Tonda Eckert’s “secret weapon” at Southampton FC might be something Ipswich Town won’t be happy to see developing.
Southampton are currently in a strong position in the Championship, pushing for second place and aiming for automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt once again. Eckert’s side began the season well, but a rough mid-season spell saw them drop out of the top six and slip down the standings.
Recently, however, they have surged back into form. A dominant 3–0 win over Blackburn Rovers at St Mary’s helped extend their winning run to seven straight games in all competitions, while they are now unbeaten in 18 matches overall. That run includes impressive cup victories over both Fulham and Arsenal, earning them a Wembley semi-final against Manchester City next weekend.
In that win over Blackburn, Cameron Archer got back on the scoresheet, which could worry Ipswich as his return to form might help Southampton climb into the top two.
Archer has long been regarded as a talented striker in the Championship. After developing at Aston Villa without breaking through regularly, he impressed during loan spells at Preston North End and Middlesbrough, where he showed strong goal-scoring form and helped push teams toward promotion challenges.
He later struggled during a difficult Premier League spell with Sheffield United before joining Southampton, where he has again found consistency hard to come by in the top flight and Championship. Still, his goal threat remains clear.
Since Adam Armstrong left in the winter transfer window, Southampton have shared goals across the team, with attacking contributions coming from players like Leo Scienza, Finn Azaz, and Cyle Larin.
Although Armstrong remains their top scorer with 11 goals, there is still room for more sharpness in attack. If Archer can rediscover his best form in the final stretch of the season, he could become a crucial difference-maker in the promotion race.
Injuries and limited playing time have disrupted his rhythm this season, but his recent return has been encouraging. In just his fourth start since October, he scored and assisted against Blackburn, taking his direct goal contributions to five for the season, with three coming in his last two starts.
Despite limited minutes, he still averages a goal roughly every 290 minutes, suggesting his efficiency remains solid. If he maintains or improves that output, he could play a key role in Southampton’s push for promotion and potentially hurt the chances of rivals like Ipswich and Millwall.
