How Finn Azaz Became Central to Southampton’s Playoff Push | OneFootball

When Finn Azaz joined Southampton, he struggled to make an impact.

Then manager Will Still was going through a rough patch. With just two wins in 13 games, he was desperately trying to find a winning formula. Constant tweaking of the lineup led to Azaz, a summer signing, averaging just 49 minutes in his first 10 games.

Part of Azaz’s appeal to Southampton would have been his goalscoring and playmaking ability in England’s second tier; the Saints needed assurance. He accumulated 10+ goals and 10+ assists in his each of his previous two campaigns in the Championship.

After losing 2-0 against Preston, in which £12 million Azaz was substituted at half-time, the Southampton hierarchy decided to move on from Will Still.

In came Tonda Eckert.

Immediate Impact

Azaz then underwent his best spell of the season on paper. In his next seven matches, where he started six, he scored six goals and recorded three assists. The Saints were finally beginning to see why he had been chosen to fill the crucial void in attacking midfield.

A period saw Southampton go winless in seven league fixtures. After justified calls for change, Eckert understood he could no longer persist with a three-at-the-back.

Opting for a flexible 4-2-3-1, Azaz has been a pivotal reason why the formation change has worked, both on the ball and off it. Let’s take a look at his role in the side and why his performances have seen consistent improvement.

Pressing & Off-the-Ball Effort

Spells at Plymouth and Middlesbrough were successful for Azaz, but one complaint about him has remained: his work ethic.

It’s a critique he’s longed to disprove. Azaz noted in September, “I’ve been trying to show that here, working really hard on the pressing stuff. The managers are obviously big on that. People say I can’t do it, so I’m going to definitely prove people wrong with that this season.”

There’s been a notable improvement from the last campaign. At Middlesbrough, Azaz sat in the 5th percentile for possessions won last year, while he already ranks in the 20th percentile for possessions won this season.

Figure 1: A DataMB percentile graph demonstrating Finn Azaz’s similar offensive output at Middlesbrough (blue) and at Southampton (red), but noticeable improvements defensively this season.

Role in the Press

When pressing, Azaz pairs with the striker to form a front two, creating a 4-4-2 structure. He’s not an aggressive presser, but one that’ll look to close down opponents from progressing—whether that’s by capitalising on a loose touch from a defender or using an angled run to provide a cover shadow (blocking space behind him) to cut off the pass to midfielders.

Most teams operate in a system with four defenders. Before that, the Saints had a front three that were often outnumbered in their initial press (3 to 4), making it easier for teams to break through.

Figure 2: The left side shows the ideal press now. Each of the front four has a player they can pressurise due to the addition of another man. On the right, it shows the problems by having a front three, especially given you’d need a wing-back to support out wide. That, in turn, would leave Saints very vulnerable if the opposition escape through the press.

Now, the Saints operate with a front two and wingers beside them to match the four defenders, allowing for a higher possibility of a turnover.

With the front press being harder to break through, the Saints have naturally conceded fewer xG, as high-quality chances are less likely if the initial press is effective.

Amongst midfielders in the Championship, he comfortably operates among the best off the ball, averaging 7.6 offensive duels per 90 and is in the 84th percentile for offensive duels won.

Figure 3: A DataMB percentile graph comparing Finn Azaz vs Championship midfielders per 90. He’s among the highest in each: Defensive duel % (74th percentile), Tackles (71st percentile) & Duels (67th perentile).

His work ethic is being displayed for all to see, with six consecutive 90-minute outings highlighting his importance to Eckert.

The German head coach has sung Azaz’s praises out of possession: “Something that is not seen as much as the way he applies himself when we don’t have the ball. If you could see the distance he covers.”

Role in Build-Up

Despite playing centrally, Azaz often operates in wide half-spaces to receive in the early phases. He drifts in these areas to receive and play progressively, offering himself as an option to break through the opposition’s highest press.

Figure 4: A moment captured in the second half of Southampton vs Oxford (19.3.26). It shows Oxford man-to-man pressing but Azaz being left with more space, since the central opposing player is trying to zonally mark both Flynn Downes and Azaz. Showing how Azaz will pick up these wider pockets of space to help Southampton break out of the press. He can then link with the winger to progress play.

By finding himself out wide, he can quickly link with wingers such as Leo Scienza, who can hold the ball up successfully and advance play – where he most comfortably operates.

He’s been able to drop deeper in possession also. His marker could maintain his position and allow Azaz to drop, or they could closely track the Irishman deeper. Either way, Azaz now has the opportunity to lose his man.

Figure 5: Azaz has dropped deeper. As he’s about to receive the ball, an Oxford player triggers a press. However, due to his ability to roam, he’s been given breathing room as they’re deciding whether to track him deeper or not. When they decide to press, a pocket of space is created – one that Shea Charles (behind arrow) could drop into, which would provide Ryan Manning (leftmost player) with the space on the left flank. (Image Source: Sky Sports)

It leaves the opposition with a dilemma: do they risk losing a rigid structure and stick to him, or allow Azaz to roam deeper, where he could go untracked as play progresses?

Final Third Role & Impact

Given he has amassed 10 goals and 6 assists (the most goal contributions in the team), it’s clear his impact is felt predominantly in the final third. His role is to pick up the ball in advanced areas and act progressively.

In essence: create goalscoring opportunities.

He sits third, amidst Championship midfielders, for key passes and fifth for through balls per 90. The 25-year-old thrives in pockets of space between the midfield and defence, since he can dictate final third play in front of him.

His impact is felt due to his flexibility in formations. He’s consistently filled in on the left-hand side. While not a traditional winger, he drifts inwards, often sitting in front of the strikers in possession when the ball is on the right or in between the left back and leftmost centre-back if the ball is on the left.

Figure 6: A heat map (by Fotmob) showcasing Azaz’s movement against Oxford. Notice how the areas in red show him occupying the pockets on the left. But also the amount of yellow, emphasising that he’s dropping deeper often and roaming across the left and centrally to recieve and have an impact in a range of areas.

With Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ wide-ranging distribution, Eckert has placed a clear emphasis on using Azaz as a primary outlet from deeper areas.

The English defender constantly plays through the lines — whether into feet or into space — allowing Southampton to bypass pressure quickly and find Azaz in positions where he can turn and progress play.

By granting him the freedom to roam, Azaz isn’t fixed to a single zone, instead drifting into pockets that disrupt defensive structure. This movement not only creates space for others around him but also ensures he regularly receives the ball in dangerous areas.

Figure 7: In the second half, Oxford opted for a man-to-man-style press. The white lines show who each Oxford player was designated to. In this instance, however, Azaz finds himself space in the vertical gap between midfield and defence, since the centre-back isn’t stepping up with him. (Image Source: Sky Sports)

Finn Azaz is no longer a player Southampton are trying to fit into the system—he’s become central to it. His off-ball improvements, combined with his natural quality in possession, have turned him into one of the most complete attacking midfielders in the Championship.

What once looked like a £12 million risk