Southampton’s manager, Russell Martin, has disclosed the driving force behind his team as they strive to close the gap on the Championship’s leading teams. The Saints currently find themselves eight points behind the automatic promotion places held by Ipswich Town (45 points) and Leicester City (46 points).
Despite this, Southampton boasts an impressive 11-game unbeaten streak, the longest across all divisions in the Football League, a feat that Martin believes his players should take pride in. Reflecting on this achievement, he commended the team for bouncing back from four consecutive defeats and acknowledged the extraordinary nature of their accomplishment.
Martin emphasized the current motivation within the squad, emphasizing the challenge of pursuing three teams positioned above them, particularly when those teams maintain a consistent winning record. In a different season, Southampton’s current point tally might have placed them at the top or in second place, but the exceptional performances of Ipswich Town and Leicester City have set an unprecedented standard in Championship history.
The manager acknowledged the excitement generated by the pursuit of the top positions, emphasizing the need for Southampton to adopt a proactive and positive approach to stay in contention. He acknowledged the similarity in results with Leeds and stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum.
When questioned about the strategy of preserving the unbeaten run, Martin highlighted the difficulty of being the hunters rather than the hunted. He expressed his reluctance to adopt a defensive mindset, asserting that their focus is not on safeguarding the unbeaten streak but on approaching each game with an offensive and respectful attitude.
The upcoming match against Watford is seen as a challenging encounter, and Martin emphasized the team’s commitment to executing their game plan while respecting the opposition and remaining prepared for the required performance.
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