Cameron Archer showed his impressive finishing as a centre forward in the Carabao Cup, as he scored a brace in a thrilling 5-3 win over Cardiff City in the first round. This performance led him to feature in more first team matches and manager Russell Martin decided to start the 21-year-old striker against Manchester United in the Premier League. However, things didn't go as expected and Archer missed his penalty to give the lead to Southampton, who later faced a massive 3-0 defeat.
In the next league match against Ipswich Town, Archer’s build up play and positioning were brilliant but he missed two great chances to double the Saints’s lead who conceded a last-minute equaliser in that match. Moreover, in the recent 3-1 defeat in the away match against Bournemouth, Archer played only fifteen minutes as a second half substitute with the Saints already behind 3-1. After the match, former Tottenham forward Darren Bent discussed Archer's performances and revealed a key area for him to improve, saying,
Former Tottenham forward talks about key area which Archer should improve
"When I look at Cameron Archer, I like him and I think he has got good movement.Darren Bent
He is getting in these areas where he should calm himself down, slow it down. I think if he settles he will score goals."
Bent highlighted the importance of being calm in front of the goal, which is a key area for Archer and all Southampton forwards to improve. This lack of goals in the Premier League is one of the big reasons why Southampton have only one point from their first six matches. While the other centre forwards haven't been involved much in the attack, Archer has showcased his game awareness with his encouraging runs into empty spaces behind the defence.
Hence, the former Aston Villa forward should improve his finishing inside the final third during the international break as his goal scoring form will help Southampton to consistently take more points in the Premier League and avoid relegation this season.