Southampton fans are a tough lot to please these days, and for good reason. Relegation from the Premier League, though not unexpected, was embarrassing. Finishing with the second-lowest points tally in the competition's history, the club was ridiculed throughout the campaign. Saints fans sang with gallows humour all season, but expected things to improve back in the Championship.
After seeing off two managers and an interim manager in a single season, Sport Republic finally settled on a rookie manager, Will Still, who had only had marginal success in France. The players let him down badly, many still feeling sorry for themselves, and Still was dismissed.
Enter Tonda Eckert, given the job first as interim and then permanently, following a string of excellent results. Now, after five Championship matches unbeaten, the Saints find themselves just two points outside of the top six.
The player being made an unnecessary scapegoat
Despite the upturn in form, one player is still being unfairly treated by the fans.
Cameron Archer joined Southampton from Aston Villa for just over £15 million. Russell Martin's side had secured promotion, and Archer had scored 11 goals in the Championship on loan at Middlesbrough before being sold to Sheffield United for £18 million.
Villa activated a buy-back clause after United were relegated, re-signed the player for £14.5 million a year later, and then sold him on to newly promoted Southampton for half a million more in the summer.
Archer made two substitute appearances in the Premier League ahead of Southampton's trip to Cardiff City in the second round of the EFL Cup. The striker scored twice in a crazy match that saw the Saints run out 5-3 winners, including two goals in injury time.
Maybe it's too early for Saints fans to give up on this guy? pic.twitter.com/lu1Qws31B0
— Total Football Insight (@final_whistle1) February 17, 2026
The weak penalty that still haunts Archer
After making another substitute appearance in the Premier League, Archer started his first match for the Saints in the top flight at St Mary's against Manchester United. Southampton started the game well, and after Tyler Dibling was tripped, he stepped up to take the penalty. It was a weak penalty, and Onana saved. From there, it was downhill for Archer and downhill for Saints.
In the Premier League, Archer did get on the scoresheet at Arsenal and at home against Leicester. But that was it. The chances and the goals dried up.
This season, Archer has started 12 matches and scored three goals. His strike-rate from the bench is one goal in 13 matches.
This suggests the player lacks confidence. At 24, Archer is still young, and it's far too early to write him off, particularly at the Championship level.
While Southampton may now prefer to play with a target man, Archer is the best player that we have at running in behind defences. Johannes Spors understood that one of Armstrong or Archer could leave, but not both, in the January transfer window. Nicholas Oyekunle isn't ready yet.
Southampton fans would do well not to throw Cameron Archer under the bus. He is a confidence player, and the Saints fans really do need to get behind him. He will score goals at this level. Who knows, it could be a vital one at Wembley in May!