Some Southampton fans believe that Italian striker Manolo Gabbiadini will be back to his best in the season of 2018/19, especially after our capture of Stuart Armstrong from Celtic this summer.
The 26-year-old former Napoli striker moved to St Mary’s Stadium in the last January window of 2017/18 for a reported £14.6million and to date he has 23 starts with 22 substitute appearances, with eleven goals returned.
In the relegation campaign of 2017/18, he only found the net five-time though and that was a marked dip in form compared to his first half season where he scored six goals in a total of 12 appearances.
A number of fans naturally wondered with our struggles in front of the net if he’d be sacrificed or given another chance given his earlier form, and he’s done himself no harm at all when it comes to a second chance given he found the net in our victory over Jiangsu Suning.
Hitting our opening goal of the day as he connected with Stuart Armstrong’s cross, with the latter helping to provide the former, Saints supporters were relishing how good a combination it might be for us next term.
Gabbi gonna be amazing this year ????
— ???????????????????????????? WeMarchOn ™ ???????????????????????????? (@kelvinlegod) July 11, 2018
What is this? A #saintsfc headed goal from a cross?! Preposterous!
— Paul (@Leesy_180) July 11, 2018
World class
— Elias (@Elias1966_) July 11, 2018
Nice move and the fox in the box scores
— Mark Smith (@smudger1703) July 11, 2018
First of many goals for Gabbiadini this season!!! He will definitely be in my fantasy teams and what a cross from Armstrong!!! #SaintsFC
— Gazzy Lothbrok (@MrGToYou) July 11, 2018
Great ball by Armstrong and finish by Gabbiadini ???? #saintsfc
— Jay (@NorwegianMessi) July 11, 2018
Armstrong > gabbiadini = goal
I could get used to this…. what a ball from Armstrong btw ????????— Kieran Smith (@kierannkater98) July 11, 2018
It was criminal how Pellegrino treated you last year. Thankfully he is gone. You will be great this year. Like a new signing.
— Deppo (@DeppoInExile) July 11, 2018
Hope you have a great season Manolo!
— Terry (@ElTelofDaya) July 11, 2018
Glad you stayed with us, we hope this year will be great and you score lots of goals. WeMarchON
— Lin (@snaz46) July 12, 2018
The first of 19 goals this season – congratulations
— John Griffin (@Griffinjohn38) July 11, 2018
GOAL: Jiangsu Suning 0-1 #SaintsFC (@Mgabbia23 26)
Armstrong's left-footed cross is headed in by Gabbiadini at the far post! pic.twitter.com/X7yrSFoITV
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) July 11, 2018