Southampton earned promotion playing a very possession-focused style in the Championship as Russell Martin imprinted his philosophy following his appointment last summer.
The Saints manager is keen to stick to his principles in the Premier League but this has been unsuccessful so far as glaring errors against Newcastle United and Brentford were punished.
The international break has come at a good time for Southampton, with Martin given the opportunity to work with his players to stop the rot and devise a plan for how to approach the next block of games.
Whilst this could see a change of shape, it is also likely to mean a change in personnel as Martin has so far largely trusted the players that were at the club last season.
One player who has come into the side since arriving in the summer is Yukinari Sugawara, but he could be a victim of any changes despite an impressive start to life in England.
Russell Martin may have to drop Yukinari Sugawara to improve Southampton balance
Despite having played a 4-3-3 formation for the majority of last season, Southampton have played a 3-5-2 in all three Premier League games so far.
That has seen Kyle Walker-Peters operate as a left wingback, with Sugawara performing the same role on the right.
The Japan international has been a revelation since his £5.88 million move from AZ Alkmaar this summer and scored Southampton’s first and only league goal of the season so far in the 95th-minute of the 3-1 loss at Brentford.
Despite this, Martin could be left with little choice but to drop one of Sugawara or Walker-Peters to the bench in order to improve the balance of the side.
It would come as no surprise to Martin revert to a 4-3-3 against Manchester United on Saturday and this could mean he feels he needs a more conventional player to play as a left-back in a back four.
With Sugawara and Walker-Peters both right-footed and very attacking, one may have to come out of the side despite the fact the pair have been two of Southampton’s best performers so far this campaign.
Given Sugawara is currently away with Japan and will travel thousands of miles ahead of the United game, whilst Walker-Peters has been at Staplewood working with Martin, it starts to make sense that Sugawara would be the player to miss out.
Southampton signing Sugawara one of the best value deals of the summer
Given the amount of interest Walker-Peters attracted this summer and the fact the 27-year-old has now entered the last year of his contract it was expected that Sugawara was signed as the right-back’s replacement.
Martin will be delighted that Walker-Peters is still a Southampton player, but it does now give him a problem as it is difficult to accommodate both players without compromising the team.
It would be really harsh for Sugawara to lose his place in the side given his start to life at the club, with Sky Sports journalist Sam Tighe labelling the 24-year-old “awesome”, saying on the Transfer Talk podcast: “Southampton signed a right-back, Yukinari Sugawara, who is looking awesome.
“The fans love him. He’s super dynamic, and he scored their first goal of the season, and he was only about £7 million – so they’re in the value for money category down there.”
What it does mean is that Southampton have really good depth in the right-back position and can still play with a back three if needed as Walker-Peters has shown he is very capable of playing as a left wingback.
