Russell Martin handed an experienced defender an alternative position in Southampton’s pre-season clash against Millwall.
Southampton faced off against Millwall in the Saints’ most recent pre-season bout which saw Russell Martin opt for a strong side against Championship opposition.
Adam Armstrong got the nod to lead the line, with there being a severe lack of striker options available for Southampton, including the absence of Ross Stewart from the squad, who was missing from the recent open training session held at St Mary’s.
Striker options have been prioritised this summer window, however not all transfer pursuits have gone to plan, especially after Southampton recently lost out to Ligue 1 side Olympique Marseille for Youssoufa Moukoko.
New signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis also started for Martin’s side, whilst new arrivals Ronnie Edwards and attacker Ben Brereton-Diaz started on the bench.
Unsurprisingly, defender Jack Stephens started and captained the side away at The Den, however he was given a slightly alternated role by Martin.
Russell Martin hands Jack Stephens ‘roaming role’ against Millwall
Martin slightly altered Stephens’ game against Millwall, deciding against playing him as a traditional centre-back or full-back like he has often been utilised in during his tenure at Southampton.
Per George Rees-Julien on X, Stephens was handed the opportunity to provide in a ‘roaming role’ for Southampton, which saw him ‘taking up a central midfield position but dropping alongside the centre-backs when needed’.
Stephens was often used at centre-back last season when called upon, tallying just 23 appearances across the 2023/24 season.
Injuries saw him rarely given game time at the start of the 2023/24 Championship campaign, however he was given the privilege of captaining the side on multiple occasions towards the end of the season, suggesting that Martin will look to keep Stephens in his plans this season.
Russell Martin may be in a precarious position with squad depth
It’s clear that Martin is still looking for his Southampton side to be further bolstered by signings this summer ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.
Transfers haven’t gone entirely according to plan, from losing out on Moukoko, to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding a deal to bring Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley to St Mary’s.
On a positive note, Martin showing that he is tinkering with a select few of his players during pre-season shows that he is preparing certain individuals to potentially play out of position if-and-when called upon.
On the surface this could be a bad sign of any future arrivals lacking in quantity, however Martin is seemingly controlling the situation well by looking towards the experienced figures, such as Stephens, in a way to prepare for the off-chance that the Saints may be low on numbers at any stage this campaign.