After a remarkable run of 25 matches unbeaten in all competitions, Southampton have now lost two of their last three in the Championship.
The downturn in form will be a concern for manager Russell Martin, with the main worry the porous nature of the defence in recent weeks.
The Saints have conceded ten goals in their past five games, three of which were against a relegation-threatened Huddersfield Town side, and have looked incredibly shaky defensively.
The loss of form has coincided with the absence of the ever-reliable Flynn Downes at the base of the midfield, with the 25-year-old’s screening of the back four and passing ability hugely missed. However, it is Downes’ former Swansea City teammate, Ryan Manning, who has all too often been exposed for his lack of defensive nous.
Ryan Manning poor form concerning for Southampton
When Manning joined Southampton as a free agent in the summer it seemed like a perfect match.
Manning had played under Martin at Swansea and knew exactly what his manager expected from him. Combine with the fact that he was free and French left-back Romain Perraud joined French side Nice on loan for the season, it seemed to be a very sensible bit of recruitment.
Despite his defensive position, Manning was one of the main creators in Martin’s Swansea side and last season scored five goals and provided ten assists in a side that finished 10th in the league. This season though, Manning has struggled to have the same attacking impact, with his only goal contributions being two assists.
Whilst Manning’s attacking play has been somewhat underwhelming, perhaps some of this can be attributed to the fact that it is Southampton’s full-back on the other side, Kyle Walker-Peters, who is given more licence to venture forward. Walker-Peters has been imperious this season and has been one of the standout performers under Martin.
It is not so much Manning’s attacking work which has left fans questioning his place in the side, but the defensive side of his game – something that should never be overlooked despite the evolution of the role of a full-back in modern football.
It is the passive nature of Manning’s defending that is most frustrating, with his inability to stop opposition wingers crossing or shooting a real flaw in his game. This is highlighted by the fact that the Ireland international has only blocked four shots in the Championship this season in 30 appearances.
His lack of pace is all too often exposed too, with teams often looking to exploit Manning 1-v-1 or play balls in the channel behind the the full-back.
Why Southampton must sign a left-back in the summer
Speaking on Manning at the end of January, Martin himself tried to explain the 27-year-old’s form – or lack of – when he said: “The expectation of working with us before meant people expected him to hit the ground running. He played well in the early games and then he paid for a lack of pre-season.
“He came in so late and didn’t have a pre-season. That catches up on you. Then James Bree came in and he did fantastic.”
The problem Southampton face is not Manning in isolation, but the lack of alternative. When Bree came in for the suspended Manning away at Plymouth in late October, he took his opportunity and started the next four games consecutively. Bree is naturally a right-back and thus performed the role very differently to Manning, but his defensive qualities meant the Saints had a far more solid look about them.
Bree sustained an injury in December and hasn’t played since, although he is back in training now, and his absence has meant Martin has had little choice but to start Manning; or so it would seem.
However, a damning indictment of Manning’s form is that centre-back Jack Stephens has been shoehorned into the side at full-back in a desperate bid to give Martin’s side a stronger defensive platform, as well as reintegrate the club captain. Walker-Peters has also played the role, as he did in the defeat to Millwall last time out, but Southampton miss his marauding runs down the right when he is on the opposite side.
The left-back position is increasingly becoming a problem area for Southampton, with youngster Juan Larios’ wretched luck with injuries meaning the 20-year-old has been out of action since November 2022. 17-year-old Jayden Meghoma has impressed in the cup competitions but it would arguably be irresponsible to throw such an inexperienced youngster into an intense promotion battle.
Whether Southampton are successful in their bid for promotion or they fall short, they must address the left-back position this summer. Manning may well be a decent enough rotation option in the Championship, but the way Southampton play demands a solid back four and Manning has become a liability in that regard.
Martin himself said that Manning is a player who “is always at his best when there is a bit of competition and a bit of edge” and perhaps that lack of competition has seen some complacency creep into his game, but if Southampton are to get to where they want to be it feels like an upgrade in the left-back position should be a priority come the end of the season.