This season’s James Bree redemption arc is already playing out at Southampton

It was a real team effort that got Southampton over the line to a win on Tuesday night against table-topping Swansea City.

Indeed, going into the Championship encounter under the St. Mary's floodlights, the visitors from Wales were sat at the very top of the second tier mountain, having only given up one goal all season long.

That has now changed, as Tonda Eckert's men resoundingly beat the Swans 3-1, with everyone fielded by the German at the top of their game, for the most part.

Even with Tom Fellows stuttering, the 33-year-old showed off the full strength of his squad by throwing on Kuryu Matsuki, with the impact substitute assisting Leo Scienza's game-clinching goal, just moments after being introduced.

Further back, Keven Schlotterbeck put in another top-drawer defensive display as well, as the 29-year-old continues to look right at home on the South Coast.

James Bree once felt like an ill-fit in defence, on the contrary, but he is now one of Eckert's first names on the teamsheet, as the number 14 started yet again on Tuesday night as his trusty right-back.

Bree's redemption arc with Saints

Bree has had to be a a very patient presence at St. Mary's.

Indeed, the first three seasons he was at the club, he would be dripfed minutes here and there, without ever really being deemed a guaranteed starter.

This would culminate in him being shoved out on loan to Charlton Athletic to start the 2025/26 season, as he linked back up with his former Luton Town manager, Nathan Jones, who he also played two games under on the South Coast.

Five goal contributions as a forward-thinking figure for the Addicks would result in his loan stint at the Valley being cut short, and under Eckert, he managed to turn around his career at Southampton that was once on life support.

Staggeringly, Bree has only come out on the losing side once in Championship action when selected by the German, with three goals and four assists coming his way from 34 overall outings.

Eckert has recognised the important role the one-time Charlton loanee plays in his set-up, noting that he is a "really reliable" defender to have on his side back in March.

He would even pen a new contract this summer, all thanks to the Berlin-born manager believing in him, and he remains key, with a severe lack of other full-backs giving him competition on the right.

There is another Bree-style redemption arc emerging in real time, with this often-criticised defender putting together a decent run of positive performances as of late.

This star is experiencing his own Bree-style comeback

Despite Zach Abbott arriving as a flashy new signing in the heart of defence on deadline day, Nathan Wood was selected for the clash against the Swans, alongside Schlotterbeck.

Wood and Eckert haven't always seen eye to eye at St. Mary's, with only seven Championship starts coming his way last season under the matter of fact head coach, when 2026 hit the calendar.

He's up to four starts already this campaign, and like Bree, is justifying his regular inclusions, when he was once looked down on as an inadequate back-up option.

He was at fault for Lincoln City's late equaliser at Sincil Bank, as Eckert's tinkering, alongside Wood’s failure to close down the Imps goalscorer, cost the South Coast visitors all three points.

Wood's Championship numbers this season:

But, the Middlesbrough-born defender was far more at it against his ex-side, with a 90% pass accuracy average registered come the full-time whistle, as the Saints regularly built their attacks from the back.

Winning six tackles and duels, as well, Wood now has a main starting spot that is his to lose, with no Taylor Harwood-Bellis around any longer.

All of a sudden, he has gone from being a underused reserve player to a dependable partner Schlotterbeck loves featuring alongside, with both Bree and Wood likely to start again on Saturday, as Bristol City travel to St. Mary's.

Today's best reads

Eckert still owes Southampton an answer on this Lincoln substitution

The three Southampton players Tonda Eckert must consider dropping for Lincoln

The Southampton alteration Tonda Eckert will already be considering after Swansea

Only two Championship clubs made more cash in the summer window than Southampton

Five lessons for Southampton to take from a disappointing 1-1 draw with Lincoln