Ever since Ronald Koeman took charge at Southampton back in 2014, things have been decisive, calculated and smart. The Dutchman’s focus on the small details of the game have often earned the team opportunities to be the main event on the pitch, and really showcase their combined skills as a better club. However, since the start of the 2015/16 season, despite their current eighth-placed position, their progress has not been particularly smooth. For all intents and purposes, their campaign has been lacklustre and without the watertight form they so readily displayed last season.
Southampton remains a strong squad… here’s why.
Although the present league table position of the Saints is possibly more due to the ill fortunes of opposing teams, than their sheer ability this time out, Koeman’s men do still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Indeed, finishing ability and quality, undisturbed runs have been questionable during the past few months, but their aptitude and determination is without fault, as per. So, just what is it that Southampton possess as the magic formula to keep them afloat?
From a very general perspective, Southampton are a strong team, both statistically and in action. Through their dogged crossing capability, the team can often create a wave of formidable playmaking down the middle or along the wings. This, inevitably, produces chances to score, which has been both a blessing and a curse this season; the more opportunities to score means that, the more the team fail to generate these ventures into goals, the more they are scrutinised for not doing so.
What Saints could have been lacking in the follow-through department was a striker to definitely slot one into the back of the net. The difficulty this season has been that neither Graziano Pellè nor Sadio Mané have been particularly dominant week-upon-week, despite some excellent attempts, and actual goals of course, from both players. The vigour has certainly been showcased, but there has been a distinct lack of honed skill and quality, which has meant that both have suffered with a degree of shot inaccuracy.
The saving grace now is newly purchased Charlie Austin. Southampton managed to put Manchester United in their place last Saturday, in a battle of the fearless Dutch bosses. In the 79th minute, the fresh face of the team was substituted on and flung in an 87th-minute goal to secure the game for Saints, who, somewhat annoyingly for United, were away on Old Trafford soil. Hopefully this will equate to Austin’s delivery wherever they might be playing. Austin made it quite clear after the fixture that United had been riled by Saints early on in the match, which had aggravated them and put them rather on the back foot, indicating that Southampton really had it in the bag.
Another key strength is that Southampton have great set pieces upfront and along the back line. This has largely been down to the prior planning and structuring of Ronald Koeman, who has operated an approach on the field that relies upon foresight. Predicting the actions of opposing teams seems to be something that Saints are fairly good at, which is evidenced by their ability to pick the ball from rival players. Not only that, Koeman generally alters the starting eleven well, according to the team that they next face. Instead of thinking that one group of eleven did so nicely the week before that they would do well to stick to the same roster, players are carefully selected based on the weaknesses of the opposition. This is clever stuff.
What’s more is that Virgil van Dijk is rated their best player on a technical and appearance-based level. Instead of Southampton being top heavy in the attacking position, they have some certainty at the back in the form of van Dijk. He has been a very steady player since joining the side, but confident and able to mop up well. This is another area of definite quality for the side.
So, although it appears that Southampton’s campaign has been a bit awkwardly executed this season so far, they now stand even stronger with Charlie Austin, who should be able to offer the sharpness and clarity that was missing upfront. Maintaining other key players such as Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mané (despite unsubstantiated rumours at this stage about a transfer to West Ham United for the latter) should also be of importance, for they act as solid components within the team, too.
Southampton have all of the necessary ingredients to push above eighth place in the Premier League, but need to concentrate on their dodgy areas in order to further their chances. Relying on the bad fortune of other teams won’t be enough, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Charlie Austin could alter the fate of the south coast side favourably.
