Opinion : Three ways Aribo can fit in at Southampton if proposed transfer is completed

Nigeria's Joe Aribo has been reported to be the subject of interest from Premier League club Southampton for a while now.

 

However, the transfer trail went cold and rumours of Aribo being likely to remain at Rangers surfaced which were refuted by allnigeriasoccer.com.

 

Recently, allnigeriasoccer.com also reported that Southampton's interest in Aribo has been revived with the impending arrival of Manchester City youth scout Joe Shields as the new head of recruitment at St Mary's.

 

Allnigeriasoccer.com takes a look at three ways Joe Aribo can fit in at Southampton if the transfer is completed.

 

Southampton's style of play

Southampton play a flat 4-4-2 with a midfield pivot sitting at the base of midfield. A target man up front with a support striker/winger who drops into midfield to compress space.

 

Southampton have many players who are efficient in winning their duels, i.e both central midfielders. Consequently, the Saints are able to regain possession and build attacks from there.

 

Southampton's midfielders Oriol Romeu, and James Ward-Prowse are extremely energetic and are therefore able to transition from defence to attack effectively and offer support to the front two.

 

Aribo's style of play

The midfielder is a sort of roamer. He struts around the pitch intending to control the flow of play in between the lines.
 

Aribo suits a possession-based team as he is a line-breaking passer and has long strides with quick feet which makes it easier for him to bomb forward and sort out his footwork to blast angled shots or vertical passes.

 

Three ways Aribo could fit in at Southampton

 

Double Pivot

Paired with either James Ward-Prowse, Ibrahima Diallo or Oriol Romeu, Aribo is versatile enough to either play as the ball-winner or as the ball-carrier.

 

He is good in possession and while his tackling needs some improvement, it is at a respectable level.

 

Side-midfielder
 

In a 4-4-2, there are two side-midfielders who drop into midfield to hold possession or move on the outside to stretch the pitch.

 

Aribo has been used in this vein severally at Rangers and the former Charlton Athletic midfielder has shown that he can play the role to a very good level.

 

Attacking midfielder

This may necessitate some adjustments to the tactical set-up but it is quite possible with a new head of recruitment Joe Shields coming in.

 

Aribo is very good between the lines, his passing, dribbling, strength and ball-retention are key traits needed in the Premier League.

 

Sofoluwe Mayowa

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