da doce： This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
da pixbet： Things really haven’t been going too well for Southampton this season, and after a slight glimmer of hope in the form of a decent performance against Arsenal, a piece of devastating news has soured the mood.
Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed in his pre-Watford press conference that Stuart Armstrong will miss the game against the Hornets due to a hamstring problem, and might be unavailable for around two weeks because of the issue.
“We have a few issues. One is Stuart Armstrong, in the last game at the end he cramped a little. He has a few problems with his hamstrings. He isn’t able to play at the weekend. Maybe two weeks he is out – after Newcastle we will look again.”
Now, while the Scotsman has made just three Premier League starts this season, he has emerged as an impressive performer in recent weeks and his absence will come as a real blow.
We outlined how the former Celtic man could soon become the Saints’ most important midfielder because of his intensity and pressing ability – traits that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu lack.
Hasenhuttl cannot magically repair Armstrong’s hamstring, but what he can do to replace the midfielder’s energy is bring one man in from the wilderness – Callum Slattery.
The academy graduate – who The Daily Mail’s Secret Scout described as looking like ‘captain material’ – has made three Premier League appearances for the Saints in total but is yet to appear in any competition in the current campaign.
To avoid playing a wretched-looking midfield trio of Hojbjerg, Romeu and Ward-Prowse again, a combination that very much fails to perform the intense pressing style of which Hasenhuttl built his reputation on, the Austrian should bring the energetic Slattery back in if he plans to play three central midfielders vs the Hornets.
The youngster is the closest midfielder to Armstrong at St Mary’s in terms of intensity, freshness and desire to go and chase the ball down, so he deserves the chance to come in and show what he can do.
In terms of this weekend’s game, Watford have the midfield powerhouse that is Abdoulaye Doucoure in the middle of the park, so that freshness and energy from Southampton’s midfielders could be vital in this six-pointer.
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In other news, Hasenhuttl looks to have turned his back on one Southampton man despite previous reassurances…