Southampton journalist Steve Grant has been sharing his thoughts on Saints midfielder Stuart Armstrong.
This comes after Grant recently made an appearance on the Total Saints Podcast to reflect on Southampton’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United on Monday.
On the topic of Armstrong, who scored the opening goal of the game, Grant shared his thoughts on the 28-year-old.
He said: “To be honest, I think he was a very important player beforehand as well, because he just feels like that player that fits the midfield and the attack together. It was noticeable, certainly very early in the season, that when he wasn’t in the team, there was a lack of cohesion in the side and we looked a little bit unsure of ourselves in terms of how we were going to get the ball into attacking areas, but when he’s in the team, we don’t feel as if we have that problem.
“[James] Ward-Prowse can obviously do the box-to-box stuff, as well. But I think [Stuart] Armstrong just has it a little bit more instinctively, whereas I think Ward-Prowse has had to be coached to do it. And I think there is a subtle difference between that sort of outcome. Ultimately, it is noticeable, because there’s no way Ward-Prowse would end up in in the opposition six-yard box in that sort of situation. Armstrong just has that knack of knowing how to transition that quickly.”
Was Stuart Armstrong Southampton's best player against United?
Yes
No
Armstrong, who is currently valued at £5.85 million according to Transfermarkt, signed to Southampton back in 2018 from Celtic for a fee of £7.16 million.
Since then, the midfielder has gone on to make 63 appearances for the Saints, in which he has managed to score nine goals and provide five assists along the way (per Transfermarkt).
Armstrong’s performances in his 27 Premier League appearances so far this season have earned him a season rating of 6.71/10, making him the eighth-highest-rated player for this campaign (per WhoScored).
His performance in the 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Monday earned him a match rating of 7.21/10, making him the second-highest-rated Southampton player on the night.
TIF Thoughts…
It’s nice to hear Grant sharing his praise for Armstrong, who he clearly recognises as an important player for Southampton. His match rating from the United game certainly proves how impressive he can be for the team.