The upcoming 2020/2021 season has put a lot of pressure on Southampton’s manager Ralph Hasenhuttl as he has built high hopes for his team. Southampton has been hard at work for the last week as they’re eager to start the season off on the right foot. The Saints are hopeful that this season will bring a much-needed change for the team as last season’s performance was underwhelming.
With that in mind, the importance of new transfers before the window closes is significant for Southampton. Hasenhuttl needs to develop a plan and bring in key transfers to make his team stand out from other renowned teams in the English Premier League.
One step closer to a better start of the season and the highest possible place in the League comes with Southampton’s new sponsor. Sportsbet.io and Southampton FC have joined forces a few weeks back to benefit both sides. With a strong and well-known name backing them during the upcoming Premier League, Southampton’s got some much-needed wind at their back.
Hasenhuttl’s Big Transfer Dreams
The team’s manager did not want to share any specifics about possible transfer deals for Southampton, but there are some big shoes to fill with Pierre Hojbjerg leaving the team. Hasenhuttl needs to think big to fill the midfielder position but he has noted that he’s not without a plan.
There’s not a lot of time until the transfer window closes so Hasenhuttl needs to act fast and smart. With the right transfers, Southampton could easily enter the top five in the English Premier League.
Hasenhuttl believes that alternatives are as important as the starting team as the number of games played in the League is significant. Don’t forget — a total of 380 games are played in the Premier League, meaning that each team will play 38 games during a period of a couple of months. The stakes are high and the players need to match the expectations.
Impressive Formation Plans
Not surprisingly, the starting 11 players need to be outstanding but Hasenhuttl has made sure that each player has a worthy replacement if needed. Hasenhuttl has prepared a 4-2-2-2 formation for Southampton this season, putting an emphasis on the central midfielder roles. As you can see, he has secured four options for the two central midfielder positions.
Currently, the three players that could take those positions are Oriol Romeu, James Ward-Prowse, and Will Smallbone, leaving one slot open for a possible transfer. It’s a thought-provoking idea as a new transfer could help strengthen the team.
A possible surprise for the fans is Hasenhuttl’s announcement that one goalkeeper is leaving the team. However, there haven’t been any official statements on who’s leaving Southampton, but many speculate that Angus Gunn is set to leave the Saints.
Hasenhuttl counts on Mohammed Salisu and Kyle Walker-Peters in defense as both have permanent deals. What could help freshen up the starting team are the youth players, ready to step in when necessary. Making surprising changes in the starting team could help bring Southampton a few steps closer to a higher place in the League.
