Southampton’s £20m man ‘sums up’ problems under Will Still, ‘just not good enough’

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As big believers in importance of underlying statistics, Football League experts Ali Maxwell and George Elek were always going to have plenty to say about Will Still’s Southampton after Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Hull City.

The eye test hardly paints a pretty picture, but delve a little deeper and the concerns grow like poison ivy.

While Southampton’s Expected Goals tally trails only top scorers Coventry City, they have also conceded the sixth most in that department. In short, Will Still’s team are missing more chances than they should, while also giving up a lot of opportunities to their opposition.

A UEFA licence isn’t needed to tell you this is not a nice combination.

Still described that Hull loss as ‘really poor’ on Saturday evening. Big-money summer signing Damion Downs was hauled off on the hour-mark after another wasteful display, while Oli McBurnie looked like a man against boys while bullying Taylor Harwood-Bellis and co into submission.

Ali Maxwell says Taylor Harwood-Bellis summed up Southampton struggles in Hull City defeat

Now, French football expert Julien Laurens predicted Will Still would bring more directness than the Saints fans were used to under the possession-obsessed Russell Martin.

And while Southampton still dominated 71 per cent of the ball on Humberside, it is notable how often Hull were able to hit the visitors on the counter, usually to great effect.

And Maxwell, speaking on the latest edition of the Not the Top 20 podcast, feels that Still’s more end-to-end approach can only work if Downs and co find their scoring boots, and if Harwood-Bellis can rediscover his form from the early-Martin days.

“Still’s tactical style seems to be turning games into shoot-outs. If they’ve got better players than everyone, you can understand the logic of this approach rather than having to break down a low block every week,” Maxwell begins.

“But at the moment, those attacking players seem really low on confidence, and that’s going to have to change. And certainly, regardless of whether that changes, they have to tighten up. That’s four games this season they have conceded 1.5 XG or more and that’s just not good enough.

“Harwood-Bellis sort of summed it up. The second goal, he gave the ball away with a loose pass and then got absolutely dunked on by McBurnie for the knockdown for [the goal scored by John] Lundstram.”

George Elek worried about Will Still’s Saints as Hull serve up a shock

Southampton paid Manchester City £20 million to sign former England Under-21 international Harwood-Bellis during the summer of 2024. His performances since then, during a disastrous Premier League campaign and at the start of the current season, continue to make a mockery of that eye-watering price-tag.

There is also an argument to be made that Will Still has left Harwood-Bellis exposed in his new four-at-the-back system, especially with the full-backs tending to push up high.

“This was a surprising result, albeit maybe not as surprising as it would have seemed in pre-season,” Elek adds. “Because Southampton have struggled to build up any head of steam under Will Still.

“And Hull, to me, look like a side who are going to thrive when they don’t have much of the ball because of the players they’ve got and their ability to counter at pace.

“[Southampton] dominated possession, had loads of territory, and it’s not like Hull were a constant threat on the counter, albeit when they did counter they created big chances.”

August Wrexham triumph is Will Still’s only victory so far

Southampton have not won a single match now since the opening weekend.

“For Saints, there is going to be a big concern here. That [single Championship victory] came against ten-man Wrexham. From a statistics point of view, I’m sure Will Still would say; ‘our XG is the second most in the league, so finishing has obviously been an issue’.

“But even so, it doesn’t feel like they are a free-flowing, effective attacking side. And up against a Hull team who have been great fun to watch, whose games have been very end-to-end, their issues have been defensively. And yet despite not seeing much of the ball, they were able to prevent Southampton creating too much of note.

“It’s one of those games where, if you are a neutral observer, you are like; ‘Are Southampton one of the best sides? Oh, maybe not. Are Hull going to get relegated? Oh no, they look really good’.