The English Football Thread

[Vesper 29,227]

What do Southampton do without Danny Ings?

https://theathletic.com/2179153/2020/11/04/danny-ings-walcott-obafemi-long-southampton/

There was a sense of relief behind the scenes at Southampton on Sunday night.

Danny Ings, who went down under a challenge from Aston Villa’s Trezeguet earlier that day, had been for a scan on his knee and the initial results were positive. This certainly settled the nerves that were present hours before.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said after the match that, when Ings went down, he could hear screams of, “my knee, my knee”. For anyone that doesn’t know, the England international has previously ruptured both anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL). Everyone was right to be concerned.

The Athletic is led to believe Ings himself was extremely worried in the dressing room after the match but with Southampton confirming on Monday morning that the scan results were “favourable”, it looked as though the 28-year-old had dodged a bullet.

Only, that wasn’t the case.

A light jogging session at Staplewood on Tuesday led to Ings’ knee becoming swollen, while also causing him a level of discomfort at the same time. Because of this, the left knee was looked at again.

This time, though, the news wasn’t so good. There was an issue with his meniscus and it was decided minor surgery was the safest way forward. Because of this, he now faces four to six weeks out of the team.

The Athletic understands that, heading into their day off on Tuesday, the striker’s team-mates had thought Ings’ injury was a minor complaint, only to discover the full severity of the problem when Hasenhuttl confirmed that the player would require surgery in a press conference on Wednesday.

You cannot overstate just how devastating this is for Ings, Hasenhuttl, Southampton supporters and the dressing room. Everything that Southampton do well is geared around the talismanic striker.

Take the relentless pressing, for example — Ings leads it from the front. He will put the team’s success over his own in that sense. It’s hard to picture other successful strikers willing to sap their energy levels this way.

What you put into something is said to be what you get out of it, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his gargantuan efforts are rewarded with goals. Last season saw him score 25 times in 42 appearances. He’s already scored on five occasions in seven Premier League games this campaign.

This begs the question of who will fill the almost irreplaceable void vacated to partner Che Adams in Southampton’s attack.

Theo Walcott would appear to be the logical choice. He started the games against Chelsea and Aston Villa, and also has experience of playing as a striker for Arsenal. Hasenhuttl has already praised the club’s former academy star’s work against the ball but wants him to improve on it.

You have to go back to the 2016-17 season for the last time Walcott managed to score 10 Premier League goals in a single season. In the following three campaigns, he’s totalled 10 top-flight goals.

With this in mind, it would appear Adams is going to have to step up and show he can be successful without Ings by his side.

The duo have built a brilliant relationship but it’s time for last year’s £15 million signing to lead the charge and continue his streak in front of goal. Adams has netted six times in the last 13 Premier League games.

Shane Long and Michael Obafemi could also provide cover for Ings, although that would seem unlikely given their lack of game time. It also looks too early for 21-year-old Dan N’Lundulu to step into the shoes of Southampton’s most important player.

Everyone should rightly be concerned about what Southampton look like without Ings but one positive from the situation is that the upcoming international break could not have fallen at a better time.

If he’s out for the full six weeks, then two of those will be at a time when Southampton aren’t playing. This could see the England man only miss a handful of matches. With this in mind, it’s better for the surgery to go ahead now as opposed to a busier time of the year.

Although his absence will be felt inside the dressing room, where he is a popular figure, others have already started to share some of the goalscoring burden normally carried on Ings’ shoulders.

Last season, Ings scored 43.1 per cent of Southampton’s Premier League goals. The current campaign, while still in its infancy, has seen that figure drop to 35.7 per cent.

In total, Southampton have scored 14 times this season and it’s clear to see how they are being spread out across the pitch. James Ward-Prowse has three goals, defender Jannik Vestergaard and striker Adams have two, and Moussa Djenepo and Oriol Romeu have one.

Losing Ings is a blow but Hasenhuttl isn’t going to allow it to linger for too long. He will accept it and move on, no matter how devastating a setback it could turn out to be.

The Austrian isn’t going to change the way he sets his team up, so it’s now down to the players to ensure Ings isn’t missed too much.

[Laylabelle 9,409]

Suddenly our draw against Southampton doesn't look as surprising as it did at the time..they're on a roll atm

[Jase 43,479]

10 minutes ago, Laylabelle said:

Suddenly our draw against Southampton doesn't look as surprising as it did at the time..they're on a roll atm

Still unacceptable given we were 2-0 up in that match and we gave them stupid goals...

[Vesper 29,227]

2020-21 English Premier League

Everton                      
Manchester United   

http://www.sportnews.to/sports/2020/premier-league-everton-vs-manchester-united-s1/

https://www.totalsportek.com/man-utds/

[NikkiCFC 8,089]

Everton up. 

Ole last game I guess. 

[Vesper 29,227]

1 nil Everton

the dwarf Bernard

[Vesper 29,227]

1 minute ago, NikkiCFC said:

Everton up. 

Ole last game I guess. 

eeekk

Poch or Nagelsmann inbound

[Laylabelle 9,409]

1-1

[Vesper 29,227]

arff

1 1

the cheater

[NikkiCFC 8,089]

1:2

[Vesper 29,227]

meh

1 2

[Vesper 29,227]

cheater on a hat trick

[Laylabelle 9,409]

Thing is they still have a game in hand.They're 2 behind us..and although we have a game to play.. so do they! Can easily catch up if things go wrong for us and right for them

You get this all the time..sack.. dont sack.. sack.. dont sack...after this all probably be right as rain for now.

[Pizy 18,537]

This is why the hype about Everton was vastly overstated and premature. Their defense is awful. Any combo of CB's they have is poor, Coleman is poor, and Pickford is shit. 

They're a decent team but nothing more. As usual. Probably finish between 7-9th.

Anyways, I can't fucking stand Bruno Fernandes. He's quality, no doubt, but he's such an unlikable, diving, moaning cunt. Really hate the bastard.

[Magic Lamps 11,677]

6 minutes ago, Pizy said:

This is why the hype about Everton was vastly overstated and premature. Their defense is awful. Any combo of CB's they have is poor, Coleman is poor, and Pickford is shit. 

They're a decent team but nothing more. As usual. Probably finish between 7-9th.

Anyways, I can't fucking stand Bruno Fernandes. He's quality, no doubt, but he's such an unlikable, diving, moaning cunt. Really hate the bastard.

He's such a dirty player. Always committing dangerous fouls and then rolling over the floor in pretended agony. disgusting.

[Milan 17,881]

You see? Ole is the man! Keep him, don't sack him!

[Vesper 29,227]

1 hour ago, Pizy said:

This is why the hype about Everton was vastly overstated and premature. Their defense is awful. Any combo of CB's they have is poor, Coleman is poor, and Pickford is shit. 

They're a decent team but nothing more. As usual. Probably finish between 7-9th.

Anyways, I can't fucking stand Bruno Fernandes. He's quality, no doubt, but he's such an unlikable, diving, moaning cunt. Really hate the bastard.

they so miss Richarlison too

absolutely agree with you on all you said

[Laylabelle 9,409]

3-1 and done...