Danny Ings took his goal tally for the Premier League season to seven on Saturday as Southampton swept aside Huddersfield Town with a 3-1 win.
The 26-year-old nipped the ball away from Mathias Jorgensen towards the end of the first half and was scythed down by the Terriers centre-back, handing the visitors a golden chance to double their advantage from the penalty spot.
Ings stepped up and coolly dispatched his spot-kick to the right of Jonas Lossl’s goal, giving Southampton a cushion heading into the second half.
Albeit in a straightforward fashion, the goal from the former Liverpool man was somewhat symbolic of his newfound role in the team this season. Southampton now have a reliable, confident striker who is in his element when carrying the responsibility of converting clear chances.
In the forward’s absence, the Saints struggled. Stuart Armstrong emerged as the team’s primary goal threat as the likes of Charlie Austin and Manolo Gabbiadini failed to convince in striking positions.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s arrival at the club undoubtedly lifted spirits and allowed the team to attack with a clear game plan, structure and tactical approach.
The Austrian has led the club to back-to-back wins for the first time in nearly two years following victories against Arsenal last weekend and, most recently, Huddersfield.
It is undeniable that Hasenhuttl’s appointment has been the catalyst for Southampton’s change in fortunes of late, but this shift also coincided with the return to fitness of the club’s most important player.
Ings netted two fine headers in the win over Arsenal and again led the line in exemplary fashion at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Blessed with natural goalscoring instincts and a footballing brain to match, the summer signing is proving his worth and then some. He is the first name on the team sheet and offers Southampton an immense threat in the final third.
Not only is Ings gifted in front of goal, but he is also more than capable in deeper areas while in possession and provides Hasenhuttl with a tactically versatile option up front.
He is able to play in varying systems. Dynamic enough to be utilised on the break and positionally aware enough to operate against compact defensive units, Ings has proven that he can be adaptable at the forefront of Southampton’s plans for the here and now and for years to come.
For the past two respective seasons, the highest number of goals scored by a Saints player in the Premier League has been seven. Ings has already amassed this total and has done so from only 12 starts, with 10 of these coming under the ever-underwhelming management of Mark Hughes.
Question marks remain regarding the striker’s ability to stay fit; he has endured a difficult few years with long-term injuries and was only recently sidelined with a hamstring problem.
In fact, one could argue that Ings is not yet fully fit, either. He has been withdrawn by Hasenhuttl in the last two outings as he continues to work his way back to full fitness after some weeks out of action.
Injury concerns are always prominent with players such as Ings, but encouragement should be taken from the fact that he has netted on such a regular basis from limited opportunities in the team.
It is for reasons such as these that the clinical forward must surely now be regarded as an indispensable cog in the Southampton team.
16 years on from being released by the club, Ings is Southampton’s talisman. If he can stay fit and the team can provide him with service, he could be set for a quite wonderful season at St Mary’s Stadium.
