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“Southampton’s Charles Asserts Premier League Ambitions Following Spain Thrashing”
SAINTS midfielder Shea Charles believes that Northern Ireland’s 5-1 defeat against Spain can serve as valuable preparation for his upcoming Premier League season.
Charles, a crucial player for Michael O’Neill’s team, expressed frustration at his side’s inability to contain stars like Pedri, Rodri, and Fabian Ruiz.
Spain dominated possession, controlling 79 percent of the game, which gave Charles a preview of the challenges he may face in the Premier League after playing under Russell Martin this season.
Saints ended the 2023/24 Championship campaign with the highest average possession at 66 percent, but maintaining this in the top flight could be difficult.
After the loss, Charles said: “I guess it’s just different when you don’t have a lot of the ball.
“That might happen more in the Premier League when you’re up against better players. It’s almost like a taste of what it’s going to be like in the Premier League.”
Saturday’s friendly against Spain also gave Charles the opportunity to face his former Manchester City teammate Rodri.
The 20-year-old had trained alongside the Champions League winner during his time at City, but this was the first time they shared the pitch in a match. Rodri was a substitute when Charles made his senior debut against Brentford.
Charles swapped shirts with Rodri after the game and commented: “It was nice to come up against the best midfielder in the world.”
Reflecting on facing the 27-year-old, Charles added: “It’s not enjoyable, to be completely honest.
The way he controls the game, I don’t think anybody does it like him. It’s always good to come up against the best players in the world on the international stage.
“You know what you’re coming up against, but it’s just, how do you stop him controlling the game?
“He’s so focused, you can see that. It’s just completely different (to training) when you’re up against him in a competitive game.”
Charles made 32 appearances during his first season at Southampton, starting 15 times. He has drawn praise from manager Martin, who described his first season on the South Coast as a “big success.”
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