’s a win away from home against a Premier League club and through to the next round of the FA Cup, the last eight no less. We could do with a favourable draw of course.

Fulham had more possession and more chances in today’s game but we certainly had the better opportunities and a higher quality of openings, which we routinely butchered until the last minute. Leo Scienza has to score in the first half, Fellows has to score in the second and other chances have to have a final ball to convert really promising breaks forward. We really should’ve been two up at halftime but when we didn’t find ourselves in that situation, we had to weather a bit of a storm as Fulham improved in the second half, but in the main we pretty much kept them at arms length. On the few occasions they got through our very solid defensive effort, they came up against Daniel Peretz, who with each passing game is improving his standing amongst Saints fans. The organisation of the defence, the catching high balls, the throwing himself in harms way and the saving the ball with his face are all part of the package that he brings. Basically, it’s nice to have a competent goalkeeper again.

In front of him, THB was the captain today and an absolute defensive rock. Ryan Manning has learnt how to defend all of a sudden… no he hasn’t – he knew how to do it all along but used his wing back role to not bother doing it. James Bree was solid as ever despite playing against the very tricky Sessegnon and Chukwueze on the Fulham left. Nathan Wood came into the side and had a huge game, doing battle with Rodrigo Muniz throughout and generally looking a lot more comfortable in a back four than he did in a three, when he had the responsibility of having to pass the ball a little bit more.

The midfield was all about Flynn Downes who was doing the running of two men, which he had to do because the second man in there, Casper Jander, didn’t seem to be on the pace of the game at all and we noticeably improved when Cam Bragg came on as a substitute. The only downside for today was Downes picking up a yellow card for dissent, after a shite decision by the referee, which means he will miss the quarter final.

Leo Scienza was his usual electric self on the wing but was lacking the finishing touch today and on the other, Tom Fellows worked exceptionally hard to help out his full back but had limited effect going forward, including his one really lame shot at goal, which he hit with absolutely zero conviction. Up front, Canada Cyle was in a constant battle with Joachim Andersen, which was even but the referee Jared Gillet seem to have it in for Cyle and gave him precisely fuck all, rather than the four or five free-kicks that he probably could’ve had with Andersen basically being allowed to throw him around all over the place.

Then you’ve got Finn Azaz, who was perfectly at home given the favourable circumstances of Saints playing as a counter attacking team. This gave him a bit of space to do what he does best. It was Finn who played the ball to set up Leo’s big chance and Finn again running into the box to link up with Stewart that led to him being brought down by Andersen for what turned out to be the winning goal and the penalty.

I knew that Ross was going to take it as soon as it got given and I knew he wasn’t going to fuck about and roll it in. I reckon they were two years of frustration in the way he struck that ball to take us through to the quarter-final. Fucking brilliant moment. Praise to Tonda Eckert as well who set up the team perfectly to play on the counter attack and the management of the game was spot-on as well with Jander and Fellows coming off at exactly the right time and Ross Stewart being used perfectly to pose different questions to the ones that Larin was posing before that time.

As for Fulham and Marco Silva. Fuck around and find out. I don’t know what the fuck he was saving players for as they don’t have a game for a week and they’re not getting relegated. Silly bollocks shot himself in the foot there but you have to say that the team Fulham put out there, was full of Premier League and international experience. He obviously expected better from them but it’s all going to rebound back on him now, as it always does when you try and be too clever and then end up losing to a team from a League below. He had a moan about the disallowed goal. The mystery solved was that the ball was rolling when Peretz took the goal kick. A bit fortunate but that’s the end of the matter. It always amuses me when people think there are scenarios when referees shouldn’t apply the laws of the game. I don’t care if he tried to take it quickly and it went wrong and it’s not controversial either because that implies some miscarriage of justice and the referee was correct. Take your medicine and move on.

So, the Monday night and the draw. The deeply cynical in me says that when you looked at the eight who have got through, you have four big clubs and four not-so-big clubs. What are the odds that we got heated balls and frozen balls and that sort of shit to make the four big clubs to be kept apart? We didn’t have long to wait for our own fate to be decided as the first team out were “Southampton…. will play….. Arsenal”. My initial reaction was “fuck” but then the positives…. it’s at home, Arsenal will rotate the hell out of it as they have a Champions League game the midweek after. So, we have a small chance anyway.

The magic of the cup and all the talk of the 50th anniversary and all that, will have to be parked for now as we have a more important game on Wednesday away at the Hawthorns against a woefully out of form West Brom side. We really need to go again with the maximum energy on Wednesday. Bring it on.