Everton need to be savvy to clever Southampton tactic
Everton might be coming off a great win against Leeds but they face a tougher challenge away at Southampton on Saturday, looking for back-to-back wins.
Frank Lampard’s side won’t be favourites for the game after the Saints came through a three-match run against both Manchester clubs and Tottenham unbeaten with five points.
There’s a good reason they have been able to keep up Ralph Hasenhuttl’s high-intensity football throughout those games though as The Atheltic has explored.
They have collated data from across the Saints’ 24 games in the Premier League this season and spotted a surprising trend.
In 14 of those games, a Southampton player has gone down causing the physio to be required on the pitch.
This has allowed the rest of the Saints players to go to the touchline and receive special gel packets that give them added energy late in games.
Other sides haven’t always been ready for this and it has given them an edge in numerous games this season.
Everton have to be ready though and there can’t be an excuse now it has been brought to the attention of the wider public by The Athletic.
There are technically no rules being broken in doing this and it seems to be a very smart tactic but if the opposition is ready to do the same, it won’t have much effect.
Lampard and his team need to be on the ball when the time comes and look to counteract when it happens.
They could even turn the tables on Hasenhuttl by having a player go down slightly earlier to refuel their players.
It’s all very tactical even if it is only a small energy boost, that can make the difference in tight Premier League encounters.
In other Everton news, Allan has opened up about his love for a fellow Toffee and Brazil international.