As Southampton head into what already feels like a crunch relegation clash with Newcastle United on Saturday, it’s little secret where the big problem lies for Mark Hughes’ side. They’ve scored just six goals so far this season, and three of them have come from one man – summer signing Danny Ings.
Accordingly, his place in the starting XI this weekend is guaranteed barring injury, so the big question is who should partner the 5 foot 10 forward against the Magpies, if anybody at all. Football FanCast consider the options below, and then give Southampton fans the chance to have their say…
Danny Ings & Nathan Redmond
By no means a conventional strike partnership but desperate times call for unorthodox measures. Nathan Redmond’s strike rate at Premier League level stands at a miserly one-in-15, but he’s got the pace to threaten the space behind defenders – something that aids Ings’ game as he likes to drop into the No.10 position – and the trickery to have them on their heels when running with the ball, as the only Southampton player to average more than one dribble per match so far this season (2.1).
Saints’ squad isn’t exactly overflowing with alternative wide options though, so moving Redmond forward would leave Hughes with another problem to solve in midfield.
Danny Ings as the lone striker
Physically, Ings clearly lacks the qualities to lead the line from the front in the manner of a traditional target man. But he’s certainly got the technical ability to bring others into play, and removing a goal-shy partner from the equation will allow Hughes to put another body in midfield, which might actually leave Southampton better placed to provide the service the 26-year-old needs, chiefly clever balls into feet rather than hopeful hoofs and crosses from long range.
Once again though, that begs the question of who could actually offer such creativity from the engine room. So far this season, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been the only central midfield option in Hughes’ squad to lay on more than five key passes.
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Danny Ings & Charlie Austin
He’s been out of sorts this season despite starting last time out against Bournemouth but in terms of goals and finishing ability, Charlie Austin has the strongest record in the Southampton squad. No player at the club boasts a greater Premier League tally than the former QPR man’s 32 and his shooting accuracy in the top flight is an impressive 42%. Perhaps it’s just a question of Austin playing through this rut until he comes out of the other side.
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That being said, Austin has always been a pure poacher rather than a target man – his holdup play and all-round contribution leaves much to be desired – and although Ings can create opportunities for others, laying on the second-most chances of any Saints player this season, it feels like the emphasis of the partnership would be all wrong. Surely the ultimate objective is to find a striker that can facilitate Ings’ goal threat, not the other way around.
Danny Ings & Shane Long
He’s never been a great goalscorer but even so, Shane Long’s level of threat over the last few seasons has been spectacularly poor. Since netting ten Premier League strikes during the 2015/16 season, the Ireland international has managed just five goals in his subsequent 69 outings. It’s now a question of how many more chances Southampton can really afford the 31-year-old, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that he brings other qualities to the team.
Indeed, on paper at least, Long should be the ideal foil for Ings as somebody who runs the channels and stretches defences to open up space for the Southampton man in deeper positions. Tellingly, Southampton’s only win so far this season came with the former West Brom man partnering Ings up top.
Danny Ings & Manolo Gabbiadini
Manolo Gabbiadini enjoyed an explosive start to his Southampton career but has rarely impressed since, scoring just five times last season and struggling for anywhere near the same kind of impact as his debut half-term under Claude Puel. That being said, he did score some very important goals in games Southampton needed points from, chiefly wins over fellow relegation candidates West Ham, Newcastle and Swansea City – essentially compelling the latter club to Championship football.
Saturday’s encounter with Newcastle is no doubt such an occasion, but as a versatile forward who has spent much of his career dropping off into midfield, perhaps he’s just a little too similar to Ings for a strike partnership to instantly click.
So, Southampton fans, how would you set up Hughes’ front line against Newcastle? Let us know by voting below…
