Solving Southampton’s Defensive Issues With Ivan Jurić Pressing Tactics – Tactical Analysis

Since returning to the Premier League, Southampton has not made the impression they hoped to make.

They are currently sitting rock bottom with a rotten record—just one win from 17.

The Saints reached the top tier again by winning the EFL Championship playoffs last season under the management of Russell Martin, who quickly built a reputation for his possession-based philosophy.

That philosophy brought the club success last season but has not translated successfully to the Premier League.

The club hierarchy decided a change was needed if Southampton were to stand any chance of surviving the drop this season.

A few names were bounced around in connection with the manager’s job at St Mary’s, with the role eventually falling to Ivan Jurić – an experienced manager who has coached a range of Serie A clubs, including Genoa, Torino, Hellas Verona, and most recently (even though it was a short spell), AS Roma.

Ivan Jurićs style of play is known for his high-intensity approach off the ball.

We expect this to be a staple of his Southampton team as he looks to bolster their defensive record.

His track record suggests he could also improve Southampton’s attacking output.

This tactical analysis will look at what to expect from Southampton’s defensive tactics under Jurić while also zeroing in on some of the key defensive issues the Saints currently have and how Jurić’s tactics could fix them.

Ivan Jurić Pressing Tactics

We published an article in 2022 that detailed Torino’s defensive and pressing tactics under Jurić.

You can read the analysis here for an in-depth insight into his tactics at that time.

Since then, he has continued to impress at Torino, which led to his being offered a huge job at AS Roma.

While that tenure did not last very long, his ideologies were still visible.

This analysis aims to highlight the key elements of his pressing tactics that we believe are relevant to his taking over the managerial reins at Southampton.

This first segment discusses Jurić’s tactics, while the latter highlights areas where a Jurić influence would/could make a difference for Southampton.

Last season, Torino registered a PPDA of 11.15, making them one of Serie A’s most aggressive teams off the ball.

Data shows that he instilled a similar intensity during his time at Roma.

Ivan Jurić Defensive Territory Map

Being aggressive out-of-possession doesn’t necessarily equate to playing a high defensive line – a point proven by Jurić’s Torino last season, seen in Figure 1.

While Southampton’s defensive territory has been ever so slightly deeper than 2023/24 Torino, the two really aren’t that different in terms of overall depth.

The differ