As Southampton continue their meteoric rise, with one foot in the door of the Europa League, it is still remarkable to think about just what Ronaldo Koeman and the club have achieved after repeatedly losing their best players. Touted as relegation-fodder last year, the South Coast side enjoyed a fantastic campaign after blending some astute buys and excellent youth prospects into the team. Despite losing Nathaniel Clyne and Toby Alderwield this year, the Saints looked in good shape against Vitesse Arnhem in their European qualifier – they won 3-0.
Rather than placing their hopes for the new season on an incoming transfer, a man who missed all of last season could well have the biggest impact. Jay Rodriguez is closing in on a return to first-team action, having missed the entirety of last season. Cruelly injured with the 2014 World Cup on the horizon, the former Burnley star had only recently broken into the Three Lions camp after a string of stellar performances on the South Coast. During March 2014, he scored five goals in four matches, taking his tally up to 15 with a month and a half of the season left. Then he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Manchester City.
Though he did not play against Vitesse, the goal-getter has looked sharp in pre-season. A brace netted against Red Bull Leipzig, followed by another against Dutch outfit KVV Quick 1920 has led a return of four strikes in four pre-season appearances. Not bad for a player returning from a year out.
Rodriguez himself has expressed his eagerness to pull on a Three Lions shirt once more: “as a player you always want to play at international level”, he told The Mirror, “I want to try and become the player I was.” His steely determination could help create a nice headache for England boss Roy Hodgson, who can currently field a number of different striking options. The Saint, however, is perhaps the most natural wide-forward available to him, a lethal mix of a winger and a front man.
Before pulling on all the all-white of England, the Southampton man must get back to his best Premier League form. Despite an excellent season last year, the Saints tailed off towards the end of the campaign and finished well below the Champions League spots they had thrillingly chased for a prolonged period. Italian star Graziano Pelle, who was excellent for the side, seemed to lose his goal scoring touch after the Christmas pile up and Shane Long failed to provide any real consistency.
Rodriguez offers goals from wide positions, and if he can rekindle the ‘bromance’ he enjoyed with Adam Lallana with current Saints schemer Dusan Tadic, there will be much to cheer on the South Coast. If he can take some of the burden away from his Italian strike partner, perhaps Koeman’s side can sustain a more substantial challenge in their constant quest to improve.
With Southampton’s foray into Europe, strength in depth becomes vital. New signing Juanmi and last season’s revelation Sadio Mane provide competition in the final third, but ‘J-Rod’ has proven quality. Having recently signed a new deal, reportedly keeping the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham at bay, Jay Rodriguez’could prove to be a ‘lightning rod’ for his side.