Name: Russell Martin needs to start 30-year-old Southampton player for all play-off matches
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Russell Martin needs to start 30-year-old Southampton player for all play-off matches

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Southampton are in danger of seeing their season fizzle out.
The aim for this campaign was always a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Whilst the possibility of achieving this automatically has gone, they still have the opportunity to achieve their goal via the play-offs.
Worryingly, though, is that manager Russell Martin has seen his team’s form take a real nosedive recently.
Southampton have won three of their last nine league matches and have lost the last three in a row just as their automatic rivals had faltered.
In the midst of this three game run was the humbling 5-0 defeat at the hands of league-leaders Leicester City.
Whilst the 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Saturday had the feel of an end of season affair, Southampton have to find a way to pick themselves up ahead of the play-offs.
The Saints travel to Elland Road for the final game of the conventional season and a big performance against Leeds United could set them up well for their post-season clashes.
Martin rang the changes against Stoke, with key players such as Che Adams, Adam Armstrong, Jan Bednarek and Flynn Downes all starting on the bench.
This resulted in a disjointed performance, with a number of fringe players failing to impress.
21-year-old winger Samuel Edozie was the only real positive in an otherwise poor display, but the return of Downes off the bench will also give fans assurance ahead of the play-offs.
Ryan Fraser was another who was brought into the side.
The 30-year-old had not started a game since the 0-0 stalemate against Blackburn Rovers six games prior to the Stoke loss but took up his favoured position on the left-wing.
With Adams and Armstrong rested, this saw Sekou Mara come into the side as the central striker, with Edozie on the right.
David Brooks dropped into the midfield three in the position usually occupied by Stuart Armstrong but failed to make his mark in the new role.
Whilst Fraser did nothing extraordinary against Stoke, he gave a decent showing.
The Scotland international was name-checked by Martin post-match, as the Saints boss commented: “Ryan Fraser was good in parts”.
The man on loan from Newcastle United has spoken numerous times about his desire to earn a permanent move to the south coast side and his experience has been invaluable for a young group of players.
He has had an impact on the pitch too, with eight goals and three assists in all competitions according to Transfermarkt.
Fraser’s performances from the start of games have been somewhat hot and cold but he has had a big impact off the bench this campaign, scoring late winners against Hull City and Millwall having come on as a substitute.
With the season-defining play-off games approaching, Fraser will have a big role to play in guiding his younger teammates and the fact he has seen and done it all before will be hugely beneficial.
Martin will be keen to lean on his more experienced players in what will also be his first taste of play-off football as a manager, although the 38-year-old did win the play-offs as captain of Norwich City in 2015.
Given the recent poor form of Brooks, Martin may be best off trusting Fraser to come into the side to start the crucial play-off clashes.
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Southampton are in danger of seeing their season fizzle out.
The aim for this campaign was always a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Whilst the possibility of achieving this automatically has gone, they still have the opportunity to achieve their goal via the play-offs.
Worryingly, though, is that manager Russell Martin has seen his team’s form take a real nosedive recently.
Southampton have won three of their last nine league matches and have lost the last three in a row just as their automatic rivals had faltered.
In the midst of this three game run was the...

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Russell Martin needs to start 30-year-old Southampton player for all play-off matches

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