Chapter 178: Fight to the End
The Southampton locker room was heavy with silence.
You could feel the frustration in their eyes.
Alan Pardew stood in the middle, calm but clearly angry. He didn't raise his voice, he didn't have to.
The 1-0 scoreline said enough.
"You tell me," he said quietly, his tone sharp. "They've had a bit of luck, and we let it happen. This isn't some fairy tale team. They had a plan, and we walked right into it."
He looked around the room, locking eyes with a few players. His voice was firm now, more direct.
"The goal? Just a lucky bounce. But now it's up to you to turn this around. We need to tighten up. Be more aggressive. And when you get even a little space, don't look for the pass. Take the shot."
The players nodded, some avoiding eye contact, others already focused on what had to come next.
They were professionals and they knew they'd been caught off guard.
But they also knew the second half was a chance to put it right.
