Ralph Hasenhüttl
Ralph Hasenhüttl may not be on the playing staff, but he certainly has been a key presence for the Saints. The gaffer has proven that he is unafraid to impact the game with system and personnel changes. The match against West Ham was no exception.
With one half of underpar football in the books and one goal in arrears, Redmond was brought on upfront in place of the ineffective Danny Ings.
The move had immediate impact, as Redmond surged into the box and almost wiggled past several defenders. The number 22 also forced a smart save from Łukasz Fabiański, who managed to turn the ball over the bar.
Led by Redmond, Southampton looked reenergized and a threat going forward. Despite, dominating the early stages of the second half, the managers good work was negated by a failure to convert chances, mistakes, and two quickfire goals from the Hammers.
Although the change in approach didn’t quite come off this time around, the Austrian still deserves credit for being proactive.
Southampton’s position now secured within the Premier League and no significant opportunity for advancement, Hasenhüttl also took the opportunity to look at some rarely seen faces. Strugglers Mohamed Elyounoussi and Fraser Forster made their way into the starting XI.
Despite signing in the summer, the young Norwegian has struggled to make a significant impact in many of his previous appearances for the club.
The match against West Ham saw a few promising signs from the attacker. In his best moment the 24-year-old demonstrated his technical abilities by, first flicking the ball over a helpless defender before firing wide.
As is typical of the summer signing’s appearances, his effort was satisfactory without many notable moments. The effort was there, but substitute Redmond still looked the more significant threat.
The summer training camp to come, potential changes in team set up, and complementing signings likely, Elyounoussi may yet be able to bring out his full potential.