The appointment of Ralph Hasenhuttl as Southampton was a coup for the Saints. The Austrian did a stellar job turning RB Leipzig into a real force in German football. The 51-year-old is a highly-rated head coach and he is renowned as a boss who produces exciting, attacking teams.
Already improved the Saints attack
The Austrian has already improved the Saints attacking play. The team from the south coast recorded a 3-2 home win against Arsenal in Hasenhuttl’s first home game in charge.
There was a notable difference in how Southampton played. The Saints have struggled for goals in the last year under the more pragmatic Mark Hughes. However, Hasenhuttl’s attacking philosophy has made a big difference for Southampton.
Under Hughes, Southampton looked impotent. However, after just two games under Hasenhuttl, they already look more threatening. The players are firing in more crosses and having more efforts on goal. The display against Arsenal was in complete contrast to their performances for much of the season.
Danny Ings could thrive under Hasenhuttl
Former Liverpool striker Danny Ings returned with a bang from injury against Arsenal, scoring a brace. The forward has endured a torrid time with injuries in recent seasons, but when fit he is a big threat to opposition defences.
Hasenhuttl’s attacking philosophy is likely to see Ings thrive for the Saints. If they continue in a similar vein to last Sunday, then Ings is likely to score a lot of goals this season for the Saints.
Set to move up the table
The arrival of Hasenhuttl has lifted confidence amongst the Southampton players. There are quality players in the Saints squad, but former boss Hughes just could not get the best out of it.
The aforementioned win over Arsenal moved Saints out of the relegation zone. A trip to fellow strugglers Huddersfield this weekend offers a chance for the team from the south coast to move further clear of the drop zone.
With Hasenhuttl’s approach and the players available to the highly rated coach, it seems unlikely that the Saints will move up the table in the near future.