Southampton vs Watford match report: Nathan Redmond's debut goal sees Saints come from behind to draw

Southampton 1 Watford 1: Two new managers, Claude Puel and Walter Mazzarri, shared the spoils at St Mary's

The day's two scorers, Capoue and Redmond, battle for the ball (Getty)

The shock of the new was too much for the quality of the football at St Mary's. Two teams struggled with the new formations imposed upon them by their new coaches, neither of whom had taken charge of a minute of competitive football in England before Saturday's kick-off.

Rather than innovative deployments or inventive play, it was good old-fashioned poor defending that was behind the first two goals of the season here, Etienne Capoue putting Watford ahead early on and Nathan Redmond levelling on his Saints debut following his move from relegated Norwich City.

Southampton, in fact, looked more confused than inspired by head coach Claude Puel's midfield diamond. Redmond, compared by Puel to Thierry Henry, with whom he worked at Monaco, has a way to go to complete a transformation similar to Henry's from winger to central striker on this evidence. The one notable success in the new formation was Dusan Tadic, moved inside to the tip of the diamond.

“We are a good team with good players but in the first half we were not this,” former Lyons, Lille and Nice coach Puel said. “I see the qualities of my players in training and I only saw this in the second half. Then they took responsibility, which is good for the future. In the second half it was one team in defence and one team in attack.”

In contrast, Watford's physical commitment overcame any doubts about their new 3-5-2 alignment and allowed them to survive the dismissal 15 minutes from time of substitute Ben Watson for pulling back Shane Long. “I was very content,” Walter Mazzarri, the former Napoli, Sampdoria and Inter coach now in charge at Vicarage Road, said. “Especially how the team played, with 100 percent energy. They played the way I like.”

Watford's players celebrate Capoue's opener (Getty)

Mazzarri is also 100 per cent energy in the technical area, urging his player on, gesticulating and re-aligning. But nothing complex was required for them to take the lead, just the compliance of an immobile Southampton defence, who watched, statue-like, as Troy Deeney nodded back a cross from the right from wing-back Nordin Amrabat and Capoue bustled past Oriol Romeu to volley home.

It took a half-time adjustment from Puel and Redmond to find a more central position to create the equaliser. A shot by Redmond forced Heurelho Gomes to save at the expense of a corner and when he failed to punch completely clear from a second kick, Redmond was left unmarked to volley home from 15 yards as Watford now took their turn to stand and admire instead of defend.

Redmond wheels away after scoring Southampton's equaliser (Getty)

“I spoke with all my players at half time,” Puel said. “It was a collective problem not just one player. In the second half all the players wanted the ball and we had a solution. We aren't as physical as other teams but we have good technique and we have to use this.”

Watson's red card could have been decisive, but Saints could not make their advantage count although Redmond thought he had won the match until he saw the referee's assistant's raised flag. And a second goal would have been harsh on Watford.