Three takeaways from Southampton v Middlesbrough

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MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND – MAY 13: Adam Clayton of Middlesbrough is put under pressure from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Southampton during the Premier League match between Middlesbrough and Southampton at Riverside Stadium on May 13, 2017 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images) /

Rotation can be good

Whether it was because the Saints were regularly playing twice in a week or whether it was because Puel didnt know his best XI, the manager was criticized at the start of the season for heavy rotation of players.

As of late however, with a thinner schedule, the Saints have listed the same starting XI in the same formation for weeks now, bar the occasional change.

However yesterday Puel returned to the narrow diamond formation we were used to seeing at the start of season, deploying both Jay Rodriguez and Shane Long together up top. Jordy Clasie, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Jeremy Pied also came in, whilst Martin Caceres made his Southampton debut at the back in place of Jack Stephens.

The changes evidently worked, with the Saints boasting 58 percent possession for the game whilst also averaging an 84 percent passing success as a team.

Rotation has been needed for several games with Dusan Tadic struggling to make an impact and Manolo Gabbiadini failing to find the net in five games since returning from injury.

If Puel is to stay on beyond the end of the season he has to learn from yesterday’s game against Boro and take more risks and be willing to change when the team is out of form.