Southampton midfielder Joe Aribo has claimed two of his colleagues are ‘so good’ that left him ‘daydreaming’.
Southampton gained promotion back to the Premier League with a 1-0 win against Leeds United in the Championship Play-Off final.
Adam Armstrong scored the winning goal after 24 minutes but it was a collective effort throughout as Russell Martin’s men produced some beautiful football.
Joe Aribo – who played 90 minutes in the final – has already laid down a marker for his ambitions in the first division, admitting he had a “difficult” campaign but thinks he’s capable of prospering at England’s top table.
For the Nigerian, it’s his second season in the Premier League after he made 21 appearances in the Saints relegation campaign, and he’s pleased about the idea of playing with two of his colleagues.
Joe Aribo waxes poetic about Flynn Downes and Will Smallbone
Aribo played every single minute of their play-off campaign, starting next to Flynn Downes and Will Smallbone.
It’s a trio that played a vital part in gaining the South Coasters promotion, with academy hero Smallbone scoring in the semi-final against West Brom and assisting Armstrong at Wembley.Aribo was left starstruck by his two midfield teammates, stating they’re “so good” that leave him “daydreaming” on the pitch.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, the former Rangers man said: “I mean, sometimes I’m on the pitch and I’m just watching them and I just get lost.
“I’m like daydreaming just watching them because they’re honestly so good.
“There is so much energy in and out of possession from all of us. It’s fantastic to play with them.”
The statistics that suggest Joe Aribo can move up in the Premier League
Southampton’s midfield combination of Downes, Smallbone and Aribo was so effective because it featured a blend of determination, inventiveness and technique.
Downes typically waited in front of the defence while his colleagues were allowed liberty to maraud forward, an element of the game that Aribo excelled in.
When comparing him to other midfielders in the Championship, the strong midfielder is levels ahead of his colleagues, notably for his explosive ball-carrying, passing range and ability to receive the ball in tight areas.
As indicated by FBref, Aribo scores in the top 9% for progressive passes per 90 (7.40), the top 8% for touches (Att Pen) and the top 4% for progressive carries and progressive passes received.
In a progressive and relentless system, Southampton saw the best of the fleet-footed Nigerian in spurts but his consistency will need to improve in the top level.
He often tends to drop in and out of games, however the underlying analytics and the eye test suggest he may be a devastating weapon waiting to be unleashed in the Premier League.
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