da premier bet： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
da aposte e ganhe： Southampton defender Jack Stephens has told The Daily Echo that he believes he is currently in his “last chance” to get back in the team and stay there, and he is certainly making the most of it.
What did he say?
In what was described as a candid interview by The Daily Echo, the 25-year-old said on winning his place back in the team last month having failed to play since the opening day of the season:
“I had to go into the Man City game with a selfish mindset and prove that I’m good enough to play for the club.
“I just felt like it was maybe my last chance to get back in the team and to stay in the team.
“It was a long time since I’d played, and it was starting to feel like maybe it wasn’t going to happen for me.
“I’ve had my doubters, I think that’s fair to say. For me, there is that little bit of I’ve got something to prove and I want to prove it.
“I want to show that I’m good enough to play for this football club and that I can play centre-half for this team.”
He is proving it
Following his start in the 3-0 defeat against Burnley back in August, the former Plymouth Argyle youngster was dropped from Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad completely for their following two top flight fixtures, and didn’t return to action until half-time of the 9-0 monstrosity against Leicester City.
There was little Stephens could do about that, but his performances against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup – in which he was their highest-rated Saints player according to WhoScored and also found the net – and in the Premier League – in which he made 15 clearances – suggest he still has a future with the south coast outfit.
He was also one of the only players to come out of the Everton defeat with any credit as he made some incisive passes from the back, and he was once again impressive against Arsenal at the weekend.
Showing some much-needed composure, he reduced the threat of the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, even if the latter did score a brace.
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His concentration appears to have improved for the time being, and with the centre-back spots fully up for grabs he is doing everything he can to become a mainstay at the heart of Hasenhuttl’s backline.
In other Southampton news, this unexpected player could soon become club’s most important midfielder…