Southampton's First Three Games
High press, great field position, and finally a sign of moving the ball
Progression Podium Points
7: Djenepo
6: Salisu
3: Livramento
2: Walker-Peters
1: Stephens, Ward-Prowse
Shot Buildup Involvement Podium Points
5: Armstrong
4: Romeu
3: Ward-Prowse, Djenepo
2: Adams
1: Stephens
Receiving Podium Points
5: Romeu
4: Adams
3: Armstrong
2: Elyounoussi
1: Walcott
Left Back Change Improves Nonexistent Progression
In 104 minutes Kyle Walker-Peters has 9.8 Fields Gained from left-back. In 157 minutes Romain Perraud has 1.96 Fields Gained. He’s matched or bettered Perraud’s pressure and tackle rate as well. It’s one of the biggest gaps between players I’ve seen in the early going and it’s not all Newcastle…Walker-Peters came on vs Man Utd and had more progression in his 12 minutes than Perraud did in 78. Maybe it’s the old matchup adherence that got Perraud his start: he is a left-footed left back and maybe Ralph was hesitant to start the righty Walker-Peters, but Southampton have been a different team with Walker-Peters.
Against United and Everton, Saints had progression efficiencies of 54 and 60, the two worst non-Arsenal-red-card-vs-Man-City numbers in the league so far this year. They essentially ignored the part of the game about passing and constructing moves to set up more and more and more pressing. They looked a bit like a mid-table Championship side with the ball. Newcastle is an easier opponent by far but it’s nice to see Saints embrace passing and carrying the ball as well.
The Press
Saints press high like madmen, only City hassle opponents more 50+ yards from goal…they are even above the famous Bielsa Leeds. Unlike those two teams, they tend to drop back when opponents are within 50 yards of the Saints goal presumably to keep teams from slicing through and racking up quick fast breaks or turning possession into shots quickly. Newcastle did get a lot of fast breaks vs Saints, in the first game they had any sort of offensive possession, showing that the breaks might be a concern when they actually have the ball.
Saints “Wide” Men
The central midfielders don’t really feed it wide to the “wide midfielders” often at all..suggesting the typical lineup that has them in the typical 4-4-2 is a bit misleading.
The CMs are even passing directly to the forwards more often
Che In One Role Too Many?
Che Adams is Southampton’s leading receiver on the season but at what cost? He’s won just 10/29 of his aerial duels and has the lowest reception% of any player with at least 130 targets in the Premier League. He is leading the line in the press well: Adams and Armstrong are 2nd and 3rd in attacking third pressures behind Saints alum Danny Ings. Adams and Armstrong are also 1 and 2 in attacking third tackles won. Adams has always been a nice final ball player: he has 0.18 xA the past 3 seasons…it’s just a bit of a shame they hit so many long balls toward a 5 foot 8 guy, that’s not the role for him. He’s a good presser and a good passer.
Adam Armstrong, Shot Monster
Armstrong came into the league with a tantalizing shot profile last year with Blackburn where he took 4.9 per game, 3.5 from the penalty area and has done nothing to dissuade any Armstrong believers in the early going. He’s gotten off 10 shots in 3 games, two of which Southampton played as if unconcerned with getting the ball forward. Armstrong is 6th in the league in shots per team dangerous completion.
Good Field Position
Saints average touch is the 3rd closest to the opposition goal in the league, behind just Man City and Liverpool. This is fueled a lot by the high press but also they rarely lose the ball in their own half…opponents start a huge share of their possessions in zones 6 and 7
possibly because the central defenders and goalie are decent at hoofing it long when the press can get up there and rarely lose the ball in bad field position.