Why Chris Mepham of Brentford could be a good signing for Southampton
Southampton have had a pretty turbulent season so far, which has been filled with inconsistencies. Mark Hughes began the season as the manager but he was removed from the position after their 2-2 home draw against a struggling Manchester United side.
Austrian Ralph Hassenhuttl was announced as the successor of Mark Hughes as they currently find themselves at 16th place but are just a single point ahead of 18th-placed Newcastle. This rise is down to the decent spot of form that the Saints have been showcasing.
Over the last 6 Premier League fixtures, they have won three, lost two and drawn one, which when compared to the first half of their season, is a massive improvement. They have shown the fans what Southampton are capable of on a good day by getting some extremely commendable results over the last few weeks.
Key draws against United and Chelsea were backed up by an amazing 3-2 win against Unai Emery’ Arsenal side. And most recently, they managed to get a 2-1 away win at Leicester despite losing Yan Valery to a red card. This win lifted them out of the relegation zone and into the slightly less dangerous 16th position.
While they haven’t been overly comfortable scoring goals, their defence hasn’t been very good either. They have already shipped 39 goals in their 22 games so far.
While there are already plans to sign an attacker according to reports from SkySports, a strong central defender with natural leadership qualities should also be signed.
According to Sky Sports, Southampton are watching the development of 21-year-old Wales international defender Chris Mepham of Brentford. Already a full Wales international at such a tender age, he has been in good form for his club this term with 22 league appearances under his belt.
He is a player who developed at the Brentford youth team and was eventually drafted into the first-team before eventually becoming a regular starter under the leadership of Thomas Frank. He is a tall figure standing at more than 6ft 2in, making him a serious threat at both ends of the pitch.
While his positioning and tactical play are often brilliant, his ability to read balls and intercept make him stand out. He gets around the pitch with decent pace and has a long stride, which helps him cover distances faster than most defenders. He blocks the shots very often with his fine reading of the play.
He also possesses the natural leadership qualities that players like John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand have displayed over the last many years and while he is only being linked to Southampton, this could be a major break for the young man.
As much good news as this is for the Wales defender, Saints fans should be excited about a fine prospect like Chris Mepham making the switch to St.Mary’s.