This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Southampton bounced back from their miserable 9-0 defeat to Leicester with a respectable performance against Manchester City on Saturday, although it wasn’t enough to get three points.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side took a shock lead through James Ward-Prowse’s predatory strike, and worked hard enough to make Pep Guardiola’s champions chase the game – the hosts eventually turned it around to record a narrow 2-1 win.
The Saints should take pride from their performance, although there was one aspect of the match that the south coast side need to see more of.
What was it?
Well, Hasenhuttl took an uncharacteristic attacking risk at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
With the score tied at 1-1, the former RB Leipzig boss introduced Moussa Djenepo onto the field in the 84th minute, when he may have been tempted to throw another defender on to preserve his side’s point.
It ultimately backfired as City grabbed a late second to record the win, although the Austrian’s positive switch is something that the Saints need to see more of.
Been far too defensive this season
Hasenhuttl has been setting his side up in far too negative fashion so far this term.
The 52-year-old coach has deployed a three or five-man backline on eight occasions so far this season, using a flat back-five or a back-three with wing-backs in a predominantly defensive system.
When you have Oriol Romeu, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and James Ward-Prowse ahead of them, it’s fair to say that the creativity is a little lacking.
It must be noted that the Southampton boss has decent attacking options at his disposal in Che Adams, Nathan Redmond, Danny Ings, Sofiane Boufal and Djenepo, so there is no reason for him to be using a system that can usually only accommodate two forwards.
Ultimately, it was a risk from Hasenhuttl to throw Djenepo on against City, and on this occasion it didn’t work.
However, the Saints will face many sides of a much lower standard than the Citizens this term, and it will be those fixtures that Hasenhuttl needs to be more open minded in going forward.
