Will Still: Philosophy, formation and style of play

Southampton have confirmed the appointment of Will Still as their new manager on a three-year contract.

Born in Belgium to English parents, Still has carved out a successful career in coaching having never played the game professionally, taking up his first managerial role at just 24.

Belgium would be where he gained his early experience graduating from assistant to manager at both Lierse and Beerschot.

It's fair to assume that French football expert Julien Laurens was suitably impressed with Still's time as a coach in Ligue 1.

Speaking in an interview on BBC Sounds, Laurens said: "I think Southampton would be lucky to have Will Still next season.

I think he is one of the brightest young managers in Europe. There is no doubt.

"His tactical ability, man management skills, the way he conducts himself - he is a great guy to have."

Still announced he would be departing RC Lens at the end of the season with his team securing an eighth-place finish on the final day of the Ligue 1 campaign.

Lens was Still's second managerial job in France after his previous tenure at Reims.

He became the youngest manager in Europe's top five leagues when he was given the job during the 2022/23 season and embarked on a record-breaking 17-match unbeaten streak.

Will Still's philosophy and style of play

Through his work with both Reims and Lens, Still crafted dynamic and disciplined teams that proved hard to beat.

He is not afraid to ask his team to press the opposition high in order to try and regain possession, but can also deploy a low-block with the focus on directing the opposition attack to the flanks.

In build-up he will use six players to try and beat the opposition press and leave the remaining five very high up on the pitch.

Still's idea is to drop an attacker into this space in order to receive the ball and break the press.

Will Still formation

Versatility is the order of the day with Still deploying multiple formations through his short managerial career.

His 3-4-1-2 formation has been the preferred approach towards the end of his time with Lens, but Still has also used a 4-2-3-1 for long periods in the campaign.

During his spell with Reims, Still held a PSG side including Kylian Mbappe, Marco Verratti and Fabian Ruiz to a 0-0 draw.

Still set his team up in a 3-5-2 and they not only managed to keep a clean sheet, but they also out-shot the Parisians.

Southampton amassed just enough points to scrape past Derby's record-low Premier League points total, but the quality in their squad should yield better results in the second tier.

With their relegation, some players are expected to leave and chief amongst these is Kyle Walker-Peters, who would have provided Still with an excellent wing-back option should he deploy his three-at-the-back system.

If the Saints retain the services of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, the heart of their defence looks promising for 2025/26 with Ronnie Edwards returning from a loan spell at QPR and Nathan Wood expected to stay.

Unfortunately for Southampton it looks as if Jan Bednarek and Armel Bella-Kotchap will depart meaning reinforcements may be needed.

Still should have a wealth of talent at his disposal heading into the midfield with Mateus Fernandes, Flynn Downes and Joe Aribo amongst a talented selection.

Goals from midfield have been important during his time at Lens so maybe that is an area he could look to target in the summer.

Tyler Dibling, should he stay, is going to be an important player at Southampton next season and he looks as if he would be more suited to Still's 4-2-3-1 set-up.