Defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis insisted Saints “need to get better” at tactical fouls but is pleased with the signs shown in pre-season.
Saints have stood up to hard tackles during pre-season friendlies against Montpellier and Getafe, while tension boiled over against Lazio.
Harwood-Bellis pointed out the importance of committing fouls to prevent counter-attacks in the Premier League and hopes everyone at the club can continue to improve that side of the game.
Southampton committed 8.85 fouls per 90 minutes last season, a figure which sits below the league Championship average of 9.85.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Harwood-Bellis explained how Southampton’s tight-knit group will serve them well in the Premier League.
He said: “I think it’s a tight group to be fair. I think you can ask anyone in the squad, it’s just a tight group.Taylor Harwood-Bellis joined Saints permanently this summer
“There’s a few car schools to be fair. It’s a really good group. There’s not one bad egg in there and everyone works hard for each other.
“I think you can tell with the way we’re playing in pre-season. I think we lacked a bit of it last season.
“Not the togetherness but the fouls on counter-attacks and just being a bit more together on the pitch and helping your mate out.
“I think this pre-season has been really, really good for that and hopefully, it’ll carry on. It was something that the gaffer pointed out last season that we need to get better at.
“It’s going to be important. Obviously, I’m not talking about reckless fouling. Just the fouls in the right areas where you’re going to stop counter-attacks and stuff like that.
“We still need to get better at it. I think we will. It’s something we’ll work on and it’s played out in pre-season.”
Speaking at the Southampton fans’ forum, Martin added: “I think the biggest message to the players from day one of pre-season is to do with the style of play.
“People that don’t watch us will make the lazy assumption that we are nice and we’re soft, a bit fluffy and all that stuff. Actually, we weren’t last season and we’re not.
“I just don’t ever want that to be the perception of one of my teams, of our team and our club that we are just going to play nice football and be nice.
“So maybe it’s been a bit borderline at times in pre-season, but I’d much rather we went over the line and be nowhere near it.
“I think we might have to accept that sometimes it’s going to be a bit scary but I think we need to be clever. We have guys who are experienced that will help the lads manage games.”
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