In the wake of his relegation with Queens Park Rangers, Charlie Austin has plotted a course back to the top tier by virtue of a £4 million switch to Southampton. Given that the frontman’s contract expired at the end of the season, the Hoops chose to cash in on a player that netted 10 goals in 16 league outings on his return back down to the Championship.
At a time where the likes of Graziano Pelle has scored just once since Gameweek 8, Saints boss Ronald Koeman is optimistic that the new arrival can add a cutting edge to his side’s attacking forays:
“I hope (he will bring) goals because that’s the reason why he was and is our target for the transfer window. I think we need a player like him. His numbers of goals everybody knows and still he is 26 and it is good to have him in now because that’s good for the adaptation. It gives more competition and what we try to do always is make the squad stronger and stronger. Signing that kind of players is very positive.”
Having chalked up 18 goals in his debut Premier League campaign, Austin expressed his intent to better that tally at the south-coast outfit:
“I think it’s important as a centre forward to be established in any league you play, and to play in the Premier League is massive. I had one season and then went back to the Championship, but now it’s important for me to establish myself in the Premier League. I got 18 goals during my first season and I just want to push on from that now.”
The History
The Berkshire-born Austin cut his teeth at a couple of local sides (Kintbury Rangers and Hungerford Town), before moving to Bournemouth and signing for the semi-professional Poole Town. After scoring 46 goals in as many appearances in all competitions for the Dolphins, he was went on trial at Bournemouth during the 2009/10 pre-season, but the Cherries were thwarted in their attempts to sign him because of a transfer embargo.
Austin then made the switch to Swindon Town instead, having bagged a hat-trick against Swansea City during his week-long trial. The former bricklayer chalked up 19 goals and five assists in his debut season for the Robins, which courted the attention of Burnley in January 2011. Austin penned a deal with the Clarets but was restricted to just four appearances due to a hamstring complaint.
Bestowed a clean bill of health in the following campaign, Austin topped Burnley’s scoring charts with 16 goals. The 2012/13 season proved to be his best yet, as the robust marksman racked up 24 goals and three assists, rendering him the league’s third-top scorer.
In the summer of 2013, Austin’s proposed move to Hull City fell through by way of a failed medical, so QPR snapped him up on a three-year deal. With 17 goals and three assists across 31 appearances, Austin helped the R’s into the playoffs through their fourth-place finish. Following QPR’s promotion to the top flight, Austin – alongside Harry Kane – emerged as one of the prime budget forwards of the 2014/15 campaign, amassing 18 goals and four assists for the London club and thriving as a Fantasy asset in spite of their battle to beat the drop.
The Prospects
Having failed to feature for QPR since scoring a brace against Reading on December 15, there were fears that Austin would have to build up his match sharpness before making his debut for the Saints.
Discussing his new acquisition, Koeman confirmed that Austin is fully fit and will be included in the squad for the trip to Old Trafford:
“It’s possible because if you are part of the squad you have opportunities to play or come in. I was of course a little bit worried because Charlie had a hamstring injury before we signed him. He had all the medical tests and did all the training sessions this week and is really fit compared to the rest of the team. That’s good news because he can be part of the squad for this weekend. On his fitness tests he is as good as the rest of the players. I wasn’t expecting that but it’s nice to be surprised.”
Conveniently, Austin’s arrival comes at a time when Koeman has switched from 4-2-3-1 to 3-5-2, thus boosting his chances of pitch time up top. With the out-of-sorts Pelle struggling with an ongoing knee complaint, the Saints boss has turned to Shane Long and Sadio Mane as his front two, and whilst the former has grasped his opportunity by scoring three times in the last five, Mane has failed to find the net since Gameweek 10 and could well be under threat.
With back-to-back victories and clean sheets, though, Koeman – who has confirmed that a permanent move to three-at-the-back is possible – will perhaps be reluctant to change a winning side and it may be that Austin is afforded his first appearance or two from the bench before staking a claim from the off.
Pitched at 7.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Austin would be vying with the likes of Jamie Vardy (7.3) and Odion Ighalo (6.4) for our attention in the mid-priced bracket. Considering that the former is goalless in six starts and the latter is in the midst of three successive blanks, there’s certainly space for another cheaper forward option to facilitate the employment of Sergio Aguero in our three-man strike forces. Austin’s chances of being handed spot-kick duties could also be boosted, given that Koeman’s current number one, Dusan Tadic, is struggling to nail down a start.
Austin’s chances of success at St Mary’s Stadium are ultimately contingent upon Saints’ ability to supply him with quality service. The underlying statistics paint a positive picture in that regards, with Southampton charting fifth for key passes (241). Given that Austin ranked second for attempts (130), second for shots on target (52) and third for shots inside the box (76) during his last spell in the Premier League, he’s more than capable of flourishing as the spearhead of a superior supporting cast.
Looking at the schedule, Southampton’s tough pair of upcoming trips to United and Arsenal is enough to deter investment until a home tie against West Ham United in Gameweek 25. This affords us time to assess the situation as Austin attempts to force his way into Saints the first XI.
Beyond the Irons encounter, Koeman’s men embark on a favourable quartet of match-ups (swa, CHE, bou, SUN) that could re-establish Austin as a key player on the Fantasy scene. Although the Chelsea head-to-head looks tough on paper, it’s worth noting that Saints rank joint-third for home goals (22), underlining their capacity to punish the Blues’ shaky back line.
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