Well, that was the end of the season then.

Probably the best season for entertainment that I can ever remember from Saints, but ultimately there is that nagging suspicion that it could well have been that bit better, with a bit more application at crucial times. Having said that, with the squad that we have, seventh in the Premier League is probably a pretty accurate reflection of where the club is right now. The 60 points already earned before yesterday's game is the highest points total Saints have earned in the Premier League, so there is a lot to be positive about, as we go into the Summer break.

For the last match of the season Ronald Koeman was true to his word and put Kelvin Davis in goal for his 300th appearance. Other than that, the only surprise was Filip Djuričić in for Ward-Prowse, who dropped to the bench.

Both goalkeepers were making their 300th appearance for their club, with Hart also reaching that particular milestone for City, but it was Davis that was far the busier of the pair. He made one amazing reaction save from Aguero, together with two other saves from the same player in the first half alone. He had no chance with the first City goal, which came on 31 minutes, when Frank Lampard, making his final appearance before his on/off move to the MLS, perfectly timed his run into the Saints box to side foot the ball into the net.

At the other end, Saints were back to their huffing and puffing in the final third, while not really troubling Hart. What happened to the scintillating form the forwards showed just last week, in their 6-1 defeat of Hull? Over the whole game, Saints had four shots on target and of those, the best chances fell to Shane Long and Sadio Mané, but only Long's forced Hart into a save. However, I disagree with those that said this was a poor performance from Saints, we simply played as well as Man City allowed us.

Looking back at the IBO report for the Man City game at St.Mary's back at the end of November last year, we were well beaten 0-3 by a slick passing side and again today the skill on show was impressive. I can't help feeling that they have underperformed to their potential through the season and it is only by force of Mourinho's personality that Chelsea won the league so comfortably.

For this final report, I have chosen not to give a blow by blow account of the game, as I think that would just end up being too negative. I just feel that we were unlucky to come up against a team on a rich vein of form (they had won five consecutive games prior to today) and the manner of our defeat was down to that. Saints certainly looked more cohesive than the last time the two teams met, it was just the clinical manner of their forward play and our inability to make the most of the half chances that fell our way that contributed to our undoing.

By the time Aguero finally scored the second goal in the 88th minute, the game had been effectively over some time before.

I can't find it in me to be too critical of the players in this game, as we are where we are and with the available resources, seventh place is a huge achievement. We go into the break confident the the club should see us starting the next season in a better condition than this season. To me, that will be progress.

Enjoy your summer and the fresh new Premier League season will be upon us before you know it.

Channonite

25th May 2015