Name: Shane Long
Position: Striker
Long scored twice in Southampton’s 4-0 win against Arsenal over the festive period.
Southampton’s season is certainly looking a lot brighter following two successive home wins and the signing of Charlie Austin over the weekend, and it has been a decent campaign for one of their other strikers too.
In 32 appearances last term, Shane Long scored five goals for the Saints, but in just 14 outings this season, including eight 90-minute appearances , the Republic of Ireland international has already matched that, and looks to have established himself as Ronald Koeman’s first-choice attacker – at least in recent weeks.
Long, once again, had found himself behind Graziano Pelle in the pecking order for the South Coast outfit, but after the Italian was sidelined through injury, the former West Brom forward has certainly come into the side and taken his chance.
The highlight came in the surprise 4-0 win against Arsenal on December 26, when Long ran the Gunners’ defence ragged, scoring twice, while he should have had at least one more as well.
