The document analyzes Southampton's gameplay strategies against Aston Villa, emphasizing the interconnectedness of their attacking and defensive phases. It highlights principles such as penetration, support, mobility, and the importance of quick transitions in both attack and defense. Key player statistics, formations, and pressing strategies are also outlined, noting Danny Ings as a critical contributor to the team's goals.

1. SOUTHAMPTON
OPPOSITION ANALYSIS
Aston Villa v Southampton

2. All four moments of the game are
related / influencing each other.
How the team attack also reflects how the team would defend.
Example / Scenario:
In attack, the team play centrally – subsequently, if the team loses the ball in
the middle, they would have numbers covering the space and can help the
team to counter-press effectively however, this also means that the opponent
have spaces in wide areas to attack.
How possession play influences defensive transition:
• Vertical compactness
• Horizontal compactness
• Direction of play – spaced out
• Direction of play – central
• Direction of play – wide areas
• Speed, number and length of passing

3. KEY INFORMATION
Top Goalscorers
Danny Ings - 11 goals
James Ward-Prowse - 4 goals
Moussa Djenepo - 2 goals
Ryan Bertrand - 1 goal
Jack Stephens - 1 goal
→ Danny Ings is responsible
for 52% of the team’s goals
Starting XI – Aston Villa vs Southampton (442)
Goalkeeper - Alex McCarthy
Defenders – Soares, Stephens, Bednarek, Bertrand
Midfielders – Redmond, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong
Forwards – Danny Ings, Shane Long
Match
Venue: Villa Park (Away)
Team Form Pre-Villa
Arsenal 2 – 2 Southampton (D)
Southampton 2 – 1 Watford (W)
Southampton 2 – 1 Norwich (W)
Newcastle 2 – 1 Southampton (L)
Southampton 0 – 1 West Ham (L)

4. BUILD-UP FROM GOALKEEPER
1 2 3
4 5
Centrebacks and Hojbjerg forms a
triangle, ball is passed to CB.
Quick string of passes
to fullback
4 Southampton players on this side
– helps to create space up top
Chipped ball made from FB to Long.
Ings on the shoulder of defender,
preparing to attack the 2nd ball
First ball received by Long.
Second ball to Southampton’s
Midfielders.
Direct – Southampton’s play
are focused on direct plays. Long
balls are launched into spaces
behind Villa’s defence for the
two strikers to claim.
Quick – Once on the ball, they’d
Look for passing opportunity forward.

5. ATTACKING PHASE
1 2
3 4
Attacking down the wings – ball passed to
full-back. CM comes to support.
Southampton’s no.9
preparing his run. 3v3 situation
Hojbjerg made a first-time pass to the
space made by Villa’s LB. Armstrong
Drops to pull the LB away. Hence
Creating space for Ings to run into
Danny Ings charged down to retrieve
the lobbed through ball, though,
Aston Villa cleared.
Principles of Attack:
1) Penetration – Provide line-
breaking passes into spaces,
behind Aston Villa’s defence.
2) Support – Southampton’s
Players generally come in close-
Medium proximity to one another.
The 4 midfielders + 2 forwards
stay compact in the middle.
Fullbacks provide width in the game.
3) Width – Southampton stay
Generally stay compact
throughout the game.
4) Mobility – Midfielders come
Deep, to help in build-up & create
space for Long & Ing to exploit
5) Improvisation – There’s not
much improvisation coming from
Southampton. Most of their plays
are predictable and systematic

6. ATTACKING TRANSITION
1 2
3
4
Key Points:
1) The player in possession will look
To transition quickly into the final-third
Using quick successive passes.
2) The players near the ball stay
close to the ball carrier as passing
options.
3) The players further from the
Ball anticipates forward balls. Hence,
They make advancing runs.
4) Southampton often target the
space between the fullback and
centreback – as a space to exploit
Quick, Exploit
Space Behind
The Line

7. DEFENSIVE TRANSITION
1
Once possession is lost, SOU players aim
To delay opponent’s attacking transition
By closing down the ball carrier intensely.
In this instance, we can observe the vertical & horizontal
compactness used by Southampton. This prohibits Aston
Villa from having too much space on the ball. Besides, since
there are a lot of Southampton players up top, they cannot
risk the opponents counter-attacking as there are lesser
defensive players in the lower block. Hence, the best
approach would be to win the ball back as quickly as
possible. In this case, if the possession is regained,
Southampton would also be closer to Villa’s goal as
compared to restarting play all the way from their own box.
Horizontal Compactness
VerticalCompactness
Ball Carrier
Shane Long
Danny Ings
Secondary presser
+ Covershadows
Primary
Presser

8. DEFENSIVE PHASE
Southampton adopt a medium block
during the defensive phase. The 2 strikers
block passing options in the middle.
Strikers block
passing option to
Nakamba (CDM)
Nathan
Redmond
Southampton will press the opponent aggressively if the
ball is played to the fullbacks.
Southampton players will press if Aston Villa play
A backpass towards the centre-back (pressing trigger)

9. DEFENSIVE PHASE
Southampton will aim to overload wide areas and press
intensely, if Aston Villa played to the flanks. Since the
4 midfielders were pulled to the sides, this results in
a lack of width for the team. Southampton LB needs to
communicate to ensure a balanced defence setup.
4v1 overload at
the wings
Southampton made use of
the touchline as an extra
defender. By pressing the
opponents, they are
reducing the amount of
space Villa can work with.

10. SETPIECES
DANNY
INGS
SHANE
LONG
JACK
STEPHEN
JAN
BEDNAREK
Stuart Armstrong
positions himself
outside the box
P.Emile Hojbjerg
positions himself at
the edge of the box
Nathan Redmond
A possible passing
option for short-
corners near post