Southampton manager Russell Martin has explained why he played Ross Stewart on the wing on Saturday.
Stewart came off the bench in Saturday’s 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion, making an appearance in the 83rd minute in place of Adam Armstrong.
It was his first chance to play in front of the full crowd at Saints since joining from Sunderland, after recovering from an injury to his Achilles tendon he suffered in January.
Martin on playing striker on the wing
Speaking to the Daily Echo following the win, Martin explained his reasoning for playing Stewart out of position, playing him on the wing instead of as a striker.
“We needed him on the pitch to defend set pieces for one.
“He also added energy and a target for us to hit if their press continued to be as aggressive as it was. I don’t see any reason why they can’t all be on the same pitch – Adam as well.
“It’s up to us to find a way to utilise them all as well as possible.”
Could Stewart be a winger?
Stewart played on the right wing, with Che Adams chosen to play through the middle.
This tactical tweak away from what we usually would associate Stewart with, being a striker, could be a hint as to how Martin may look to incorporate Stewart in the current Saints system going forward.
He could look to use him as a wide target man, knocking down balls for players to cross the ball with, or to expand the width of the pitch, allowing more gaps for Saints to play through.