There’s no hiding that Charlie Austin’s injury is a big blow for The Saints. Possibly the one and only bright spark in front of goal is gone for at least three months and that seems incredibly deflating. Austin has notched six of our 14 goals scored in the league, so taking out his goal tally seems like a big loss. What should Puel and The Saints do? I’ll be taking a look at what the best options could be moving forward.
January Options
Maybe the silver lining for this injury is that it will give more of an incentive for Puel and the rest of the Southampton board to delve into the transfer market for a striker. It’s no secret that goal scoring has been Saints’ biggest hindrance so far, and a proven goal scorer could take the squad to the next level. Are any of the options for January good enough to bring in though?
Daniel Sturridge
This rumor floated around a little bit when it surfaced that Sturridge was unsettled at his lack of game time at Liverpool. He does have an injury problem which has kept him out for a lot of this season, but when he is fit Sturridge seems to be behind Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi, and even natural winger Sadio Mane.
Sturridge could be looking for a way out in January to get more first team action. If Saints go after him, it could show a lot of ambition and I think the Southampton faithful would welcome him with open arms. When he plays, he scores goals. Heaven knows that’s what Southampton need right now. Is he a reasonable option though? Liverpool would probably want a good amount of money for him and as stingy as Southampton are with their finances, it doesn’t seem like they would be willing to pay a high price for him.
Jermain Defoe
Defoe has been a class striker for what seems like forever. He has the most goals for an English player in this calendar year, even ahead of players like Harry Kane, Austin himself, Jamie Vardy, and Wayne Rooney. Even though he is getting on in terms of his age, he could be a great short-term option for Saints. With how good his goal scoring record is though, it’s highly unlikely that Sunderland would want to give him up in a season where they desperately need him to stay up.
Saido Berahino
I’ve seen this suggestion from a couple of Saints fans, and it seems like the dream for both parties actually. Berahino has almost been completely frozen out by West Brom and he seems desperate to get out. When Berahino has played, he has been a consistent goal scorer, famously drawing interest from Tottenham after his 20-goal season at just 21-years of age. Southampton could be a fresh start for Berahino, which could also highly benefit Saints’ misfiring issues. West Brom have been incredibly difficult with Berahino in the past, so prying him away from Pulis and co. could be rather difficult.
Other Options
Recalling Sam Gallagher
Twitter: Opinions on recalling Gallagher? (@AmericxnSaint)
If there was ever an opportunity for Sam Gallagher to come into the first team, this seems to be it and he is gathering a lot of interest from Saints fans. Recalling him is rather controversial though. There have been several arguments about recalling him, with good arguments on both sides. Luke Osman debates that Southampton should not recall Gallagher here:
Twitter: FEATURE | @LukeOsmanRS explains why #SaintsFC should NOT recall Sam Gallagher in January.
Do you agree?… https://t.co/mWCjwOA7Jq (@ReadSouthampton)
At first, it might seem like the right thing to do, and could benefit Saints in the short run. Gallagher has been on fire for Blackburn Rovers lately, scoring a brace in his last match in a 3-2 loss against Brighton. If Claude Puel decided to recall him, there would be a danger of cutting short his development at Blackburn, and he wouldn’t be able to progress to his full potential. He might not get the playing time at Southampton that he is getting at Blackburn as well, and that would stop him short. For now, it does seem best that he finish this season at Blackburn.
Trusting Long and Rodriguez
Puel has come out and given a declaration of trust towards Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez, but to say they have disappointed this season might be an understatement. Total Premier League goals between the two of them this season? One. Even James Ward-Prowse has more goals this season than Shane Long, and that is a record that he won’t be happy with. Jay Rodriguez might have had the miss of the season as well in Saints’ last game against Middlesbrough, skewing a shot over the goal from virtually the goal line, and he had another howler against Stoke, while Long was nonexistent again.
Something needs to happen soon for them to start scoring, or Southampton will be punished for it. It’s hard to see them getting on the score sheet too. Southampton have created so many chances this season, but we have lacked that cutting edge that is needed at this level. This is the time for Long and Rodriguez to really step up and prove the doubters like myself wrong, and I’d be very happy to be wrong in this case.
Southampton really are in a bind right now. Every option has it’s pros and cons, and only time will tell what the right or wrong decision will be. One thing is for certain though, Puel needs to find his answer quickly.
