da betano casino： In four games at the helm, Ralph Hasenhuttl has secured twice as many Southampton wins as Mark Hughes managed during the first 14 Premier League outings of the season, which tells much about how the Welshman failed to get his side performing anywhere close to their full potential despite steering them clear of relegation last term.
da blaze casino： And one of the key factors in that improvement under the new gaffer has been the reintroduction of Oriol Romeu, a former Barcelona and Chelsea man who no doubt boasts amongst the strongest natural pedigree of any player at the club. Bizarrely, he fell out of the team under Hughes – who preferred Mario Lemina and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as his central pairing.
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It would be unfair to criticise either midfielder – both have been amongst Southampton’s most consistent performers during an incredibly difficult season. But the efficiency of the system should always take precedent over the impact of individuals and Romeu brings real balance to the team, as a deep-sitting anchorman who always strives to exert control over the engine room.
As Southampton produced a spirited performance despite eventually losing to West Ham on Thursday night, Romeu’s influence once again stood out – as it did in the wins over Arsenal and Huddersfield. Matt Targett was the only player on either team to make more tackles than the Spaniard, while he ranked joint-second for interceptions and dribbles and completed the second-most passes of anyone in red and white.
It would be simplistic to suggest Southampton’s season might be very different right now had Romeu started every game, but Hughes might well be in the job still had he developed a better appreciation for what the powerful midfielder brings to the team. In fact, eight of Southampton’s 15 points this season have come from the eight games in which Romeu has started, compared to the seven they’ve managed in the 11 games he hasn’t.
Clearly, turning his back on Romeu was one of Hughes’ costliest errors during his troubled time on the south coast.