In an old-fashioned game, Ralph Hasenhuttl found his old-fashioned leaders

The Burnley game called for Southampton’s leaders to stand up.

In the form of James Ward-Prowse and Jannik Vestergaard, Southampton duly obliged.

Victory felt like more than just three points. In a 90 minute “ding-dong” as Sean Dyche would later describe, Southampton refused to let old habits die hard.

The bombastic nature of Sunday’s game bore the hallmarks of a fixture that wouldn’t have looked out of place in an early millennial episode of Premier League Years. Tackles were flying, chances were bountiful and two managers, both clad in black but each adorning very different attire.

Both Ralph Hasenhuttl and Dyche would provide a hostile cacophony of incessant noise that urged their men into uncomfortable levels of physical stress. In a modern era often sterile and sanitised of aggression, the two sides offered a refreshing deviation from the norm.

While it was a win that again underlined Saints’ vulnerability in defending two up front, the way in which they came from two goals down to win 3-2 was rare and extraordinary. It was the first time since 2016 they had achieved such a feat and largely because of that unexpected recovery, may prove to be a watershed moment in removing some of the fragility this current Saints vintage has perennially held.

When Matej Vydra fired past Fraser Forster 28 minutes in, Hasenhuttl feared the worst. An overarching sense of déjà vu rippled through St Mary’s.

Again, Southampton had started poorly. Again, Southampton demonstrated their glaring brittleness when it comes to defending against a two up front. Before Sunday, six of their 14 defeats this season had come against teams deploying a strike pairing. Opposing sides have identified this as a significant chink in the armour of Hasenhuttl’s pressing mechanisms. The fundamental flaw has been on display throughout his time in situ.

Vydra’s strike had doubled Burnley’s lead and meant Saints’ ultimate kryptonite was malfunctioning as badly as ever.

Stretching as far back as December 2019, teams such as West Ham and Wolves have routinely enjoyed accruing success from a double strike pairing, successfully pinning Southampton’s centre backs and exploiting the lack of positional cover from team-mates.

The manner in which Vydra’s strike squirmed through Fraser Forster after the initial chance was fashioned through a Chris Wood header, only paid credence to the theory. For 30 minutes, Southampton were all over the place, losing 50/50’s at an alarming rate and giving the impression they were shocked at Burnley being… well, Burnley – a team who’ve become a notorious lightning rod for their forthright style of play.

“It was definitely an easy way they scored, especially the second goal,” said Hasenhuttl afterwards. “We cannot defend men-against-men with no covering. We knew they would come behind (the defence) and win long balls.”

But on the same day Jesus would rise from the dead, Southampton’s throwback comeback felt particularly poignant.

A typical Sunday 12pm kick-off against Burnley doesn’t exactly offer the most stimulating game for television broadcasters. Most of the time, the stylistic clash between the two usually results in 90 minutes worth of huffing, puffing and the occasional strained bluster.

But in the hour that ensued Burnley’s second, those watching from their television sets would’ve become utterly engrossed in the action. It didn’t conform to the typical convention of a Southampton/Burnley game. Instead, it was the most polarising, paradoxical instance you could wish for. Instead of cowering after going behind, akin to that wretched defeat to Brighton last time out, Southampton regathered.

“The best way to not come under stress is to keep the stress on them,” stated the Saints boss afterwards. Hasenhuttl’s decision to re-enforce his side’s style of play on the half hour mark called for a heady concoction of positional bravery and physical output for the rest of the game. It would prove exhausting but exhilarating if performed at optimum levels.

Hasenhuttl understood the best way to solve Southampton’s vulnerability against a direct front two was to cut-out the regular unforced errors and go toe-to-toe.

With Southampton’s attitude centred around attacking the ball and not the space, the back four were repeatedly encouraged to take the ‘see-ball-win-ball’ approach. Though this meant the defensive quartet did have less margin for error, due to the lack of cover behind them, it would allow for the team to sustain attacks better, providing they won their individual duels.

Hasenhuttl knew that if Saints could win their battles, they would be able to turn the tables. To do that, he needed leaders.

Step forward James Ward-Prowse.

On Friday, Hasenhuttl was asked about the art of leadership and in particular, his captain’s supervising qualities. Hasenhuttl concurred Ward-Prowse’s primary virtue as a leader of men was his distinct ability to spearhead the side, predominately through his actions, rather than words:

“This is what a captain should be,” agreed the Austrian. “A role model on the pitch, not a big speaker in the dressing room, this is not his job. “He does what is necessary as a captain but he shows on the pitch what is important and how important he is. Everybody knows.”

Two days later, Ward-Prowse’s performance embodied those words. After spending much of the first half an hour getting bypassed and flooded by midfield runners all preying on Chris Wood knockdowns, Ward-Prowse remained unperturbed. Every fleeting moment of respite provided the captain a chance to relay a number of positive messages to team-mates, whether it was encouraging the defenders to be braver on the ball or demanding a marked increase in intensity.

In the space of 15 minutes, Southampton got their act together and got back onto level terms. The first goal, scored by Stuart Armstrong, transpired after Ward-Prowse punched a vertical pass into Danny Ings and into the red zone, instantly taking Burnley’s midfield out of the game.

Southampton’s resurgent turnaround coincided with the restoration of carrying out the basic fundamentals and becoming visibly more willing to muck in with the dirty work. Second balls were now being picked up, team-mates were covering for Wood and Vydra’s flick-ons, and Saints’ press became a whole lot more co-ordinated.

Ward-Prowse’s obsession with covering every blade of grass with maximum intensity was steadfast and crucial to spearheading the revival. It spoke volumes of the man who, just 36 hours beforehand, was a doubt for the game with a calf niggle. Hasenhuttl revealed in his post-match press conferences that Saturday morning’s session was the only time Ward-Prowse had trained with the team.

More pertinently, however, Hasenhuttl confirmed the 26-year-old made the decision to withdraw from England’s game with Poland last Wednesday, to give him the best possible opportunity of being fit for Southampton four days later. “This shows why he is captain of the team,” said his club manager rather proudly afterwards.

Hasenhuttl confirms James Ward-Prowse only had one session with the team due to his calf injury.

He says JWP didn't want the risk to play for England on Wednesday as he wanted to play for #SaintsFC today Took the decision himself

RH says this shows why he is captain of the team

— Jacob Tanswell (@J_Tanswell) April 4, 2021

After the break, Jannik Vestergaard made his presence discernibly known. With Saints still being hammered away by the two up top like a boxer who has a well-known weakness for body shots, Hasenhuttl needed a leader at the back to put out the flames and quell the trepidation.

Every one of Burnley’s seven corners was habitually met by Hasenhuttl shouting “come on Jannik!” in the moments before the set-piece was delivered. Against a team who are as physically imposing as Sean Dyche’s men, Hasenhuttl needed his biggest and best firefighter to win the first ball.

Vestergaard would go on to win three of the seven headers, with Fraser Forster punching anything the Dane couldn’t reach. Forster would again present evidence of his impressive psychological transformation, attacking every cross and long ball that came into his box with certainty and gusto.

As the clocked ticked down and Southampton now leading following Nathan Redmond’s emphatic finish, Burnley reverted to type and frequent long balls were hurling into the final third at an unstinting rate. Yet, Vestergaard would not let up.

He would bark and bark at his fellow troops, sculpting the shape and the depth of the back-line to his own personal palate. He kept the backline high and brave, refusing to sink into the Mauricio Pellegrino/Mark Hughes days of nervy edge-of-the-box stuff. At 6ft 7′, Vestergaard seemed to have grown a few inches taller.

After relinquishing so many points from winning positions this season, it was about time the shoe was on the other foot. Notwithstanding the fact that Southampton remain fragile against some slants of opposing attacks and will have to solve the two up front riddle in the near future, they did manage to work out some wrinkles in their play.

It largely started and ended in the form of two leaders. James Ward-Prowse and Jannik Vestergaard. Both came fresh off the plane of international duty and stepped straight into the heat of Premier League battle. Both did so with aplomb.

Who would’ve thought a Sunday 12pm kick-off at home to Burnley would prove so absorbing?

 

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