Simon Rusk is the interim manager of Southampton and takes over in an unenviable position. The club is the first ever side to be relegated from the Premier League with seven games to go. While it would’ve been nearly impossible to put the ship back on course, for the most part, he’s steadied it.
These are the tactics he’s used and what we know about the Saints’ future as they return to the Championship.
Career Prior to Managing Southampton
Simon Rusk enjoyed a lengthy career as a midfielder, primarily in the National League tier of English football.
Since 2015, he has worked with the youth teams of clubs like Brighton & Hove and even the England national team. Before Southampton, he had only served as the senior manager in 2021, working for Stockport County in the National League.
Tactical Philosophy
Yes, Simon Rusk is. practically, a brand new manager. He took over the Southampton job principally because he’d been the U-21 coach, and mainly because Ivan Juric couldn’t even complete his few weeks in charge of replacing Russell Martin.
That’s why we have little data on which to judge him. Still, a few leagues of Premier League experience is nothing to sneeze at.
Simon Rusk has played defensive, reactive football with quite a bit of time wasting, as Ruben Dias pointed out. But what else could he do? Southampton is the worst team in terms of goals conceded and points accrued in the league.
The Saints were set up to absorb shocks and launch long balls forward. Most attacks happen down the long flanks, taking advantage of James Bree’s or Kyle Walker-Peters’ ability to resist the opposition’s press.
In his handful of matches as manager, Rusk has managed to stop the defence from leaking goals and secure two EPL draws, which is not quite a small thing for Southampton.
Formations and Adaptability
Southampton’s problems this year have been exacerbated by the change in managers. Each new coach has tried to stop the decline by changing the team formation.
Rusk has chosen to start each game in a familiar, dependable 3-4-2-1 shape. The team tends to defend in a mid-block.
The two defensive wingers, either Manning and Walker-Peters, or Wellington and Bree, provide the width. Most attacks occur down the flanks through long balls forward.
Southampton in Defence
Let’s first acknowledge Russell Martin’s tactical bravery. Part of Southampton’s poor results is, actually, a consequence of the manager opting to play “the right way.”
However, squad depth, inexperience, and the occasional mistake led the club to be aware of its relegation before the halfway stage of the season had even been completed.
Rusk’s main task has been to prevent the team from conceding goals. He’s relied heavily on his more experienced players, such as goalie Aaron Ramsdale or central defenders Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens.
Defensively, the Saints have gone back to basics. The players overload the central areas of the pitch, defending around the halfway line. The defensive wingers are the only ones who maintain the team’s width.
Also, prudently, Rusk plays with a sweeper behind the defensive line, usually Bednarek.
Southampton in Transition
It’s been interesting to see how Southampton has advanced the ball during the past matches. Normally, and especially against top teams, the Saints are happy to launch long balls forward. They’ll hope for success on the second or third ball.
But as Graham Potter’s West Ham found out in the team’s 1-1 draw, Southampton can maintain possession. In that game, the Hammers invited their opponents to attack, hoping for mistakes and counterattacking opportunities. That did work, sometimes, but Southampton were also able to create more goal-scoring chances than they regularly do.
Southampton in Attack
Southampton has had plenty of problems this year. Still, none has been as acute as the lack of a proper goalscorer.
The Saints, currently, have netted 25 goals, and are, by far, the worst team in the EPL in regards to this. Nigerian forward Paul Onuachu has scored 4 goals and his compatriot, Joe Aribo, has managed 3.
By contrast, Ipswich‘s Liam Delap scored 12 goals and Leicester‘s Jamie Vardy managed 9. Those teams were also relegated, but their strikers gave them a fighting chance.
Simon Rusk, knowing that little has worked in terms of fancy gegenpressing or decoy runs from the midfielders, has returned to basics in terms of attack as well.
The team will tend to play long balls forward. Players will usually attack the right flank. Here, Walker-Peters or Bree will try to use their ability to combat the opponent’s press.
From there, the wingers will try to cross to one of the attackers. Onuachu’s height and physicality must’ve sounded like the kinds of qualities that could help Southampton.
Note also that while Southampton‘s pass completion stats are not terrible, they’ve the lowest xAG (expected assists) tally in the league. In other words, there hasn’t been a great deal of creativity available.
And while forwards like Cameron Archer and Kamaldeen Sulemana have shown greater skill, managers have preferred to play a taller forward up top.
What’s Next for Simon Rusk and Southampton?
Southampton return to the Championship. But despite the very poor results of the 2024/25 campaign, the team’s status and legacy force it to consider immediate promotion.
Will Simon Rusk be the one to do it? Reports suggest that he’s unlikely to get the chance at this time. And while this is understandable, Southampton could do with a bit of stability. Meanwhile, Rusk’s received much-needed EPL experience, clearly understands the basics, and should he stay the course, will return to the league in due time.
