Southampton FC: Jay Robinson worry raised - 'I don't know where he fits in' | OneFootball

Robinson is the latest in a long line of highly-rated Southampton academy products

It has been an extremely tepid and frustrating start to the season for Southampton off the back of a woeful campaign in the Premier League last time out.

Following a calamitous season back in the top flight after winning the Championship play-off final in May 2024, the appointment of Will Still prior to the off-season pointed towards another long-term project at St Mary's, and one which the hierarchy and many supporters hoped would begin with a promotion challenge.

Still's managerial journey thus far has been well-documented, having enjoyed relative success in Belgium and France before taking on a role in English football for the very first time.

Despite a major squad overhaul that was conducted during the summer transfer window, it is hard to argue against the verdict that Still very much has the tools to mount a sustained promotion bid over 46 games. However, that is yet to be seen as Saints sit 19th after six games, having not won a league game since the opening day.

The South Coast side looked beyond lacklustre against local rivals Portsmouth and then again at Hull City last time out, with some questioning his decision to relegate highly-rated Jay Robinson to the bench after recent international break.

Yet despite the fact Southampton have lacked any sort of creative spark in the past two outings, Football League World's Saints fan pundit, Martin Sanders, believes Still has made the right call.

Will Still backed for making divisive Southampton, Jay Robinson selection call

The calibre of player which has come through the club's Staplewood academy has been well-publicised throughout recent history, with the likes of Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and most recently, Tyler Dibling, making immediate impressions before being sold on to sides higher up the food chain.

Robinson showcased for Saints' Under-21 side last season and in the occasional first-team cameo, which included a maiden senior start on the final day against Arsenal, that he has the ability to feature on either flank or just behind the main striker.

The 18-year-old had started the campaign in the 'number 10' role prior to the capture of Finn Azaz, and opened his senior account with a well-taken header in a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on August 17th.

Despite there being plenty of hype surrounding the London-born prospect, Sanders believes that it has been the right decision to carefully manage his minutes in the past two games despite the overall disappointment of taking one point from the six available.

"I think he's (Still) been trying to rest him a little bit and not overplay him, which is probably a sensible thing," he told FLW. "We did that with Tyler Dibling last year. He got overplayed and then was rubbish for ages.

"I think it's important just to manage him," Sanders stated. "He's a young boy. We're in a really physical league and he's not a physical player.

"He came on against Liverpool and did alright. I don't think he starts at the weekend (vs Middlesbrough)," our fan pundit admitted.

"There's a lot of competition in his position now with Leo Scienza and Tom Fellows, and you've already got Ryan Fraser and Adam Armstrong. I think the competition in the squad is pretty big, so I don't know where he fits in.

"He's still started the season alright. But, he's a player for the future," Sanders added.

Will Still's big Jay Robinson selection call will help 18-year-old in the long run

Given the hype which has surrounded the England Under-19 international, it is obvious that some are wanting to see Still utilise a player who has showcased very little nerves and fear in the infancy of his senior career to date.

However, as our fan pundit alluded to, the overall management of Robinson's development in the short-term will have big implications as to how he progresses in the years to come.

Whilst exposing the London-born teenager to senior football is no bad thing, as has been evidenced by several past and present talents, the physical nature of the league means this simply cannot be done from the starting XI in every single encounter, with the same applying to Jeremy Monga of Leicester City.

Of course, if Robinson is to come off the bench and make an impact in games, this will give Still plenty of food for thought, especially if his senior players continue to misfire after a frustrating start to the campaign.