How Southampton FC could look in the EFL if Will Still is appointed - 3 changes are likely | OneFootball

How Southampton could look if Will Still is appointed as their next manager.

With the news of Ivan Juric's departure from Southampton, RC Lens manager Will Still has emerged as a strong contender for the vacancy at St Mary's.

The Belgian coach has been plying his trade in Ligue 1 since 2022, taking Stade de Reims on a remarkable 17-game unbeaten run before departing to take up the post at Lens in summer 2024.

The 32-year-old is one of the most exciting up-and-coming young coaches in Europe, and had previously been linked with Sunderland before the Black Cats appointed Regis Le Bris. Still is now emerging as one of the leading candidates to take over Southampton following their relegation from the Premier League.

We analysed how the Saints could look under Still, taking into consideration his preferred formations and tactical approach from his time in France, as well as a couple of players he could sign to turn the relegated side into Championship title contenders next season.

Tactical changes Will Still could bring to Southampton

Over the last couple of seasons, the young coach has evolved his playing style to suit a modern, fast-paced, possession approach. At Lens this season, Still has opted to adopt more of a 3-4-1-2 system, but sometimes reverts to the 4-2-3-1 he used at Reims.

His style of play is all about building from the back, exploiting the pockets in midfield to progress the ball forwards, and using his wing-backs to give his side a numerical advantage in transition. Still's attackers like to exploit the space between the opposition centre-backs and overload the box when there's a crossing opportunity.

Defensively, a side coached by the 32-year-old often employs a high press, which allows them to be aggressive and win the ball back in higher areas up the pitch. This requires the centre-backs to play higher up the pitch, holding a line and not allowing the space behind them to be exploited.

The Belgian has a wonderful understanding of modern football, allowing for fast-paced, fluid passages of play in his system. Of course, this could take some time to implement at Southampton, who mainly used a 5-4-1 this season.

Still could look to bring progressive defenders to St Mary's

As mentioned in the tactical breakdown above, Still's side thrives on quick transitions and a high press. This requires players who have enough of an engine on them to perform at this level of intensity for 90 minutes week in week out.

Under Juric, the Saints also used a somewhat similar shape to the one that is preferred by the Lens coach. Both Kyle Walker-Peters and Yukinari Sugawara act as wingbacks, with three central defenders just in behind. Judging by the nature of the results, the players struggled to adapt to this system, which could see Still busy in the transfer window if he does make the move.

A player who's been excellent for the French club since joining in 2021 is Przemysław Frankowski. The Polish wingback has been a key part of the club's rise to the Champions League, popping up with some important moments for his club. He's currently on loan at Galatasary, who have a €7m option to buy him in the summer. If they don't take this up, the experienced defender could be a great buy for the Saints in the Championship.

Another key aspect of Still's system is a centre-back who is capable of playing in a high line. Whilst Taylor Harwood-Bellis is a great option already at the club, the potential Saints boss could look at someone like Joseph Aidoo. The Ghanian international is out of favour at Celta Vigo, but has racked up just under 150 appearances for the club in his time there so far. A quick and powerful defender, Aidoo could also be another bargain buy for the Belgian coach.