Tyler Dibling has been the talk of Southampton for the past few weeks after bursting onto the Premier League scene.
Most Southampton fans were aware of Tyler Dibling‘s potential but few would have expected him to have quite such an impact on the first-team at just 18 years of age.
Russell Martin has been keen to lower expectations on Dibling in order to reduce the pressure on the teenager, but a string of impressive cameos off the bench left the Saints boss with little choice but to throw him in from the start against Manchester United.
Dibling immediately showed this was the right decision as he was Southampton’s best player despite a 3-0 defeat and followed that up with a first senior goal after just five minutes against Ipswich Town last weekend.
What made this all the more special for Southampton fans was the fact it was assisted by another academy graduate in 36-year-old Adam Lallana who returned this summer a decade after leaving for Liverpool.
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Francis Benali excited by what he has seen from Tyler Dibling at Southampton
Another player who came through the Southampton academy was Francis Benali, more commonly known simply as ‘Franny’ amongst the Saints supporters.
Benali amassed 348 appearances for the club so knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a success and has been left impressed by Dibling’s emergence.
- READ MORE: Francis Benali tells Russell Martin what he must do to improve Southampton after ‘frustrating’ start
Benali wrote in his Daily Echo column: “It’s only natural for supporters to get excited about Dibling. He’s one of a rare breed of players that gets you off your seat.”
Benali went on to make a surprise comparison between Dibling and one of his former teammates in notorious hard-man Jimmy Case due to the unusually low socks and shin pads the 18-year-old sports.
Benali said: “Dibling’s shin pads have reminded me of Jimmy Case, who used to tuck a spongy piece of felt down his socks and pass them off as protection.
“I remember a few players spotting that and thinking they could get at Case because of it. That wasn’t the most wise thought process.”
Dibling will again be key for Southampton against Bournemouth
Whilst Dibling’s performances have lifted the mood around Southampton somewhat, there is still no getting away from the fact the club are yet to win since returning to the Premier League.
Dibling’s goal against Ipswich did not prove enough to change this as Southampton conceded a gut-wrenching 95th-minute equaliser courtesy of a deflected Sam Morsy strike.
Next up is a south coast clash away at Bournemouth where Martin will be desperate for his side to build on their first point of the season and start to climb out of the relegation zone.
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It may still be early days in the new season but Southampton need to start picking up points on a regular basis or risk being cut adrift of the rest of the Premier League.