Mario Lemina aside, Southampton have been awful to watch, and Mauricio Pellegrino’s men face tough season
Alex Crook insists bolder tactics are essential unless the Saints want to stay low down on the Match of the Day running order
IT the last day of the 2016-17 season and a toothless Southampton lose by the odd goal to a workmanlike but far from special Stoke side.
Fast-forward five months to last weekend’s 2-1 reverse at the Bet 365 Stadium and not much has changed on the south coast.
When Claude Puel was sacked after just a year as manager despite leading Saints to the brink of a first major trophy since 1976 it was naturally assumed the he would be replaced by a more dynamic, attack-minded coach.
But on the evidence of the first two months of the campaign, Argentine Mauricio Pellegrino is just as much a pragmatist as his predecessor.
It is true the Saints board were seeking evolution not revolution when Pellegrino was chosen ahead of Crystal Palace flop Frank de Boer to succeed the unpopular Puel.
However, the fans who had to endure Puel’s dour playing style were right to expect a little bit more entertainment than their team have so far served up.
The excellent Mario Lemina apart, the side Pellegrino sent out in the Potteries was identical to the one Puel would have chosen.
Just like Puel, Pellegrino favours a possession-based approach and as under the Frenchman Saints’ forward players are failing to flourish.
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Shane Long has now gone eight months without a goal, Manolo Gabbiadini’s confidence is clearly shot away and Nathan Redmond is quickly becoming a target of the St Mary’s boo boys.
That is why Pellegrino needs to use the international to hone his tactics and considering both a switch in formation and personnel.
With neither Long or Gabbiani firing, Charlie Austin deserves to show what he can do as a starter rather than as a late substitute.
Playing alongside the former QPR star in a front two could even bring the best out of Gabbiadini while Redmond’s pace could be a nuisance for Premier League defenders if played as a more old-style winger.
While such changes do not guarantee instant rewards they would at least show Pellegrino is not afraid to be bold and shake things up.
If he doesn’t, do not expect Saints to be picked as the first game on Match of the Day too often in the near future.
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