When the scouts and the analysts and the head of recruitment got together, they probably didn’t plan it to be this way. When Adams signed for the Saints for 15 millions pounds in the summer, they probably didn’t anticipate him taking 25 league appearances to score.
Hard
The step up from Championship to Premier League is tough and there’s many a second tier plunderer who has been rendered impotent thanks to top flight defences. Robert Earnshaw, Cameron Jerome, Michael Chopra, Garry Hooper. You could go on.
There was a belief that Che Adams could be different. He’d always been highly rated, even if he was a slow burner. Most of his 38 goals for Birmingham came in his last season (22). The other 16 were scored in 75 appearances.
Southampton tried to send him back to the Championship in January, but a deal with Leeds United couldn’t be reached.
Point To Prove
And so Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has persisted with the youngster while a tacit acknowledgement hangs over his head: this man is not good enough.
So never mind the miss after his goal. The moment the ball bobbled into the back of the net was one of great relief for the strikers. These are players judged on one currency: goals. This was a lovely one.
Oleksandr Zinchenko was robbed off the ball, Adams saw Ederson off his line and lobbed the Brazilian international from 40 yards out. It was a supreme moment full of surprise confidence and great technique, and it also gave the Premier League another fine upset.
Southampton have the worst home record in the home league and Adams hadn’t scored until the City game. None of those things we supposed to happen, but you can’t help but feel it was the player, not his side, who came out of this with the bigger win.