It hasn’t been the greatest start for Southampton in the new season, as they couldn’t secure a single win in the first two matches. But they are expected to change things around when they travel to Brighton this weekend.
The Seagulls are one of the teams that remain unbeaten. Graham Potter tends to line his side up in a 3-4-3 formation and adopts a very fascinating style of play.
While Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy continue to be key players in defence, it is the attackers who have provided the goods. Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard provide creativity, with the latter even scoring a goal in the process against West Ham last week.
But the man who I believe Southampton need to be most wary of is Glenn Murray.
In the role of a target man, Murray acts as the focal point in Brighton’s attack. During the build-up, he usually drops deep and brings his teammates into play. This creates spaces centrally for Gross and Trossard to sit on the shoulders of defenders and cut inside. If he receives the ball from his defenders, he drifts wide and occupies the half-space; there lies the option of crossing or playing the ball back towards the players outside the box.
When he leads the line, his physicality and spatial awareness allow him to shield the ball against the pressure from the opposition’s defenders. Because of this, he can pick up passes with his back to goal and link with his teammates. Alongside the wingers’ runs, Murray regularly has the option of laying the ball to either of the two central midfielders, who make progressive runs.
Besides the mentioned strengths, Murray is also very dangerous in the air. He usually positions himself in a space that allows him to connect with the wing-back’s cross. Although he only scored two headed goals last season, there is a chance that he might increase that number this season with the dynamic style that Potter brings.
He can also provide support for defenders in some situations. Again, his positioning helps him to pick out space where he can clear the ball from danger. In direct set-pieces, he looks to involve himself as much as possible – although he is a striker, he made an average of 0.98 interceptions per 90 minutes last season.
Murray was a key player under Chris Hughton and is likely to continue in the same vein under his new boss. Potter wants to build a team that plays attractive football, but he is still an important asset for the club.
Combined with the intelligence of Gross and the guile of Trossard, Murray should be considered as the key dangerman in attack for Brighton.
