NO OFFENCE to Gareth Bale, but just about everybody is sick to death of hearing about him OFF the field - so what a welcome relief it was to get back to football and watching him ON it last night.

Bale is a phenomenal talent, hence why he is coveted by the country's top clubs, but there is more to Southampton Football Club than Gareth Bale.

There are ten other players out there with him every time he goes out. And, while the attention was justifiably on him last month and will be again in the summer, at least now it's back to football.

All that matters for Saints over the next few months is winning promotion - everything else can be dealt with after that.

All the speculation has not affected performances on the field - but then it doesn't normally, it's just sometimes used as an excuse when things aren't going well.

The January transfer window is a tough time for everybody. It is so intense and there are so many people with vested interests in the moves that it can become very complicated, as was displayed at Saints.

But last night's game against Sheffield Wednesday has got everybody back focusing on what they want to.

The victory was of more of a professional nature than a spectacular one, but it was all about getting the three points on the board.

The results went for Saints the night before but it would have been meaningless had they not picked up all three against Wednesday.

Both sides had early goals disallowed for offside, Wednesday through Steve MacLean and Saints through Rudi Skacel.

Saints had come flying out of the traps and, after the fit-again Skacel had fired just wide, Saints netted the opener on seven minutes.

There was a mix-up in the Wednesday defence and Kenwyne Jones used his strength to take advantage and power through and produced a cool finish low past Mark Crossley.

After the opening 15 minutes, the game died slightly and what looked like a Saints walkover was much tighter.

Credit to Wednesday, they came to play football and not just frustrate Saints.

But they were only an ordinary side and couldn't compete with some of Saints' outstanding performers.

Chris Baird put in his best performance since moving to right back again, while Skacel showed what a big miss he has been in midfield.

Up front Jones showed everything that's good about him, while Grzegorz Rasiak displayed another side to his game with a good all-round contribution.

In goal Kelvin Davis is looking more confident and seems to be starting to boss his defence, while the substitute appearance of Inigo Idiakez was heartening.

Saints have really missed him. They have a lot of destructive players in midfield - they are good at what they do, but are all fairly similar.

Idiakez is the one who can do something a bit different. He can manipulate the ball, turn defence into attack, keep possession, use his experience to great effect and deliver a killer pass.

In the second half Rasiak came close before Wednesday grabbed an equaliser on 51 minutes.

Glenn Whelan played Marcus Tudgay through on goal but his first touch was heavy and took the ball away from him.

Davis bravely slid out to win the ball and for his troubles got a bootful of studs in his chest.

Referee Mike Russell somehow didn't award a free kick and, as he lay injured on the ground, joined by Darren Powell who pulled his thigh muscle, MacLean rolled the ball into the empty net.

Saints responded in double quick fashion and restored the lead on 57 minutes.

Jones pulled off at the far post and was picked out by a raking cross from Baird and the striker made no mistake with the header, bulleting it into the bottom corner.

Saints contained Wednesday fairly comfortably to see out the match, Crossley the busier keeper having to save from sub Bradley Wright-Phillips and Skacel.

Saints now have a massive game on Saturday when they host leaders Derby.

If automatic promotion is the aim - and it really should be with the table as it stands with just 16 games left - then another victory is vital.

Saints have it in them.

Now is the time to focus on the football, and to produce it.