Ralph Hasenhuttl has been speaking to The Daily Echo about Kevin Danso’s chances of game time following the departure of Maya Yoshida.
The 100-cap Japan international left St Mary’s on deadline day after seven-and-a-half years at the club, having arrived in the summer of 2012 from Dutch side VVV-Venlo.
As a result of his departure, Danso – who arrived on a season-long loan deal from Augsburg back in the summer – has moved up the pecking order, although Hasenhuttl’s comments on the situation don’t entirely add up.
What did he say?
The former RB Leipzig boss said: “He’s a young player and I know he always had to play a position so far that is not his best as a right or left-back. He played one time [as a centre-back] in the Carabao Cup against Fulham. That’s where he is more used to playing.
“Now, maybe in the future, he will have more chances as a centre-back where he is more comfortable.”
Still not guaranteed game time
While we’re sure that Hasenhuttl’s comments were genuine, his belief that Danso will now get more game time at centre-back following Yoshida’s departure still seems slightly misguided.
The Austrian centre-back only made three Premier League starts even with Yoshida at the club – the Japanese defender himself had only managed to play five Premier League minutes since that 9-0 defeat to Leicester in October, so he was hardly keeping Danso on the sidelines. In truth, the pair of them found themselves in the same situation in terms of game time.
So, Hasenhuttl’s logic that Danso will now maybe have more chances at centre-back seems slightly inaccurate, seeing as Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens and Jannik Vestergaard are still ahead of him in the pecking order.
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Additionally, Southampton are now also out of both cup competitions having lost the FA Cup fourth round replay to Tottenham, so the chances of the 21-year-old making more appearances at centre-back seem slim unless something happens to the aforementioned trio in terms of a potential injury or suspension.
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