'Death, taxes and...' - Saints fans annoyed with £8m star despite 2-0 Oxford win

Southampton fans react to Tom Fellows’ fairly easy miss after the midfielder’s shot came off the crossbar on a must-score opportunity against Oxford United.

Southampton’s 2‑0 win over Oxford United at St. Mary’s extends their stay in the playoff places. While the players deserve credit for a dominant display, manager Tonda Eckert once again stood as the architect of the victory.

Eckert’s decision to switch to a 4‑4‑2 to exploit Oxford’s defensive structure paid off on every front. While every Saint delivered what was asked of them, comeback star Tom Fellows emerged as the main talking point for the fans.

Given that Fellows hadn’t started in over a month in the Championship, Eckert’s shift to a 4‑4‑2 also served as a chance for Fellows to remind everyone of his quality. The wide midfielder didn’t disappoint as he dropped in a convincing display on the evening.

Inside six minutes, Fellows showed exactly what he offers. After surging the length of the pitch, he delivered a pinpoint cross for Cyle Larin, who made no mistake in putting Southampton 1‑0 up.

Apart from this goal contribution, Fellows was a constant threat for Southampton from the wide role. However, more than his heroics, it was his easy miss on a must‑score chance in the second half that captured the fans’ attention.

Southampton fans react to Fellows’ miss Vs Oxford United

In the 71st minute, an incisive through ball from James Bree sent Ross Stewart through one‑on‑one with the Oxford keeper. Stewart struck it well, but a brilliant save from Cumming denied him.

The drama didn’t end there. Before Oxford could clear, Tom Fellows pounced on the rebound, but his goal drought continued as his effort came back off the crossbar from what should have been a routine finish.

Needless to say, such a miss hasn’t sat well with the fans despite an overall convincing victory. One Saints fan particularly singled out Tom Fellows, saying, “Ross had to score but why is Tom Fellows the worst finisher of all time?”

Another fan joined in on calling out Tom Fellows’ terrible miss. The supporter mentioned, “Death, taxes and Tom Fellows not being able to finish, all certainties.”

The frustration among the fan base stems from the fact that Tom Fellows has yet to score a goal for Southampton. Despite arriving for a hefty £8m move, Fellows’ goal contributions have been restricted to assists.

Even that contribution hasn’t fully won over the supporters. After finishing the last season as the joint-highest Championship scorer with 14 assists, Fellows has only six assists in this campaign. Though these numbers aren’t bad, fans want the midfielder to rediscover his best level.

Will Fellows score his inaugural goal on the biggest occasion?

Amongst much criticism, some fans felt really concerned for Fellows’ situation. One supporter wondered if Fellows is trying too hard to find that initial goal for the club.

The fan mentioned, “Is not scoring for Saints yet weighing down on Tom Fellows shoulders? I feel as though he’s trying too hard to score.”

A look at Tom Fellows’ season-wide statistics confirms this. As per FotMob reports, the 22-year-old has taken 33 shots in the Championship while accumulating a 2.7xG, but he’s yet to score.

In this span, two of his shots have come off the crossbar. Firstly, he got denied by the woodwork against Birmingham City in December 2025, and Fellows couldn’t capitalise on the latest opportunity against Oxford either.

Despite this, optimism prevails among fans, with some saying Fellows is saving his goal for the crucial playoff Final stage. One Saints fan mentioned, “Tom Fellows is saving his first goal for Wembley.”

Notably, Southampton defeated Fellows’ ex-club West Bromwich in their 2023/24 playoff run to make it to the Finals. To go from being heartbroken by Southampton to sending them to the Premier League with his first goal would be poetic justice for Fellows’s debut campaign.

While an inaugural club goal is always special, there could be no bigger stage for Fellows to open his account. Fans will hope that day arrives soon, and that he silences his critics by scoring the most decisive goal of Southampton’s season.