Tonda Eckert's decision to include Cameron Archer in his team for the match against Oxford United has been met with general derision on social media.
Most of what has been said about Archer's inclusion is not publishable on Saints Marching, but it is enough to write that it has not gone down well.
Archer has managed just two goals so far this season (at Birmingham City and Doncaster Rovers). His xG is high at 0.58 goals per game, but his average goals per game is below average at just 0.25.
If the Southampton Head Coach has decided to include Archer for his creative attributes, then that can only be seen as a giant leap of faith from the young German. Archer has contributed zero assists to the team this season.
While Archer's contribution has been appalling so far this season, there is no denying that he has potential. Whether this is the game to bring him back into the starting lineup is a hughe question mark.
Archer could be pushed up alongside Larin
And, with Léo Scienza unavailable through injury, Archer could be pushed up alongside Cyle Larin with Finn Azaz being deployed on the left side.
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.
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.Â
It's probably fair to say that the Southampton fans' patience with Archer ran out last season after that dreadful Premier League campaign.
However, if Archer could turn his own form around, he could still be a player who could contribute positively during the run-in.
Southampton's young Head Coach threw his strikers under the bus in his press conference on Friday. If Cameron Archer needed any motivation for today's match, perhaps that was it.