Saints mustn’t sack Adkins, but something has to change

If it wasn’t for the poor form of Queens Park Rangers, Southampton would be bottom of the Premier League, that’s a fact. After taking four points from their first nine games of the season, the return to the top tier in English football hasn’t gone exactly to plan for Saints fans.

On top of that, the South Coast club have conceded a worrying 26 goals in the process which, prior to the 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, had seen Saints concede the most goals, with 24, in Premier League history.

Any Saints fan that told you they weren’t concerned by the form of the club would be lying. To see their side performing the way they are would see any supporter wiping the sweat from their brow; worried about the current displays on show at the St Mary’s Stadium.

It has seen manager Nigel Adkins come under increased pressure to improve his side’s domestic form, with many bookies installing him as an early favourite to be the first manager to be sacked. Yet, while Saints may be underperforming, it’s vital the board stick with their manager.

The fans appear to be behind Adkins as he looks to secure his second Premiership win of the season, starting with a tough trip to West Bromwich Albion on Monday night. Yet, something must be done, and soon, to address the club’s poor defensive record.

It is this record that will, unless corrected, see Saints relegated come next May and all the hard work that has been done to secure back-to-back promotions would come undone. While Adkins may not be feeling the pressure just yet, it is pivotal he works to improve the clubs fortunes on the pitch otherwise he runs the real risk of preparing for life in the Championship next season.

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