Just like their fellow Premier League clubs, Southampton have been patiently awaiting the end of this year’s World Cup.
Having decided to call time on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s tenure at St Mary’s in early November, they handed Nathan Jones the six-week break to enforce his will upon this struggling group. His inherited team sitstwo points adrift from safety, having won just threetimes in 15 league games this season.
The Saints have suffered from a lack of proficiency in the final third during the current campaign, with just13goals scored so far piling on the misery.It is a worrying sign for the new boss, who must reignite a misfiring front line if he hopes to secure top-flight survival.
His first port of call must be to revive the wingers, who have offered next to nothing since the season began.
Hasenhuttl persisted with the likes of Mohamed Elyounoussi, Moussa Djenepo, Theo Walcott and Stuart Armstrong even over the young starlet Sam Edozie, despite the terrible form they all have shown.
The Norwegian in particular has disappointed ever since hisbig-money moveto Southampton back in 2018.It is a searing indictment of his time on the south coast that he has only really found his form at Celtic during his loan spells away from St Mary’s.
In justone league campaign in Scotland (eight goals, four assists in 2020/21), Elyounoussi almost matched the tally ofgoal contributions(13) he has accumulated in68games in all competitions for Southampton. Even then he was challenged for his often ‘one-dimensional’ playing style, as Ben Wells cited from some Celtic supporters.
This season has been more of the same, with the£60k-per-week dud having yet to scorein all competitions for the Saints in 16 outings.
What makes this even more frustrating is the starring role that Nathan Tella currently is playing in Burnley’s promotion push, having joined them on loan in the summer.
The Clarets currently sit three pointsclear at the top of the Championship, with the 23-year-old having featured heavily for Vincent Kompany’s side.
Across his 20 games in the league, Tella already boasts seven goals and one assist.This contribution is more than all the talliesof the aforementioned four Southampton wingers combined.
The tricky wide man was handed limited game-time for the Saints last season, yet still recordedfour goal contributions across his 18appearances. Surely, he is a better option than those who currently reside at St Mary’s.
When Tella first began breaking into the first team in spring 2021, Owen Hargreaves was full of praise for the youngster,claiming: “He has been good on the ball, he has been a handful for Sheffield United. He fancies himself with his pace and pushes it beyond the defenders.
“He’s technically good in these areas and tight areas, keeping the ball and I think he’s been the best player on the pitch.”
Having already proven himself to be better than what Jones currently has at his disposal, surely it is time to recall Tella as someone who could make the difference in Southampton’s survival bid.