Adam Armstrong is one of a number of Southampton players who have struggled to impress since the club earned promotion to the Premier League.
Southampton are yet to get their first league win since returning to the top flight after a year-long exodus.
Russell Martin did at least take his first point as a Premier League manager as Southampton drew with Ipswich Town on Saturday but the fact the Tractor Boys equalised in the 95th-minute made it feel more like a defeat.
The starting XI Martin sent out against Ipswich had a very different feel to the one that started the first two games of the season as it included nine summer signings; although Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes and Ryan Fraser were all at the club on loan last campaign.
In the first two matches in the Premier League, nine of the starting XI were at the club last season but Martin has had to put sentiment to one side as he looks to keep Southampton in the top flight.
Darren Bent questions Adam Armstrong’s ability to perform for Southampton in Premier League
One Saints player who has fallen victim to Martin’s ruthless streak is Adam Armstrong.
The striker has been at the club since 2021 but really came into his own in the Championship last season, scoring 24 goals – including the play-off final winner – and providing 13 assists.
Armstrong also captained the side on multiple occasions last season with Jack Stephens sidelined for much of the first half of the campaign.
The concern was always whether Armstrong could deliver in the top flight having scored four Premier League goals in two seasons at the Saints before relegation and he is yet to get off the mark in 2024/25.
Now out of the side, Darren Bent delivered his verdict on Armstrong on TalkSPORT on Tuesday afternoon (4:41pm), as he said: “He is a good finisher. You watch his finishes. But he gets really apprehensive in the Premier League.
“He needs to go on a run. I like Adam Armstrong.
“It’s unfair, but it’s almost like one of those strikers, right, where whoever gets relegated from the Premier League this season, sign him because he would score the goals to get them back up. Do you know what I mean?”
Difficult to see Armstrong getting back into Southampton starting XI
It is hard to disagree with Bent’s assessment given Southampton signed Armstrong off the back of a strong Championship season and now his only good season at the club has come in the second tier.
It may be harsh but perhaps Armstrong is simply not capable of making the step up to the very top level and it is difficult to see how he gets back into Martin’s side.
After being dropped against Manchester United, Armstrong was handed a chance to play centre-forward in the Carabao Cup tie against Everton in the next match but was anonymous as he failed to make any impact on the game.
With Ross Stewart building up his fitness and Cameron Archer currently the starting centre-forward, as well as Tyler Dibling excelling in the right wing position Armstrong played much of last season, it may be a while before the former Blackburn Rovers man gets another start in the league.
