[ad_pod ]Southampton held Watford to a respectable point away at Vicarage Road on Tuesday with Shane Long scoring a record-breaking goal inside just seven seconds. The Irishman has been in inspired form of late and is finally seeing his hard work off the ball rewarded in the shape of both regular starts and goals.With Danny Ings and Charlie Austin to choose between up front as well, it would seem that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s front line is looking strong, although the Austrian has dropped a huge hint that the latter will not fit into his plans.
What did he say?
Well, speaking after the 1-1 draw with the Hornets, the former RB Leipzig boss said:
Bad news for Austin
Hasenhuttl’s high-tempo style has seen Southampton enjoy a terrific run of form in 2019 and the Saints look like contending for European places next season if they can keep up this calibre of performance.
One key feature of their approach is that the team presses from the front, starting with Long and Nathan Redmond, both of whom are willing to run themselves into the ground for the three points. Pace, therefore, is essential to closing down defenders who stall for too long on the ball – this is something that Austin certainly does not have in abundance, unlike his competition for a starting berth.
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The 29-year-old might be a solid finisher and a threat in the air but neither seem to matter under Hasenhuttl, who clearly prefers speed in his forwards. What do you think, Southampton fans? Has Hasenhuttl just delivered a damning verdict on Austin’s career at St Mary’s Stadium? Let us know in the comments below…