Toby Alderweireld Injury a Blow to Southampton After Versatile Show at Arsenal
After proving himself to be a valuable, versatile player for Ronald Koeman in recent Southampton fixtures, Toby Alderweireld's injury in Wednesday night's 1-0 loss to Arsenal is a considerable blow to the manager's fortunes.
A late goal from Alexis Sanchez was enough to seal all three points for Arsene Wenger's side, after a largely lifeless affair saw the Saints fail to hold on for a priceless stalemate against a top-four rival.
The biggest factor in the result was Toby Alderweireld's withdrawal from play with injury, which left Southampton with 10 men.
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Injuries have plagued Southampton of late, and after losing Alderweireld to a hamstring problem, Koeman is now counting the cost of another important loss.
Injuries and Consistency
Southampton have received widespread praise for their exceptional start to the Premier League season.
The goalscoring efforts of Graziano Pelle have been backed by the creative talents of Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane, which is all founded on a solid back line of Alderweireld, Jose Fonte, Ryan Bertrand and Nathaniel Clyne.
The latter trio have all played every minute of every league game so far, as well as goalkeeper Fraser Forster, creating consistency.
"Clyne, Forster, Fonte and Bertrand have played every minute of every game for @SouthamptonFC this season. #SaintsFC #WeMarchOn
— TrialistonLoan (@TrialistonLoan) November 30, 2014"
Alderweireld has played close to 1,000 minutes for the Saints over 11 appearances for the club in all competitions so far.
However, as Koeman's side's form has suffered of late, so has this consistency. This is due to the inevitable onset of injuries.
With the rigours of Premier League football intensifying every year, injury is becoming a more regular occurrence during games. Southampton have lost several key players in their last two outings.
French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin—arguably the side's best and most important player this season—was forced from the field with the scores at 0-0 in Sunday's encounter with Manchester City.
Without Schneiderlin, the Saints conceded three goals, eventually losing 3-0.
Against Arsenal, Schneiderlin's replacement, Jack Cork, was the first to fall. Tadic and Alderweireld joined the former Burnley man in the treatment room as the game wore on.
This inconsistency in personnel saw a fluid Arsenal side eventually breach the Saints defence, and it was the loss of Alderweireld that was particularly decisive in this, with the Belgian key to the side's solidity at the back this season.
Toby Alderweireld
Since joining Southampton on loan from Atletico Madrid, Alderweireld has been something of a Premier League revelation, after struggling to break into a defence founded on the talents of Diego Godin and Miranda.
Prior to Wednesday night's game, the defender had averaged 1.5 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 0.4 blocks and an impressive 4.9 clearances per game on average in the league.
The latter statistic in particular, second only to Fonte in the Southampton squad, embodies the side's stubbornness in defence, which has seen them concede just 10 goals this season—the best defensive record in the league.
Alderweireld showed an added depth to his game after moving into defensive midfield following the withdrawal of Schneiderlin through injury in Sunday's 3-0 loss at home to Manchester City.
By switching positions against City, Alderweireld presented himself to Koeman as another midfield option as and when injuries strike.
In that 45-minute spell, Alderweireld displayed great defensive perception and technical ability, with two interceptions and an overall passing accuracy of 89.7 per cent as evidence of this.
Furthermore, the No. 17 made one key pass for the Saints, with only Steven Davis registering more.
Although clearly a better option partnering Fonte in the back line, Alderweireld's versatility could prove invaluable to Koeman, who, despite extensive reinvestment in the summer, has witnessed his midfield options thinning significantly of late.
With Cork leaving the field after 29 minutes, Maya Yoshida replaced him to take Alderweireld's place in defence, with the 25-year-old advanced once more prior to his own injury.
Sanchez's Winner
Adding salt to these wounds, the loss of Alderweireld can be blamed for Southampton eventually succumbing to an increasingly threatening Arsenal siege.
Speaking after the match, Koeman told reporters (h/t the Express):
"After an hour it was more difficult, Arsenal were pressing more but the difference was 11 v 10. We were unlucky to get a player injured after making all of our substitutions, you know they will create chances and in the last few minutes they made it 1-0. Forster had a very good game today.
"
After a failed clearance and more than a measure of handball from Fonte, the ball fell to Aaron Ramsey, who jinked toward the byline and sent it back across the six-yard box.
"Alexis Sanchez (of course) puts Arsenal ahead late against Southampton (h/t eatmygoaltv): https://t.co/DvvK6cNbDH
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) December 3, 2014"
Sanchez was there waiting and, as ever, coolly struck the loose ball beyond the otherwise-colossal Forster.
The attacker's positioning for the goal was intuitive and befitting of his £35 million transfer fee—the best players will invariably always find themselves in the right positions—but it was the absence of Alderweireld in this auxiliary defensive-midfield role that allowed the striker the space.
Koeman will now be assessing his options in both defence and midfield, with injuries to Alderweireld and Cork potentially adding to that of Schneiderlin in what is becoming a thin first-team squad.
Yoshida's contribution to a shaky Saints defence against City and, at times, Arsenal will not fill the manager with confidence.
After proving his versatility, Alderweireld will be missed almost as sorely as Schneiderlin.
Southampton now face a packed festive schedule—they face Premier League games against Manchester United, Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace and Chelsea before the year is out—with a potentially diminished squad.
Following a pair of impressive displays in midfield for Ronald Koeman's side, the timing of Toby Alderweireld's injury is unfortunate; the Belgian proved a costly loss against Arsenal and any potential absence could be just as costly in the long term.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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