The season has opened with a comprehensive 4-1 victory against Southampton, and a few things came to mind during our dismantling of a side that caused us plenty of bother last season.
Firstly, I’d like to start on that note. Yes, Southampton were poor, and have been for a while, but the same side ran us ragged 6 months ago in the corresponding fixture where we looked like conceding every time they got past the halfway line. This time, every time Saints got the ball, we were all over them and before you knew it, we’d bear in on their goal. The intensity we saw shades of in pre-season was evident, and it’s great to see. This disposal of a team we couldn’t beat last season was a really encouraging sign of our progression and the players’ improved internalisation of Conte’s methods.
Additionally, Conte’s faith in the starting XI that secured 4th last season was also reassuring. It shows our newfound depth – although I still think we could do with about two more bodies – and how the players are responding to the challenge of having their starting places threatened by new arrivals. On a day where we scored 4 without Kane and Son netting, everyone stepped up, especially Sessegnon, who displayed signs of aggression that I thought were lacking in his game.
Of course, it’s early days, and against naive opponents it’s morally wrong to jump to any sort of conclusions, but this was the perfect start to a tricky run of games.