Does Elyounoussi deserve to keep his place for struggling Southampton FC?

This begs the question: Why does Ralph Hasenhuttl keep starting him?

It’s a particularly pertinent conversation following Friday night's dismal 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, leaving a bitter taste lingering through the international break. On a night when Hasenhuttl’s side managed just one shot on target, Elyounoussi was given 79 minutes before the Austrian eventually replaced him with Samuel Edozie.

That isn’t to say Saints total lack of attacking thrust was due to Elyounoussi's subpar performance; he was simply one element of an incoherent and drab puzzle. 

READ MORE: Saints pay the price for lack of midfield bravery in defeat to Aston Villa

But we’re putting the magnifying glass on Elyounoussi today. This is how his performance on Friday looked from a statistical standpoint: 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 completed crosses, 0 passes into the final third, 0 passes into the penalty area, 0 shots on target.

Yet, despite yet another pedestrian outing from Elyounoussi, we have to zoom out. Because there is a reason he’s playing.

Having arrived at St Mary’s from FC Basel in the summer of 2018 for a fee in the region of £16m, Elyounoussi’s first season in England went just about as poorly as possible. He failed to score or provide an assist in all competitions while he started just eight Premier League games including one of Saints’ final 18 fixtures of the season.

Elyounoussi celebrates scoring against Swansea last season. Image: PA (Image: Elyounoussi celebrates scoring against Swansea last season. Image: PA)

It wasn’t working out and something had to change. So 12 months after his arrival, Elyounoussi departed the South Coast for Celtic on an initial season-long loan that was later extended for a further campaign.

Elyounoussi showed real promise in his first season North of the border, managing four goals and two assists in just ten SPL starts after a foot injury ruined his impressive introduction to the new division.

But he took a step forward the following campaign, racking up 29 league appearances and eight goals. That was enough to convince Saints to give Elyounoussi another chance even if his stock still wasn’t particularly high on these shores.

That’s not to say Elyounoussi ever doubted himself.

“’Just give me a chance’ was the only thing I was asking for,” Elyounoussi said recently in an interview for the club's matchday programme. “Last season, coming back here, I felt like I had a point to prove.

“I don’t think a lot of people thought I was going to get a chance or going to be part of the squad and get as many minutes and games as I had in the end.

“I had a few good offers, but I said to my agent, ‘I don’t want to hear anything, I want to get back here and take my spot.’

“I was patient. I was going to get the best out of it, I’m a fighter, and as soon as I got one opportunity, I had to take it. I always knew I’m able to and I’m good enough, I just needed to show it.”

Elyounoussi pictured after scoring for Celtic. Image: PA (Image: Elyounoussi pictured after scoring for Celtic. Image: PA)

It took until the third Premier League game of the season but Elyounoussi finally did get his chance for the trip to St James Park and his goal to make it 1-1 kept him in the side. Since that August day, Elyounoussi has started 28 of 42 Premier League games and played a part in 35 of 42. 

In fact, last season no attacker played more minutes than Elyounoussi’s 2,042. This season he doesn’t rank quite as high coming in fourth amongst Saints attackers behind Che Adams, Adam Armstrong, and Joe Aribo. But once again, no attacker has started more than Elyounoussi’s six games. That was the case last season as well.

So once again, let’s go back to the initial questions: What does Elyounoussi actually offer? And why does he keep starting?

Let’s start with that second question. The simplest explanation we can find is by looking at Saints’ successes and failures with Elyounoussi in and out of the side.

Over the last two seasons, Elyounoussi has started 29 games. In those 29 games, Saints have won ten, drawn seven, and lost 12; equal to 1.28 points per game.

In the nine games he’s played no part, Saints have won just one, drawing four and losing four, equating to 0.78 points per game. And in the games where he’s come off the bench? Three points in seven for a points per game of 0.43.

In such a team-orientated sport like football, any points per game statistic is easily fallible and could be determined by opposition strength, patches of good and bad form or just pure randomness. But this at least provides some reasoning for why Hasenhuttl is so insistent on keeping Elyounoussi on the pitch. The argument could absolutely be made that Saints are a more successful team with him in the side.

So that brings us to our next question: What does Elyounoussi actually offer? 

The answer to this is rarely goals or assists. He got four goals last season which actually ranked him joint-fourth with Jan Bednarek on a low scoring Saints team. He contributed two assists as well - good for joint-third alongside four other Saints.

He’s yet to get a goal or assist this season making it one goal every 620.25 minutes in the last two campaigns and one assist every 1,240.5 minutes. That’s roughly a goal every 6.9 games and an assist every 13.8 games. Not great. And it’s not as if he’s gotten very unlucky either. He did have a point-blank header blocked miraculously by Marc Cucurella in the 2-1 victory against Chelsea last month but overall his underlying attacking numbers are mediocre at best.

Below is a radar chart of Elyounoussi's attacking statistics over the past calendar year. Each statistical category is measured against other attacking midfielders and wingers with the frequency of the action landing the player - in this case Elyounoussi - in a percentile out of 100.

For example, Elyounoussi's 'Dribbles Completed' is in the 10th percentile amongst attacking midfielders and wingers. The only one of the categories where you could argue Elyounoussi is above-average in is expected goals where he sits in the 54th percentile. Otherwise the radar paints quite a dreary picture of his attacking output.

Somewhat unsurprisingly though, what measures far better than his attacking numbers is Elyounoussi’s off-the-ball work.

In terms of Pressures (91st percentile), Tackles (93rd percentile), Blocks (95th percentile), Clearances (98th percentile), and Aerial Duels Won (91st percentile), Elyounoussi ranks right at the top of the tree.

Hasenhuttl no doubt values defensive contribution and energy from his attacking players so this certainly explains part of why Elyounoussi has managed to keep hold of his place despite not consistently scoring or assisting.

In three of Elyounoussi's six starts this season, he has been brought off before the 65th minute while completing 90 minutes just twice. With five substitutes available to him, Hasenhuttl seems to at least in part be using Elyounoussi and his energy to wear down and tire opposition defences.

But outside of his impressive defensive work, what Elyounoussi offers his team in attack is far more difficult to quantify.

Potentially the biggest impact of what Elyounoussi does is in how he helps the players around him, notably Adams and Armstrong. This season Saints rank ninth for long balls per game and 19th in terms of short passes. Aided by Gavin Bazunu’s powerful kicking, Saints have become quite direct in their new 4-3-3 system and Elyounoussi plays an important role in that.

Not one to hug the touchline - whether he's utilised as a third midfielder in the 4-3-3 or as an inverted winger - Elyounoussi is often the player who gets close enough to Adams to pounce on the second ball after the striker has challenged for the first in the air.

Here is one example of that from Friday's defeat at Villa Park. Bazunu launches a long ball in the direction of Adams and Elyounoussi starts to make his run in behind the Aston Villa defence...

As the ball is launched towards Adams, Elyounoussi starts to make his move... Image: Wyscout (Image: As the ball is launched towards Adams, Elyounoussi starts to make his move... Image: Wyscout)

...Adams meets it in the air ahead of the Villa defender as Elyounoussi moves into the vacated space...

Adams meets the ball in the air... Image: Wyscout (Image: Adams meets the ball in the air... Image: Wyscout)

...where Adams' flick-on finds him running into the box. Elyounoussi then looks to play it back to Adams but his low cross is cut out.

Elyounoussi latches onto the ball in the box... Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi latches onto the ball in the box... Image: Wyscout)

Here's another example of the same duo linking up through the air from the final moments of Saints' 2-1 victory at the King Power Stadium.

As in the previous example, Elyounoussi has found a pocket of space around Adams as Bazunu smashes the ball up in the direction of the striker.

Elyounoussi finds a pocket of space in the Leicester defence. Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi finds a pocket of space in the Leicester defence. Image: Wyscout)

Adams wins the first ball in the air and it falls to the hovering Elyounoussi.

Elyounoussi gets to Adams' flick-on and heads it forward. Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi gets to Adams' flick-on and heads it forward. Image: Wyscout)

But it's not only Adams that benefits from Elyounoussi's intelligent positioning. Below is a similar example to the two above but in this instance, the ball is played long in the direction of Kyle Walker-Peters...

Elyounoussi supports Walker-Peters as the ball travels in his direction. Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi supports Walker-Peters as the ball travels in his direction. Image: Wyscout)

Elyounoussi has picked up the loose space around Walker-Peters and after the full-back wins the first ball, it falls to the attacking midfielder.

Elyounoussi picks up the ball after Walker-Peters wins the first header. Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi picks up the ball after Walker-Peters wins the first header. Image: Wyscout)

Elyounoussi has proven helpful in supporting his teammates with the ball on the ground as well as in the air. His free role allows to wander and be drawn towards the ball.

Below is one example against Aston Villa where Elyounoussi plays the ball back to James Ward-Prowse before turning up the pitch to support Adams.

Elyounoussi plays the ball back to Ward-Prowse... Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi plays the ball back to Ward-Prowse... Image: Wyscout)

He then finds himself in a promising area to receive the ball back...

Elyounoussi makes the run alongside Adams... Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi makes the run alongside Adams... Image: Wyscout)

Unfortunately, in this case a combonation of a heavy touch from Adams and Elyounoussi's inability to take the ball in his stride curtails any chance of a speedy counter but this was not an isolated event.

Here is an extremely similar passage from the defeat at Wolves. As Saints look to play out from the back, Armstrong passes in the direction of Adams, just out of the picture...

Armstrong looks to play the ball up the pitch towards Adams... Image: Wyscout (Image: Armstrong looks to play the ball up the pitch towards Adams... Image: Wyscout)

Elyounoussi and Armstrong follow the ball to support Adams with the striker's lay-off finding the former of the two.

Elyounoussi gets up the pitch to support Adams. Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi gets up the pitch to support Adams. Image: Wyscout)

The pass allows Elyounoussi to drive into space where he picks his head up to spot Armstrong's run in behind the Wolves defence. Instead though, Elyounoussi chooses the easy option and plays it short to Walker-Peters making the run along the right flank.

Elyounoussi in space with Armstrong ahead and Walker-Peters to his side. Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi in space with Armstrong ahead and Walker-Peters to his side. Image: Wyscout)

This is an example of both the positive influence Elyounoussi can provide this team as well as the incredible frustration he can impart on supporters. Saints as a whole need to be braver on the ball and Elyounoussi is a prime culprit when it comes to playing it safe.

Here is another infuriatingly similar example from the same game, this one even more egregious. Some trademark clever positioning sees the ball fall to Elyounoussi with space ahead of him...

Elyounoussi drives forward with Adams making a run ahead of him... Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi drives forward with Adams making a run ahead of him... Image: Wyscout)

...Adams is making the run in behind Wolves' stretched defence and Elyounoussi has time to find him. But he delays. Okay, no need to panic, he still has time...

Elyounoussi still has Adams free... Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi still has Adams free... Image: Wyscout)

...but he delays some more and eventually Adams has to halt his run and circle back while Elyounoussi's pass is partially cut off by the Wolves defender. An extremely promising opportunity, ended without even a chance to shoot.

Elyounoussi attempts to play the ball but it's partially cut out and the attack dies. Image: Wyscout (Image: Elyounoussi attempts to play the ball but it's partially cut out and the attack dies. Image: Wyscout)

It's these kinds of moments that have kept Elyounoussi's goal and assist numbers at the modest level they are at and it's these kinds of moments that have caused supporters to get more and more frustrated.

This whole Saints team needs to offer more going forward but as a consistent starter, Elyounoussi is naturally going to draw raised eyebrows. That's especially the case when Saints have other options available to them such as Edozie and Stuart Armstrong.

Elyounoussi does a lot of good for this team. That much is clear and there are real reasons why Hasenhuttl keeps picking him. But whether or not the 28-year-old starts after the international break, his team need more from him going forward. A lot more.

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.

Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.

You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.

Don't take my word for it - subscribe here to see for yourself.

Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by joining our Facebook group - Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents

Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated Facebook group - Hampshire Court and Crime News