Strike partnerships are not all too common in the modern-day Premier League but Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton have a brilliant opportunity to make one work in the form of Che Adams and Danny Ings.
With managers simply unwilling to lose a player in midfield, there has been a real lack of two-striker systems in recent years, but Ings and Adams could be something of a throwback under the watchful eye of a modern-day, innovative coach.
Playing two up front has become something of a risk, such is the importance of the midfield battles in the Premier League, but if Hasenhuttl can make it work with Adams and Ings, it will no doubt be a welcomed return to the top flight.
Although Ings was at the club last season, both strikers joined Southampton permanently over the summer.
Ings’ previous loan spell from Liverpool turned into a permanent stay, while Adams, a long-term target for the club, arrived from Birmingham City. Having done his time in the Championship, Adams, a hard-working, intelligent striker, has been given the opportunity to step up in the Premier League and nail down a starting spot with the Saints.
In the former Liverpool striker alongside him, Ings adds a lot of experience to Southampton’s attack and with his injury and fitness concerns hopefully behind him, he’ll be out to hit the ground running at St Mary’s.
Ings could only manage eight Premier League goals for the club on loan last season and he’ll be out to better that this time around. His highest Premier League tally stands at 11 goals back in the 2014/15 season with Burnley.
Adams started alongside Nathan Redmond against Liverpool, with the latter playing slightly behind the striker as Hasenhuttl looks to settle with a five-man defence. The Austrian has previously flirted with the 4-2-2-2 system and that could be a tactical switch that allows both Ings and Adams to play alongside each other.
The former came off the bench against Liverpool to great effect, taking advantage of Adrian’s howler to pull a goal back for the Saints. It wasn’t enough to draw level this time around, but the early signs were positive for Southampton. The biggest criticism from their performances last season was the clear lack of goals in the final third and the addition of Adams will certainly go some way to solving that.
During his time at Birmingham, Adams was known for his clever and intricate movement, picking up pockets of space that could bring the best out of him and Ings at Southampton, with neither player short of ammunition with the likes of Nathan Redmond behind them.
He arrives on the south coast off the back of a great season with Birmingham, where he scored 22 goals in the Championship.
You can find football betting offers https://bettingapps.org if you fancy the two strikers to fire Southampton up the league as the Saints look to avoid another battle against relegation.
Two defeats in their opening two games may not be great reading for Southampton, but with games against Brighton, Sheffield United and Bournemouth to come before the end of September, the club have a fantastic opportunity to put some points on the board and some goals next to their name.
How Hasenhuttl manages his two strikers could be the catalyst for success at Southampton this season and may go a long way to defining their campaign. If Adams struggles to adapt to the Premier League, the pressure could once again be on the shoulders of Danny Ings, who will need to maintain his fitness over the next nine months if he wants to rediscover his best form.
