Southampton were defeated at home by West Ham United in Ivan Juric’s first match as Saints manager on Thursday afternoon, with striker Paul Onuachu putting in a poor performance that should spell the end of his career on the south coast.
Jarrod Bowen scored the game’s sole goal, tapping home from close range after Niclas Fullkrug’s flick, in a mostly level match at St Mary’s. The result left Southampton at the bottom of the Premier League table, eight points behind 17th-placed Leicester City.
Juric chose to call in Onuachu right away, with the Nigerian earning this honour for only the second time this season, and the number nine surely did not reward the Croatian head coach’s faith in him. The lanky forward wasted a number of opportunities, and his overall performance lacked the necessary intensity and efficiency.
Onuachu Should be Sold After West Ham Performance
The Saints must cash in to avoid relegation
6’7 Onuachu, who was signed by Southampton for £19 million in January 2023 after several successful seasons with Genk in Belgium, has had a difficult time in English football. Prior to today’s game against West Ham, the 30-year-old had made only five Premier League appearances since joining St. Mary’s. He was loaned out to Trabzonspor for the remainder of the season.
Over the summer, it was widely speculated that the Nigeria international would move in a ‘cut-price deal’, but the Saints were eventually unable to sanction the transfer. Former manager Russell Martin clearly saw Onuachu as surplus to requirements, starting him in just one league game this season before being fired.
However, in Juric’s first game in charge of St. Mary’s, he chose to start the former Midtjylland player alongside Adam Armstrong up top. The striker did not justify his selection, failing to convert any of his eight shots, missing three great chances, and finishing the game with a 6.3 SofaScore rating.
This disastrous performance should compel Juric and the Southampton management to cash in soon this winter, ensuring Onuachu plays no role in the squad going forward. Any money generated on the outcast forward can be reinvested, potentially helping the club avoid relegation from the top level.
| Onuachu’s Statistics vs West Ham | |
|---|---|
| Minutes Played | 90 |
| Shots | 8 |
| Expected Goals | 0.57 |
| Big Chances Missed | 3 |
| Accurate Passes | 15/24 (63%) |
| Dribbles Completed | 0 (0%) |
| Key Passes | 1 |
| Possession Lost | 19 |
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