Talking Tactics

Southampton to seek home comforts

By Adrian Clarke 3 Jul 2016
Southampton celebrate Graziano Pelle's goal against AFC Bournemouth

Tricky away fixtures means Claude Puel must make St Mary's a fortress in early weeks of season

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After the release of the 2016/17 Premier League fixtures thoughts are shifting towards the new season starting on 13 August. Adrian Clarke looks at where each of 20 clubs might seek to improve. In the latest article, he focuses on Southampton and new manager Claude Puel.

Southampton have lost pivotal figures in recent years but have continued to improve on their league position each season, but the recent departures of Ronald Koeman, Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane will hurt unless they can be adequately replaced.

Liverpool-bound Mane will be a huge miss. His ability to pop up in different positions, providing pace, creativity and a goal threat, made him an extremely tricky player to handle.

Southampton’s new signing, Nathan Redmond, boasts similar attributes, but based on last season’s statistics he will need to raise his game to replicate the Senegal forward’s influence at St Mary’s Stadium.

Nathan Redmond scores one of his seven Premier League goals for Norwich
Nathan Redmond scores one of his seven Premier League goals for Norwich

Redmond will benefit from playing at a higher level though and having created more goalscoring chances in 2015/16 than Mane, the former Norwich City winger could enjoy better end product in the coming campaign.

Redmond v Mane in 2015/16 PL

Category Nathan Redmond Sadio Mane
Minutes per goal 389.5 236.7
Shots on target
per 90 minutes
0.65 1.17
Chances created
per 90 minutes
1.73 1.41
Successful crosses 12 15
Assists 3 6

Southampton did not do a lot wrong last term but loose marking from corners, overexposure to counter-attacks and occasional sloppiness in possession are areas new manager Claude Puel will be looking to work on.

Saints fans may also want to see less rotation of their key men in 2016/17. Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pelle and Shane Long, in addition to Mane, started a total of 26 Premier League matches on the substitutes bench.

If Tadic (27 starts, 12 assists), Pelle (23 starts, 11 goals) and Long (23 starts, 10 goals) had been involved more often at the outset of matches, their output would surely have been of further benefit to the team.

Puel will face a baptism of fire away from home in the early weeks. His team face five of last season’s top seven in their first five away matches, so wins will not come easy.

Southampton's opening fixtures
MW1 Watford (h), MW2 Man Utd (a), MW3 Sunderland (h), MW4 Arsenal (a), MW5 Swansea City (h), MW6 West Ham (a), MW7 Leicester City (a)

Under Koeman Southampton only scored 20 times in 19 matches away from St Mary’s Stadium, so defensive stability in those contests will be important.

You suspect the team will be banking on accruing maximum points from their first four home fixtures to ease the pressure.

Positive results against Watford, Sunderland, Swansea City and newly-promoted Burnley will be crucial to their early-season points return.

Add the 2016/17 fixtures to your digital calendar >>

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