Having dropped back into the bottom three, and with a difficult period of fixtures incoming, Southampton must now show more intensity in order to avoid relegation.
By the end of March, Saints would’ve faced (in order), Newcastle, Stoke City, Swansea and West Ham, all of these games away bar the second.
These teams all face the drop, or will be looking to not be dragged back into a dog fight, and thus Southampton will need to be to win these games. In order to do this, a change in tactics and intensity is a must to ensure that nothing less than three points is picked up in most of these games.
Nothing short of eight points, if not more will be enough for Southampton, as bigger opposition in Arsenal, Chelsea and Premier League leaders Manchester City await.
So, how do Saints go about this? Well a change in formation could be a simple fix, two strikers up top would help to pressure the oppositions back four, as well give Saints more options when in attack.
The 4-3-1-2 formation comes to mind when explaining this, Saints lack really quality in wide positions, which is why players such as James Ward-Prowse have been utilised there.
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This also gives Sofiane Boufal, our most skilful player the freedom to run at defences playing as a CAM, and although hot and cold with supporters, his goal versus West Brom is an indication of what he’s capable of.
Mauricio Pellegrino’s team have kept one clean sheet in their last 18 Premier League games, which could be considered relegation-like.
To conclude though, the next six weeks of fixtures will be ever conclusive to how Southampton’s season ends, and failure to play with no fear will only cost us in that run. It is understandable that Pellegrino likes to try keep things tight in playing a safe formation, but it is clear that it is not working and providing the performances we expect.
We must now tactically, throw the kitchen sink in these games in order to achieve nothing less than a win, sharing the points or losing will only damn Southampton’s situation more.