Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama Key to Southampton's Defensive Success
As this Premier League season’s surprise package so far, Ronald Koeman's Southampton thrive on a bedrock of defensive solidity and have midfielders Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama to thank for this.
During a long and damaging summer transfer saga, Southampton's then-star defender Dejan Lovren left the south coast for Liverpool. Now, amid a remarkable run of defensive form, Schneiderlin and Wanyama are proving to be the Saints' defensive masters.
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Lovren—whom Reds boss Brendan Rodgers believes possesses "great leadership qualities," according to James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo—continues to struggle on Merseyside while his former side flourishes.
A £20 million transfer fee was based on the back of an impressive maiden campaign in which Southampton conceded 46 goals but is proving a ludicrous sum so far.
Meanwhile, Koeman's side have the best defensive record in the league for 2014/15.
Without Lovren, Southampton's defensive solidity has improved massively, and the efforts of Schneiderlin and Wanyama are central to this.
Ronald Koeman's Defensive Rock
So far, after 11 Premier League games, Koeman's Saints find themselves in second place, behind Jose Mourinho's phenomenal Chelsea side, and have shown no sign of dipping in form.
Southampton have conceded just five goals in that period, including seven clean sheets, making them one of the most formidable defensive sides in Europe.
Far from parking the bus and hoping for a goalless draw, Southampton have also exhibited some fine attacking football, such as an 8-0 thrashing of Sunderland.
They have even proved they can win ugly, as evidenced by their 1-0 victory away to Hull City at the start of November.
This is all after the summer's mass exodus, including the sales of back-four members Lovren, Luke Shaw and Calum Chambers; with a revamped squad, Koeman is making his mark on England early.
Chris Bascombe of The Telegraph exceptionally lampooned the notion of the "transition season" by detailing the successes of Southampton so far:
"Southampton are a menace with their pesky attempts to prove that investing in clever new signings can actually have an instant, galvanising impact and make you so much better than you used to be. Has Koeman not read the script? He is ruining it for everyone else.
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It is true that Koeman's signings, including defenders Ryan Bertrand and Toby Alderweireld, have made an instant impact, but it is within the side's previous performers that the Saints are finding their form.
Club captain Jose Fonte is proving the leader that everyone believed Lovren to be, while Schneiderlin and Wanyama go from strength to strength.
Morgan Schneiderlin
Schneiderlin’s continued presence in the Southampton first team this season was not to be expected.
The Frenchman was continually touted for a move away from the south coast, with Arsenal and Spurs heavily linked during the summer.
Despite sanctioning the sales of key players such as Shaw, Lovren, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert, Koeman and chairman Ralph Krueger stood firm with regards to the 25-year-old.
Krueger emphatically outlined his stance by telling Sky Sports that Schneiderlin was "part of the core that we have decided to keep in Southampton."
Despite his initial vitriol, the midfielder has settled back into life with the Saints and has been in fine form since.
According to WhoScored.com, the No. 4 has played in every minute of Southampton's Premier League campaign so far, scoring three goals.
Furthermore, in terms of defensive work, the six-cap French international has excelled, with an average of 3.9 tackles and 1.9 interceptions per league game.
Schneiderlin has developed his game of late, however, and there is much more to the midfielder, stemming from former manager Mauricio Pochettino's revolutionary 2013/14 season.
Speaking to French publication L’Equipe (h/t the Daily Mirror), Schneiderlin believes his game has become more of an attacking threat, claiming that "when Pochettino arrived, he came to me immediately: 'I've seen videos of you. I think you have the technical and physical capacity to do more offensively'."
This side of the midfielder's game benefits from having the diligent defensive presence of Wanyama alongside him.
Victor Wanyama
Signed from Celtic during the summer of 2013, for a BBC Sport-reported £12.5 million, Wanyama embarked in the Premier League with a reputation, having been awarded the Scottish Premier League's Young Player of the Year for 2012/13.
Not failing to impress, Wanyama is a formidable physical presence in the Saints midfield, and the 23-year-old takes charge in the middle of the park.
Alongside Schneiderlin, Wanyama assumes part of a rock-solid defensive unit, and the presence of the No. 12 allows his partner more freedom.
Per Squawka, Wanyama is a slightly more prolific tackler than Schneiderlin, making 3.2 tackles on average per game compared to the Frenchman's 3.09; unsurprisingly, both are among the Premier League's top 10 tacklers this season.
The Kenyan is by far the more successful defensive player, however, with a 63 per cent tackle success rate dwarfing Schneiderlin's 41 per cent.
Surprisingly, Wanyama has yet to elude Koeman's rotational system in the midfield that includes Jack Cork and James Ward-Prowse. He exhibits his defensive merit with energy and dynamism and is called upon to tighten the side when tactics require.
Holding on to a tight lead following Sadio Mane's opener against Stoke City in October, Koeman introduced Wanyama just after the hour mark, replacing Cork, in order to shut up shop.
There is no doubting the quality Wanyama possesses, and the Kenyan can forge a rewarding partnership alongside Schneiderlin in a long-term key role for Southampton.
But who is more important to Southampton's defensive success?
With Wanyama proving a situational selection for Koeman while Schneiderlin arguably the first name on the team-sheet, it would be difficult to argue that the Kenyan is more important than his midfield partner.
However, with Wanyama primarily operating as Koeman's version of John Obi Mikel at Chelsea—employed in tough defensive situations—the Kenyan can definitely be considered as equally important defensively.
In fact, it is only the midfielder's bit-part role in the squad that holds him back in this debate; alongside Wanyama, Schneiderlin flourishes in a more advanced role and Southampton look a tighter outfit.
Morgan Schneiderlin may be the more high-profile option and his France caps will have boosted his value significantly, but from a purely defensive viewpoint, Victor Wanyama is the go-to guy for Ronald Koeman.
Together, the pair are proving indispensable.
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