As the business end of the season approaches, most Saints fans will have already taken a sneaky peek at the remaining fixtures. They may not have liked what they have seen.
The next four fixtures are difficult enough, let alone the ones that follow. In the 11 games that Southampton have left to play, five of those are against top ten sides. Of those five, only two matches are away from home: the trip to Coventry City on Saturday, 14th March, and the trip to Wrexham on Easter Monday.
West Bromwich Albion - Wednesday 11 March - The Hawthorns
Next up in the Championship for Saints is a tricky Wednesday night visit to the Hawthorns to take on the Baggies.
Albion are fighting for their lives under Caretaker boss James Morrison. They sit just one point and one place above the drop zone.
Morrison's team have an away trip at Sheffield United before they face the Saints, meaning by the time Eckert's team arrive in the West Midlands, West Brom could be in the bottom three.
Southampton almost threw a three-goal lead away at St Mary's in the reverse fixture. A late rally almost salvaged a point for the Albion, with the Saints failing to deal with some high balls into the box.
Anybody who knows football will be aware that matches against teams near the foot of the table are often the most difficult. What appears to be an easy game on paper, will be far from it in reality.
Coventry City - Saturday 14th March - Coventry Arena
The leaders have stumbled since holding Southampton to a 1-1 draw at St Mary's while down to 10 men, although they have regained their form of late.
Four wins on the bounce, in the Championship has taken Frank Lampard's side five points clear at the top of the table, making them clear favourites for automatic promotion.
Southampton will travel to the Coventry Building Society Arena more in hope than expectation.
Norwich City - Wednesday 18th March - St Mary's Stadium
This is another potential banana skin on Southampton's quest to get into the play-offs. Norwich have climbed out of the relegation zone and pulled themselves clear under Philippe Clement since.
The Canaries were on song in the December fixture at Carrow Road, beating the Saints 2-1 in a match that pre-empted the Saints' festive slump.
Tonda Eckert's side won't take anything for granted against a middle-of-the-table club who have only pride and contracts to fight for this season.
Oxford United - Saturday 21st March - St Mary's Stadium
After falling behind at the Kassam Stadium on Boxing Day, Southampton quickly got themselves back on level terms at Oxford. They should have gone on to win a match that they controlled.
Oxford's winning goal in the dying minutes knocked the stuffing out of a Southampton side struggling for form.
Things should be different by the time Oxford arrive at St Mary's, and the fight may already have gone out of Matt Bloomfield's team.
If Southampton can take 7-9 points from these four games, their play-off hopes should still be alive. Anything less and it could become very difficult indeed.