Southampton love playing in front of their adoring St. Mary's masses.
To say that the Saints' beloved home ground is a fortress at this current moment in time is an understatement, with three Championship wins on the trot coming their way this season when playing exclusively on the South Coast.
11 goals have also been scored along the way, with the promotion chasers clearly eager to excite and enthrall their home fans whenever they take to the field.
This stretches way beyond this season, as well, with Tonda Eckert very rarely tasting defeat when occupying the St. Mary's dug-out.
Southampton's ridiculous home record under Eckert
Indeed, the Berlin-born manager has only ever lost one home league game as boss of the Saints.
That came about last season in January, when Hull City travelled to the South Coast and won 2-1, on their way to sealing promotion to the Premier League.
Since then, Eckert and Co. have been a machine in front of their ecstatic natives, with the confident side on their own patch even beating Arsenal in the FA Cup last season, as they reached the FA Cup semi finals.
Amazingly, when Will Still was at the helm, he would only pick up one meagre home win, from 16 games in charge, with this formidable home record hopefully resulting in promotion being won, come the end of the backbreaking season.
While having such an impressive home record is a big plus, Eckert will know that his team can't shove all their eggs into the St. Mary's basket to seal promotion, with their start to the season, away from their beloved stadium, rather poor.
They can't just rely on this form to win promotion
Indeed, the South Coast outfit are yet to win this season in league action when away from their home comforts.
They have only lost to Watford, but that was a below-par showing, which is far removed from the energy that is usually dripping out of them when shining at St. Mary's.
Back-to-back 1-1 draws against Birmingham City and Lincoln City aren't the end of the world, but when looking back on the 46-game marathon come May, conceding an 87th minute equaliser to the Imps, who will be in a relegation fight all season, might be viewed as costly to their promotion hopes.
As Flynn Downes eloquently put at the final whistle at the Sincil Bank, "draws will kill you" when you're aiming to win promotion, especially as Southampton have to play catch up, due to their four point deduction.
Saints' home/away record in the Championship this season:
Stat | Southampton (W/D/L) | Goals scored/conceded | Position just on form |
|---|---|---|---|
Home record | 3 wins | 11/3 | 1st |
Away record | 0 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss | 3/4 | 18th |
Looking at last season's triumphant promotion winners out of the division, Coventry City - who were crowned as runaway champions - managed to secure 11 wins on the road in the Championship, with Hull City also securing that same magic total. Should Eckert and Co. be aiming to hit that same tally?
During the memorable 2023/24 season, which ended in Russell Martin's Saints sealing a return to the big time via the playoffs, they won 12 away games during the regular season, so it's clear the wins will need to come soon, when they're not experiencing all the comforts back at home.
They won't want to end up like Birmingham from last campaign, who won a playoff-worthy 12 league games on home soil, only to lose a disastrous relegation-worthy 13 away clashes.
Eckert might need to possibly rethink how he goes about securing points on the road, as it's clear he has the perfect formula for success at St. Mary's.
Thankfully, their next game on Saturday is at home, as Bristol City attempt to sour the jubliant mood on the South Coast.
Funnily enough, Michael Skubala's Robins are yet to taste defeat in the second tier away from home this season...
Add us as a preferred source on Google