Southampton: Martin admits Archer needs more attack support

MANAGER Russell Martin hopes Southampton’s 1-0 win over Everton will give his players more confidence to gamble in the final third.

Saints secured their first victory of the Premier League campaign on Saturday thanks to Adam Armstrong’s late winner at St Mary’s.

The 27 year old’s 85th-minute strike followed several attacks which came to nothing due to Southampton’s forwards lacking support.

Cameron Archer raced through on goal on two separate occasions but was forced to shoot when while his teammates caught up.

Martin admitted the summer signing needs more support in the final third but insisted Saints will improve after going back to basics.

He told the Daily Echo: “You have to build off something. We stopped building up properly and playing out properly between playing Ipswich and Leicester here.

“When we got in front, there was tension and we stopped doing what makes us us. What gives us a bit of an advantage.

“We can’t just turn up and fight and roll our sleeves up. With the players we’re playing against, we have to have something to fall back on.

“We’ve gone back to trying to be the team we want to be with the ball. Then it’s building blocks again and we get to the final third and we’re playing.

“Ryan Manning’s out there and is doing a great job for us because he’s not a natural winger. Cam needs a bit more support than he’s getting.

“We’ll get there. That’s the process and we’ll show them the clips and we’ll try and learn from that. We got there (the box) a lot against Everton.

“We got there a lot on Tuesday (against Stoke City) and now we need a bit extra when we get there so it’s up to us to make sure we keep working.”

He continued: “I’m so pleased for Arma. He wouldn’t have scored if Cam didn’t run to goal. So they’re working together.

“It’s a brilliant run. But he wants to score and he’s a brilliant example of Arma attacking the goal. He had three chances at the back stick.

“The crosses just weren’t quite right and fizzed into him, but I’m so pleased for him and hopefully, he will kick on from there.”

Archer is Southampton’s top goalscorer this season having scored four goals across all competitions.

He hit a brace against Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup before scoring in the Premier League against Arsenal and Leicester City.

The 22 year old arrived at St Mary’s this summer from Aston Villa having spent last season with Sheffield United before being bought back by his boyhood club and sold to Saints.