After almost four years in charge, Ralph Hasenhuttl was sacked by Southampton at the start of November.
A dismal run of form and results left the Southampton board with no other option but to fire Hasenhuttl, who left while the club was 18th in the table. The Saints have since dropped down to 19th, with new manager Nathan Jones suffering defeat in his first game in charge against Liverpool before the international break.
With a lot of work to do for Nathan Jones after the Premier League season resumes, here are three things we have learnt from Southampton’s season so far.
#Armel Bella-Kotchap has been impressive
Armel Bella-Kotchap joined Southampton from Bochum in the summer and has quickly made an impact at the St. Mary’s Stadium.
The Paris-born talent’s partnership with Mohammed Salisu has not been perfect but there are signs of potentially what could follow in the future under Nathan Jones. Armel Bella-Kotchap’s performances so far have been solid, even though Southampton’s leaky defence paints a different picture.
At his age, Bella-Kotchap has plenty of time to grow as a defender and raise his stock, and a progressive manager like Jones could play a massive role in his development.
#Southampton’s defence is easily penetrable
Southampton have the third-worst defensive record in the division, conceding 27 goals in 15 games.
The leaky defence and constant chopping and changing of personnel at the back under former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has been one of the main reasons behind Southampton’s undoing this season. Summer signings such as Bella-Kotchap and Caleta-Car are yet to form an understanding between them, while there have been way too many individual errors and examples of sloppy defending as a unit.
#Che Adams needs more help
Che Adams has been one of the rare bright spots in an otherwise dire campaign for Southampton. He has four goals and an assist in 14 games, including a strike in the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Saints’ final game before the World Cup break.
Adams has shown he can score goals but he needs more help from his fellow forwards in the final third if Southampton are to become an exciting offensive unit. He can hold the ball up, play with his back to goal, run the channels and get on the end of crosses to finish off chances.
If Jones can take the Scotsman’s game to the next level, the Saints will play better as a result and become a team that the opposition will fear to face.