Southampton v Everton: 5 Key Tactical Battles
By Rob Fisher
How has Hasenhuttl turned Southampton’s season around
1. Why Southampton are one of the most in form sides
Over the last few Premier League seasons Southampton have been one of the most rollercoaster sides. A couple of 9-0 thrashings, battling relegation, beating the ‘big six’ and having runs of form that match Champions League positioned teams.
The Saints really are the pic’n’mix team of the Premier League and kind of remind me of the early David Moyes reign where Everton were so unpredictable before establishing themselves as a top six regular side.
Southampton probably will never get into that top six even once, but at last they have a manager who is dedicated to the club and improving every season.
Ronald Koeman and Mauricio Pochettino both did well but were pulled in to leave by more aspiring clubs. Everton fans will probably wish Koeman had stayed at St Mary’s after his fairly disastrous tenure at Goodison Park.
Hasenhuttl has instilled a plan on his side with a high intense press key to limit the technical players he has at his disposal. It very much matches up with Frank Lampard’s Everton side if you analyse their performance over Leeds United last weekend.
The formation the Saints like to use is normally the classic 4-4-2 with a very hard working midfield and not much attacking intent from the full backs.
The key to Southampton is pressing intensely high up the pitch to either win corners, free kicks and even throw in’s. It is no surprise that usually over recent seasons Southampton had the lead at half time more than most other sides.
Last season the issue for the Saints was holding on to those half time leads, this season they did start the same way and a leading example was witnessed at Goodison Park back on the first day when Southampton lost a one goal half time advantage to lose 3-1. However in recent weeks they have produced more goals and points with second half goals.
They scored twice late on at Spurs to win a five goal thriller and came back to get a point late on at Old Trafford when Che Adams scored a clinical right foot finish to get a 1-1 draw against Manchester United.
The Saints were actually unlucky to not get all three points in the end. Also in the FA Cup Fourth Round they came back to win in extra-time against Coventry City.
Perhaps more belief has come into the side after they picked up vital wins against relegation sides before Christmas or you can point to the sudden inclusion and form of on loan from Chelsea striker Armando Broja.
One constant with Southampton has been the form of Ward-Prowse, arguably the best English midfielder outside of the top six clubs.
He was very unlucky to miss out on England’s Euro 2020 squad. You could also argue he has the best technique of an English free kick taker since the best retired in David Beckham.
With Oriel Romeu sitting in front of the stable back four it allows Ward-Prowse to dictate the play, rather like Everton hope Van De Beek will on the other side. With the hard working duo of Adams and Broja up top it enables the wide midfielders to push right up on the opposing full back’s.
Everton have had a weakness at set pieces and Southampton will look to exploit this at every opportunity, plus the inconsistency of Mason Holgate and Michael Keane in concentration will mean the intense high press will be in evident from the first minute.
How will Lampard and Everton combat this on Saturday, or will they go with the same tactics from the comfortable victory over Leeds last weekend?