Southampton manager Russell Martin has big decision to make over whether in-form impact sub should start against Huddersfield Town this weekend.
It was something of a surprise when Southampton announced the signing of Ryan Fraser on loan at the end of August. However, given the Scotsman’s experience, when the opportunity presented itself it was a no-brainer as far as Martin was concerned.
Russell Martin played with Fraser for Scotland and knew what he could bring to the squad, despite barely featuring over the past two seasons for Newcastle. Fraser is now starting to show that on a regular basis from the bench and must be knocking on the door for a starting spot.
Having received his third yellow card of the season against West Brom, Martin himself won’t be in the dugout for the Huddersfield game, but will still select the side.
Will Ryan Fraser play v Huddersfield Town?
Fraser has not started a game for the Saints since the 2-1 defeat to Middlesborough in late September; the fourth defeat in a row prior to the current run of eight games unbeaten. The fact that the 29-year-old started in three of those four defeats will not have helped his claim for a regular starting spot, but his current performances certainly will be.
The former Bournemouth winger is starting to earn a reputation as a ‘super-sub’ at Southampton but he will be keen to shake that tag and show he can be relied upon from the start. His impact should not be understated, though, as Fraser has scored winning goals after 90 minutes twice in his loan club’s past five games.
Fraser also came off the bench to provide the cross which led to Adam Armstrong’s winner in the last game before the international break, although wasn’t credited with the assist as it took a slight touch off a West Brom defender on the way through.
Fraser started slowly and this can perhaps be attributed to his lack of recent football, but speaking about this at the end of October Martin said: “He (Fraser) came in trying to get fit, but he’s got through that period now”.
Fraser has strong competition from Kamaldeen Sulemana
The problem Fraser has is two-fold: You don’t want to change a winning team and the player playing in his favoured left-wing position is arguably Southampton’s most gifted attacker, Kamaldeen Sulemana. Add to this the fact that Sulemana is the club’s record signing, costing £22 million in January, and you can see just why Fraser has had to make the most of his cameos from the bench.
Sulemana’s three assists have not even remotely reflected his influence so far this season and the player himself said in a recent video posted on the club’s website that if his teammates could keep up with him he could be on ten assists already. He was self-aware enough to recognise that, whilst his teammates may be partly to blame for his lack of assists, the fact he is yet to score this campaign is something he needs to fix.
Youngster Sam Edozie also prefers playing from the left, but it is clear from Martin’s recent selections that Fraser has overtaken the Manchester City youth product in the pecking order for a left-wing spot.
Fraser is often the beneficiary of Sulemana’s electric speed and quick feet wearing defenders down before he can come on to run at tired legs and Southampton fans have grown to expect the Scot replacing the Ghanaian in the second half of games. Given his experience, Fraser is often seen as a safe option to help see the game out too and it is a role he has shown he can perform reliably.
Newcastle United loanee Ryan Fraser playing for permanent future at St Mary’s
Whether Fraser starts against Huddersfield is up for debate, but looking longer term it feels increasingly likely that the man with 18 goals and 31 assists in the Premier League could extend his Southampton stay beyond the end of the season.
Having not played much football over the past couple of years, and with perhaps unfair questions over his attitude in the past, Fraser has shown the doubters he is very much up for the fight and has bought into what Southampton are trying to achieve.
The player himself has made no secret of his desire to find a permanent home at the St Mary’s club, telling reporters after his winner away at Hull City: ” I love it here. I love coming in every day, loving football again is nice. I try to gain as much each time I come in and I try and wear the badge with as much pride as I can”.
Fraser then went onto say: “That’s my main goal, to stay at the club, but there are little goals to try to get there. First and foremost my aim is to help the club get promoted, and it would be nice (to stay).”
His intentions could not be clearer and his manager has expressed that he certainly reciprocates those views, albeit acknowledging that the decision is not solely that of the ex-Swansea City manager.
When asked about turning Fraser’s loan into a permanent arrangement, Martin was quoted as saying: “Knowing Ryan and his capabilities, would he be someone that we want as part of the project here for longer than we have him? Of course, but he has to do enough on the pitch to put himself in a position where everyone feels the same”.
There are a number of factors that will influence whether Fraser stays at Southampton beyond this season, but all the winger can do is continue his good performances and hope that is enough to convince the Southampton hierarchy to make the move permanent.