Saturday’s visit from Leeds United threw up a mixed bag from a Saints perspective but, importantly, the after taste was one of positivity and a step in the right direction. Matt Watts again gives us his take on the sittuation
As fans we have no choice but to accept manager Ralph Hasenhuttl’s utter determination to his plans through means he may only give a little when absolutely necessary - he won’t give it all.
By this I mean he had clearly noted and listened to the outpouring of disbelief at his selection and tactics at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend - it was evident to all onlookers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and he had no choice.
As a result, in came Armel Bella-Kotchap, Moi Elyounoussi, Stuart Armstrong and Che Adams. However, as mentioned, when he gives he can’t give it all, hence the rigid belief in the 5-3-2 formation (5-2-2-1 with Adams as the lone striker).
It was a start though and, at the very least, some recognition of the failings of last weekend. However, it meant some of the frailties still existed - weakness at the back and a lack of any real threat down the wings or up top.
Given the mounting pressure of one win in 14 games going into the game, plus a record of 35 goals against and nine for, the Austrian knew he had to act when he found his side trailing by two goals after 60 minutes.
Cue, at long, long last, an acceptance of the need to change tactics and personnel.
Astonishingly, this happened within a minute of the second goal being conceded, with the introductions of Adam Armstrong and Joe Aribo on 61 minutes and Sekou Mara on 70 minutes - with Mara replacing a centre back in Jan Bednarek.
This signalled a change to what I would prefer to call a 4-3-3 with Armstrong, Adams and Mara up front supported by Aribo (my personal preference and what it looked at times), but to be strictly accurate a 4-2-2-2.
The impact, regardless, was significant, with Armstrong and Aribo combining for the ex-Rangers man to pull a goal back on 72 minutes.
Then, just nine minutes later, a sublime piece of skill from Frenchman Mara led to a through ball carving the Leeds defence open for Kyle Walker-Peters to drill home the equaliser.
It then looked at though Saints could use the momentum to win the game, with a stinger from Mara only just kept out by Leeds’ keeper Illan Meslier. Last week Hasenhuttl suggested Mara’s short settling in period prior to the defeat at Spurs was the reason for his exclusion - he looked confident and competent enough to me just a week later.
As always I like to spend some time analysing the manager’s thoughts and one thing that stood out to me was his reference to the formation and personnel changes.
"You have to go all in at such a moment. And the team, although we had very, very tough temperatures today, they were flying in the end and trying everything to win this game,” he said.
The argument here for me would be why the team would not be structured appropriately to be flying and trying to win the game from the outset, providing much more opportunity to hold the balance of power in the game - particularly at home - and aim for, or work towards, a comfortable victory.
When asked if the final 20 minutes would provide inspiration from this point onwards, he said: "Sure, we'll have to, but we also have to see why we are again, conceding goals. But I think the first half was very equal. We had, I think, some good moments, some good opportunities also but it was very tactical. But when you are two goals down then you go for everything.”
The mindset seems wrong to me. Conceding goals with a formation that leaked four the previous week would suggest there is an issue there, while going for everything at two goals behind is not where you want to be.
As I referenced earlier, it was a mixed bag for Saints but ultimately ended on a more upbeat note - the question will now be if Hasenhuttl can use it appropriately and take the positives and the evidence, rather than philosophy, into the trip to Leicester.
However, it is a starting point and it hopefully bodes well. Despite the gripes, it is one of the more rare occasions we have seen the manager act both prior to the game and swiftly within it.
It has also maybe demonstrated that, for all his emphasis on complicated systems and processes and inventive use of players, reverting back to simple and straightforward approaches can reap rewards.
There is much work to do but if the club can add some further reinforcements at the back and a striker before the close of the transfer window, we may feel there is some light at the end of the tunnel after a poor run going back to last season.