Southampton have lost only three times in the Premier League this season when Stuart Armstrong has been included in the starting line-up.
The turnaround has been epic, but above all, unexpected. Ralph Hasenhuttl appeared to be on the brink as the home clash against Watford at the end of November neared its conclusion.
However, late goals from Danny Ings and James Ward-Prowse swung the odds in the Austrian’s favour, and in doing so, helped to provide Southampton with the necessary boost to press ahead.
They were not perfect, though; in fact, they were far from it. Hasenhuttl’s machine spluttered, and flattered to deceive despite a clear weight having been lifted. A narrow win over Norwich City preceded disappointing losses at the hands of Newcastle United and West Ham United.
Saints were left languishing in the bottom three once again, level on points with Aston Villa in 17th place but no fewer than 12 goals adrift following October’s demolition at the hands of Leicester City.
The trip to Villa Park would, therefore, embody the quintessential six-pointer at the foot-end of the Premier League table. As two unpredictable sides geared up to lock horns, few expected that a month later, Southampton would find themselves sitting pretty in ninth place, above esteemed clubs like Arsenal.
Various factors have presented explanations for the remarkable uprising of a club that had appeared on its knees. Hasenhuttl’s return to his preferred shape; the partnership of Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek; and, of course, the red-hot form of Danny Ings.
However, one element of Southampton’s revival that has arguably gone under the radar is the growing importance of Stuart Armstrong, a player whose involvement has been peculiarly limited since his arrival at the club in 2018.
The Scotsman is, by trade, a natural number 10, and this appeared to have made him difficult to integrate into Hasenhuttl’s preferred 4-2-2-2 shape in the opening stages of the season. The boss favoured natural wingers – Moussa Djenepo, Sofiane Boufal and Nathan Redmond alternated on the flanks – which saw Armstrong largely left on the fringes.
Nevertheless, with Southampton’s attacking play clearly disjointed and unorganised, Hasenhuttl opted to draft the 27-year-old into his starting line-up, and he has hardly looked back since.
Saints have lost just once in their most-recent seven Premier League outings; Armstrong has started in six of these, with his only cameo appearance coming in the 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace at the end of last year, a game in which he was unfortunate to have found himself on the bench.
Hasenhuttl has deployed him on the right-hand side of the midfield, and his presence has, perhaps uncoincidentally, arrived at the same time as Cedric Soares’ improvement at both ends of the pitch.
Armstrong’s adjustment to the somewhat unfamiliar role away from the middle has been seamless, and it is a testament to his intelligence as a footballer. He finds the halfspaces during opportune moments, enabling his teammates a passing lane at all times, and his movement infield and out to the wing has offered Southampton flexibility in the final third.
The perfect fit for Hasenhuttl’s demanding approach, the former Celtic playmaker has displayed the required tactical acumen and focus in crucial times, aiding Saints in their pressing and creating chances for his side courtesy of industrious work in the middle third.
Armstrong returned to the team after a brief lay-off, owing to a calf injury, for the aforementioned clash at Aston Villa, and he played his part perfectly. He found space in congested areas and freed up his teammates to drive towards the hosts’ back-line as Southampton came away with a precious 3-1 win.
He continued in a similar vein at Chelsea, as Saints came away with a shock 2-0 victory on Boxing Day. Armstrong confidently moved around the pitch, contributing with deft touches and linking attacking moves together with delicacy and elegance. He may not have been accredited the assist for Nathan Redmond’s late effort, but his role was as pivotal as anyone’s in one of the best team goals you’ll see all season.
In the games that followed, Armstrong kept up top form. He was instrumental in Southampton’s win over Tottenham and opened his account for the season with a deflected effort against Leicester.
The midfielder’s clever usage of the ball helped Saints race into a 2-0 lead before their second-half collapse against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend, but there was immediate redemption for the team as they travelled to Crystal Palace on Tuesday.
Southampton suffocated the Eagles. The hosts had nowhere to go in the first half as the relentless pressing and intensity of the away side left the players stunned, and the Selhurst Park faithful frustrated.
Nathan Redmond opened the scoring with a thunderous drive beyond the reach of Vicente Guaita before none other than Armstrong managed to convert in an arguably even more impressive fashion, as he lashed home a strike from distance, akin to several he scored in Celtic colours, in the second half. All this, and not a hair out of place for the man who is quickly becoming a fans’ favourite at St Mary’s…
Twitter: The sound when Stuart Armstrong’s stunner hit the back of the net
https://t.co/R63fDRrstu (@SouthamptonFC)
It has been a collective effort to reinvigorate Southampton and one for which all those associated deserve their share of the credit. Ralph Hasenhuttl has not only steadied the ship but is now leading it to exciting shores after some uncomfortable years at sea.
The players, though, have equally earned recognition. Few are more deserving than Stuart Armstrong, a model professional who has taken his chance and is now reaping the rewards for showing patience off the pitch and some much-needed consistency on it.
