West Ham vs Southampton: Three Match Takeaways after last day loss

Plans for the Future

The 2020/21 obligations mercifully in the books, the club can now start prepping for next season. And boy oh boy is there a lot of work to do.

The transfer market is going to be key this summer with the squad in desperate need of depth and a refresh. With Ryan Bertrand departing the South coast there is only one regularly starting full-back in the form of Kyle Walker Peters.

Not only do we need to find a credible replacement for Bertrand but we also need to find competition for that replacement, not to mention cover at right back. RH will also need to consider acquiring a striker to complement Danny Ings. Che Adams is definitely capable of succeeding at this level, but if he or Ings is injured then the cupboard is bare.

Michael Obafemi is available for selection, but the gaffer has in the past appear to express his misgivings about the front man. The side would also benefit from having another experience hand, who knows how to find the net at the top level.

The goalkeeping situation is also unclear, with both Fraser Forster and Alex McCarthy gaining runs in the team and both conceding goals. It would not be a surprise to see Ralph dip into the market for a man who can play his preferred sweeper keeper style from the off. This would also free up one of the two current keepers to find regular football elsewhere. It has been hit and miss for Forster and McCarthy, but they are both good goalkeepers and quite capable of first team action.

On the technical side, Hasenhüttl needs to find a less draining plan b. The pressing system has proven very effective, but the side has also shown that it cannot maintain this approach for 90 minutes let alone an entire season. An alternative needs to be found to ensure that Southampton not only stay solid in a tie, but also pose a viable threat.