Hasenhuttl hints at which new Southampton signings will start vs Everton

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has hinted at which of his new signings will start his side’s Premier League opener against Everton on Saturday.

Saints were able to complete some of their transfer business early in this window and have seen some new faces have a good amount of time to bed into the first-team setup. The most recent additions in Armando Broja and Adam Armstrong have been at the club for less than a week though.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Hasenhuttl said:

"“Some players have been here since the first day of the pre-season like Romain (Perraud), I think for him it’s not difficult, he’s now been here for six weeks. He knows everything. He has trained with us, he has played with us. Tino Livramento, also OK. For Adam (Armstrong) and (Armando) Broja it’s a little bit more difficult, now they are stepping in before the first game. I think it’ll take a little bit longer, we are busy showing them our philosophy and working with them everyday to get them in a good mental shape also. The time will come quickly where they will also have to play.”"

Broja and Armstrong to have first Southampton appearances from the bench?

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Looking here at Hasenhuttl’s words, it seems as though he has his team set for the weekend. Just Will Smallbone will be missing from the senior players available to the Austrian, so it will be a tough task to choose those taking a place in the starting 11 and those amongst the nine substitutes.

When it comes to the new signings, it seems that Hasenhuttl has his mind made up to face Everton. He seems to suggest that he is happy to put Romain Perraud and Tino Livramento into his line-up, whilst Theo Walcott could also start having become familiar with his manager’s setup during last season as well.

Perhaps a role from the bench will have to do for Adam Armstrong and Armando Broja right now. They will need to be ready when they are needed, but they can hope to start in weeks to come.

With Che Adams and Nathan Tella in his armoury right now, keeping two new signings on the bench is not such a problem for Hasenhuttl at the moment. Both players proved their worth on a number of occasions last season and could combine to great effect this year.

Uncertainty over the futures of Shane Long and Michael Obafemi remains but Saints have another good option behind Adams, Tella, Armstrong and Broja with Theo Walcott.