Southampton: Saints Marching’s weekly poll – edition 3

Returning to it’s normal day of posting, Saints Marching’s weekly poll is a series which grasps the views of Southampton’s supporters on a topical subject.

This week’s poll surrounded what attacking position the Saints should make their priority in the January transfer window. As some supporters pointed out, a new goalkeeper and maybe even a new manager would be nice, but at the end of the day Southampton’s current crop of attackers aren’t singing from the same hymn-sheet.

Dusan Tadic has struggled with just about every aspect of his game this season, meanwhile Nathan Redmond on the other wing has the most shots in the Premier League without scoring.

Up top, Manolo Gabbiadini has fed off scraps but Shane Long has continued a goal drought that has stretched right back to February. Charlie Austin is the side’s most physical striker showing a clear lack of a target man.

Whatever happens manager-wise it’s safe to say the Saints need to recruit this January. No attacking signings over summer has proved to be a massive mistake. Nine goals in 12 games highlights this.

The poll still has a few hours to go but of the 100+ voters the outright winner has pretty much been determined. Just over half of all voters agree that a new centre-attacking midfielder, or ‘number 10’, should be the Saints first port of call when the new year rolls around.

More from Saints Marching

• Grading the Southampton Transfer Window Part 2: Arrivals
• Grading the Southampton Transfer Window Part 1: Departures
• It’s time to talk about Gavin Bazunu
• Rain clouds on the horizon? Southampton beat Plymouth Argyle
• A lament for Southampton legend James Ward-Prowse

A new creative spark behind the striker could be exactly what the Saints need. Back in August, I chose Hakim Ziyech as my dream deadline day signing and I still believe he could the perfect answer to our troubles.

Despite Long’s goal record, none of the Saints’ strikers have done particularly bad in front of goal. On the whole they haven’t really missed any super clear-cut opportunities because the team hasn’t created any.

A new number 10 to pull the strings could change that. With Sofiane Boufal on one side and Nathan Redmond on the other, it seems like it could work on paper.

However, as many as 40 or so voters believe that is in fact that the strikers who aren’t pulling their weight, with a new forward needed as main priority. Understandably this would probably be the Graziano Pelle replacement the supporters are still waiting for.

Having a big man who can feed off the aforementioned scraps and have balls pinged into him when needed would add another vital dimension to an otherwise stale Southampton front-line.