Southampton are going through a difficult start to the season, and journalist Dean Jones has named two players that Russell Martin will need to utilise to make his system work.
Saints fans might have expected more early success after dropping down from the Premier League.
Martin’s side got off to an excellent start to the campaign, results wise, winning three of their first four Championship games. However, the points on the board don’t paint the whole picture, with late goals against Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday allowing Saints to narrowly get over the line. A last minute penalty against Norwich City also saw Southampton secure a point in a 4-4 draw. However, in their last three games, Saints’ luck has begun to run out. Martin’s side have lost three games on the trot, conceding ten goals in the process.
The former Swansea City manager has been open and honest with the fans in the media, admitting that his players and staff are struggling with the defeats recently
It’s not for lack of trying we just don’t deal with disappointment very well. As a group there is still so much scar tissue from last season here at St Mary’s and unfortunately our season is being defined at the moment by how we respond to disappointment. In those moments our players need to be braver than ever and the only way to do that is to live and learn from those moments. I said to the guys ‘if we are going to lose we are going to lose our way’ being really brave and really aggressive.
Of course, it was never going to be easy for the Saints after losing a host of key players during the summer transfer window. Romeo Lavia, James Ward-Prowse, Tino Livramento, Mohammed Salisu, and Nathan Tella were among those to depart before deadline day. Martin and his recruitment team, as a result, were forced to bring in a lengthy list of reinforcements, who will naturally take time to settle into a new club whilst also having to learn the manager’s system.