Tonda Eckert admits he won't make Cameron Archer mistake other Saints bosses did

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert praises Cameron Archer for his exceptional Blackburn display while highlighting how he sees the forward as more than a striking option.

The midweek matchday turned out to be another pleasant evening for Southampton. With a comfortable 3‑0 home win over Blackburn, while Ipswich lost 2‑0 to Portsmouth, Tonda Eckert’s side have closed the gap to an automatic promotion spot to just three points.

It was another Championship game and another dominating performance for the Saints. But beyond the convincing collective performance, the club faithful would have loved the redemption of Cameron Archer.

With Léo Scienza given a rest from starting duties, Archer was tasked with filling in on the left wing. Though the 24‑year‑old isn’t known as a wide player, he shone in his new role by finishing the game with a goal and an assist.

Boss Tonda Eckert later explained that the decision to start Archer was part of a tactical plan to exploit spaces left by Blackburn’s defence.

As quoted by the Daily Echo, Eckert praised Archer, saying: “We knew where they might give us spaces, so then later on we switched him over, actually scored his goal when he went over to the right. I think overall, a very, very good game from him.”

Archer’s display Vs Blackburn was one of the best of his Saints career

Cameron Archer has been an underutilised asset for most of his Southampton career. However, his recent display against Blackburn aptly showed how his capabilities can be put to perfect use.

Archer’s performance against Blackburn has been one of his best in a Southampton shirt so far. Be it taking shots or giving the Rovers full-backs a hard time with his pace, Archer was electric throughout the game.

Eventually, Archer’s hard work was rewarded with an assist for the opening goal. Receiving a brilliant through ball from Kuryu Matsuki, he used his pace to reach the end of the pitch before delivering a low cross that created a tap‑in for Cyle Larin.

In a notable instance in the second half, Archer came quite close to scoring. After making a brilliant run in behind Blackburn’s defence, he cut inside past multiple defenders, only to see his shot blocked in the end.

However, Archer got the opportunity to cap off his memorable display with a goal. In the 86th minute, Scienza teed him up in the box and Archer beat the Blackburn keeper with a bottom‑corner shot to seal a 3‑0 win for Southampton.

Tonda Eckert knows how to bring best of Cameron Archer

It’s worth noting that all of the previous Southampton bosses, Russell Martin, Ivan Juric, and Will Still, have viewed Archer only as a centre forward option. Archer’s failure to deliver quick goals up front is why his £15m price tag hasn’t worked out for the Saints so far.

Tonda Eckert, however, is clear in his plans not to make the same mistake. As quoted by the Daily Echo, he discussed Archer’s best position: “I think sometimes in the way that we set up against teams that are a little bit lower, sometimes it’s nice to have him play next to a target player. So next to a nine, and I think he can do both.”

Clearly, Eckert isn’t wedded to a one‑dimensional use of Cameron Archer. While previous managers focused solely on his striking potential, Eckert isn’t afraid to deploy him on the left, right, or centrally if needed.

Notably, the Blackburn game wasn’t the first time Eckert tried Archer in a wide role with success.

Archer was deployed on the right wing by Eckert in last month’s game against Oxford United. There, the player offered great flexibility, switching flanks with Tom Fellows during the game to make the Saints’ attack even more unpredictable. He capped off that performance with an assist on Shea Charles’s golazo.

Even against Blackburn, Archer was fluid in operating across both flanks for different sections of the game. He started on the left but ended up scoring from the right, allowing a free flow to the club’s attack.

Cameron Archer’s recent performances have shown promise that he can transition into a versatile attacking option for Southampton up front. It remains to be seen how Eckert continues his development in these new wide roles.