Southampton’s reoccurring problems under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl will be starting to grate on the club’s supporters, according to journalist Tom Barclay.
The Saints are currently sitting in 15th position in the Premier League table after a tricky start to the campaign.
What problems do Southampton have?
Hasenhuttl’s charges are hovering just six points above the relegation zone after failing to win any of their last six matches, and things could get much worse as 18th-placed Burnley have two games in hand.
But their situation could be looking a whole lot more promising. The south coast club have taken the lead against Norwich City, Leicester City, Brighton and Crystal Palace in recent weeks, only to be pegged back for a draw on each occasion.
Their high-energy pressing style has caught the eye since Hasenhuttl’s arrival in December 2019, but repeated mistakes have plagued his tenure.
Southampton finished just outside the top half of the table in the Austrian tactician’s first full season at the helm after briefly topping the Premier League standings, yet they slipped to 15th last term.
Two 9-0 defeats have also become landmark moments in the former RB Leipzig boss's tenure, and their lack of progress is seemingly becoming a cause for concern.
With the St. Mary’s outfit arguably beginning to plateau, Barclay has hinted that fans may be becoming a little disillusioned with life under Hasenhuttl.
What has Barclay said about Hassenhuttl?
Addressing Southampton’s recent habit of throwing away leads, The Sun reporter claimed their issues may ‘start to grate’ among the fans.
He told GiveMeSport: “That sort of sums up what often seems to happen to Southampton. In the second half, they seem to fade with this all-energy style of play. And that's when their problems can arise.
“And as a fan, when you see the same problems happening not just game-on-game but year-on-year, that that does start to grate a little bit.”
Do Southampton need to improve soon?
Throughout his time at Southampton, Hasenhuttl has done a respectable job. He's managed to keep them in the top flight while working to a specific philosophy and never spending more than £15m on a single signing.
He lost a trio of important, experienced players last summer in Danny Ings, Jannik Vestergaard and Ryan Bertrand.
But Ings' replacement Adam Armstrong has found the back of the net just twice since joining from Blackburn Rovers, highlighting the issues that Hasenhuttl has faced.
With the highly-regarded head coach working with a relatively small squad, there are many reasons for Southampton’s issues that are out his control.
But the supporters will only have sympathy for reoccurring problems for so long.