Southampton will hope ‘next Mane’ has better second coming
Ralph Hasenhuttl chose not to embrace his ‘Klopp of the Alps’ moniker, expressing an understandable desire “to be my own character” upon his appointment in December 2018. But players need not always follow the same paths as their manager. Moussa Djenepo actively encouraged the typical Southampton role of Liverpool lite this summer.
“Sadio is a big inspiration for me,” he said in June. “I like him, he’s a very big player. But I think I can be better if I work hard. In the future we will see. I will do my best to become the next Sadio Mane.”
It was not a particularly favourable comparison to play into. Mane, a reigning world, European and Premier League champion, was a leading contender for the ill-fated Ballon d’Or award this year. Djenepo would struggle to rank in the top ten most important contributors towards Southampton’s recent return to upward mobility. The 22-year-old was chasing a pipedream more than six years his senior.
In a country that often raises a collective eyebrow at ambition and desire, preferring instead to set smaller, more achievable goals rather than grandiose objectives that could end in failure, it was refreshing to see. A “very, very difficult” first season in England did not dampen Djenepo’s belief; it fuelled it further.
A fine start after joining last August was curtailed by a hip injury in September. The death of his mother in February, combined with a suspension and problems with his calf ensured that he played no part in Project Restart. Another potential bright light at St Mary’s seemed to burn bright before quickly flickering.
Djenepo spoke of the issues he faced in an interview last month – “Everything changed. It’s not the same country, not the same league” – and it’s worth considering these are challenges that can only really be understood through experience. Many of us may have relocated before but few do so under the weight of a £15m valuation, an expectant fanbase and no period of transition.
The time might be now for him to deliver, to prove what he is capable of. An excellent goal to open the scoring against West Brom was a perfect second introduction.
The performance itself was nothing special. Hasenhuttl is still working out the best way to utilise Djenepo’s obvious talents, but the winger floating into central positions should no longer be an option. He had the fewest touches of any Southampton starter, and less than half what Alex McCarthy managed in goal. The decision to take him off in the 54th minute owed as much to his being on a booking as it did the apparent hamstring pull he had suffered.
Yet Djenepo still made the difference. Southampton dominated the first half, Danny Ings, Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong all having two shots, with Kyle Walker-Peters and Ryan Bertrand both having efforts of their own. Sam Johnstone stood firm until the hosts’ left winger shimmed and swayed one way before sending Jake Livermore and the West Brom goalkeeper the other.
Within a Southampton system built to contain and coerce as a team, such moments of individual brilliance are vital. Djenepo has a key part to play if he can refine elements of his game while retaining that ability to perform outside the general pattern of a match. Frustration had been growing at Johnstone’s heroics before he was removed from the equation by a quick turn and shot.
It might be that only Djenepo sees the likeness to Mane. The latter was the same age as the former is now when he joined Southampton, but benefited from playing in a more settled, generally better team. His first 13 Premier League starts brought five goals and two assists in five months; Djenepo’s have come over a 14-month period with three goals and two assists. If he is even just half the player then St Mary’s has another gem in its midst
Matt Stead