Southampton have struggled so far this campaign. However, looking at the stats, that really shouldn’t be the case.
On the chalkboard
The Saints are currently in the relegation zone, albeit level on goal difference with 17th-placed Aston Villa. They will face the Villans on Saturday in a match that is likely to have huge implications in the battle for survival.
Considering they are so far down the table, you would expect them to be particularly abject all across the board. If you look at the stats, though, that isn’t the case.
An anomaly
It is in defence that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have been at their worst. This season, they have conceded 36 goals, more than any other team in the Premier League, and they even conceded nine in one game against Leicester City.
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However, they are far from the worst team in the league in regards to the number of shots they have faced. They have had 13.7 shots against them per match so far this campaign, which puts them at only eighth on the list. Even fifth-placed Tottenham have come under more pressure than the south-coast side, coming up against 14.5 efforts per fixture. There can be no accusations of a lack of desire either – they have made 19 tackles per match, the fourth-most in the division.
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At the other end of the pitch, it is much the same story. Only three sides have scored less than the Saints’ 18, yet they have had the ninth most shots on goal with 12.4 per match. Their 4.2 on target puts them in 12th place – not spectacular, but not that disappointing either. In terms of dribbles, with 11.3 per game, they are in seventh place.
There is not much positivity at St. Mary’s Stadium at the moment, but this should be cause for optimism. Southampton are not performing anywhere near as badly as you would expect, and there is proof that Hasenhuttl is on the right track. With one or two astute signings in January, they can certainly get themselves out of trouble. So don’t worry, Saints fans. There is still hope yet.
In other news, the 52-year-old boss admitted that the Saints struggled with one thing against West Ham.