MY ACCOUNT
Ruben Selles has been tasked with steering Southampton to safety.
The rookie manager’s only game as interim boss after Nathan Jones’ sacking was an overwhelming success, winning 1-0 at free-spending Chelsea.
However, the Saints were brought crashing down to earth in his first match after being given the job on a permanent basis — losing 1-0 at relegation rivals Leeds — before suffering a shock FA Cup exit at the hands of League Two side Grimsby.
Ahead of another crunch clash against Leicester, we take a look at how Selles can secure survival on the South Coast.
Ruben is ready
SPeaking before his side’s trip to Chelsea, Selles insisted that he has felt ready for a senior management role for some time and reiterated his belief that the Saints’ squad is good enough to stay up.
The 39-year-old said: “I’ve been feeling ready for the last four years, so it’s no different now, it’s just the scenario is bigger than it was before.
“But I feel comfortable, I think I’m an honest person, I try to be very clear with what we do and I think I’ve built myself up to be here with you today.
“So I need everybody to follow and work as hard as they can in the same direction, from the security team to the captain.
“I think we have a group that is capable of staying in the Premier League.”
Follow the Bees
If Southampton’s squad is good enough, they need to start showing it.
Their present direct style has not proved effective, so Selles must decide quickly if he wishes to transform the team’s approach entirely, or simply look to improve their existing plan of attack.
The South Coast side have attempted just 4,088 passes in their own half, completing 3,469, with only Brentford recording fewer in the Premier League ahead of this gameweek.
Being compared to the Bees is no insult but Thomas Frank’s side are much more accomplished at moving the ball forward quickly and effectively. Selles could do far worse than to use the Dane’s outfit as a blueprint, given their stylistic similarities.
The Saints rank 18th in the league for losses of possession (3,559) prior to this weekend, ahead of only Liverpool and relegation rivals Leeds, while Brentford’s tally sits at 3,347.
Counter-attacking threat
Arguably chief among the multitude of issues for Selles to sort out is the Saints’ lack of sharpness in attack.
They have scored just 14 of their paltry 19 goals from inside the box — the lowest number in the Premier League.
James-Ward Prowse’s three strikes from direct free-kicks are certainly spectacular and a useful tool to possess but Southampton must get into the penalty area with greater frequency in order to boost their goal tally.
As a team that does not keep the ball especially well, improving their counter-attacking threat is a quick and effective way to make the side from St Mary’s more dangerous.
They have recorded the fewest fast breaks in the division (five), which encourages opponents to pin them back with little fear of being punished by leaving space in behind.
Should Southampton become more effective at exploiting these situations, they could catch superior outfits out or even force teams to attack with greater caution, leaving them with more space in deeper areas.
Strikers slump
An especially concerning aspect of Southampton’s profligacy is the lack of goals contributed by their centre forwards.
Midfielder Ward-Prowse is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League with just six strikes, with first-choice striker Che Adams second on four — no other player has more than two.
Adam Armstrong is the only genuine No9 to also have scored in the competition for the club this season, netting once in the 2-1 win over Chelsea back in August and failing to find the net since.
Recent signings Sekou Mara and Paul Onuachu have both yet to open their Premier League accounts since arriving in July and January, respectively.
It would be quite some feat to stave off the drop without a reliable source of goals and Selles must get his forwards firing soon.
Efficiency and intensity
For all they have suffered at the hands of a misfiring attack, there is no relief to be found for Southampton fans at the other end of the pitch.
No other side in the Premier League has kept fewer than five clean sheets — except the Saints, who have mustered just two.
The reason for that is clear — they are allowing their opponents into their penalty area far too regularly. Of the 41 goals they have shipped, 37 have come from shots taken inside the box, with only Bournemouth conceding more such goals.
Even their league-leading tally of five last-man tackles suggests the side are being carved open with regularity and are frequently being forced to make risky challenges to stop opposition moves.
However, it is not all doom and gloom. The South Coast club have made more interceptions than any other side (263) prior to this round of fixtures and clearly try to defend with intensity. The key is ensuring that hard graft is used as efficiently as possible and does not leave gaps for opponents to exploit.
Easier said than done, perhaps, but Selles must find a way to do it, one way or another.
