Southampton manager Russell Martin admits problems after set piece specialist coach had left 4 months back

Saints hired specialist coach Andreas Georgson at the start of last season but did not replace him directly after he departed four months into the role. They conceded the fewest goals (seven) from set-pieces in the Championship last campaign while also ranking high on many other key metrics. Yet no team has conceded more from dead balls than their seven in the Premier League - including Saturday's 98th-minute Leicester City winner. Saints have now called on the expertise of a set-piece consultant, the Daily Echo understands, and had been waiting until recent weeks for his work permit.  However, Martin has urged his staff to continue improving their records and pointed to individual errors that are currently proving costly.  "We have fewer attacking set pieces now but we've been good in the last few games. We've hit the woodwork and should score a few more goals," said Martin. Understand Saints have brought someone into a set-piece consultant-style staff role in recent weeks to address that. No detail on who but club had to wait on them gaining work permit. More from Russell Martin on set-pieces in general tonight but not a radical overhaul.#SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) October 24, 2024 "Defending set plays - we can go to Arsenal against the best team and defend amazingly well, for a lot of set plays because we're under pressure. "It's one on Saturday and one against Ipswich that kills us. There were a few second-phase problems early on in the season but we have sorted that out. "The ones against Ipswich and Leicester we have to look at because it's people that come on to the pitch that don't quite do the right job. "Maybe tension takes over and they think they're going to help the team doing something else but you just need to stick to the detail at that point. "We have a look at everything including that in the same way we do with every area of the game so it's frustrating and it's annoying that it's hurt us again. "We will have to take responsibility for that but we have an analyst defensively and an attacking analyst as well and then a consultant that helps out. "Nothing's really changed in terms of the process of it and I'd say we do more work on it now than we ever have done. "I think the two moments we're talking about have really hurt us are down to game management and not detail of the set piece or a lack of work." Ian Wright on set-piece coaches: “Southampton don’t have one and look at what’s happened. If it’s good enough for Pep Guardiola to have one to close the margins then everyone should have one, and Southampton should bloody have one,” via @WeAreTheOverlap.#SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) October 24, 2024 Saints saw fit to hire former Arsenal and Brentford coach Georgson in August 2023 but the Swede departed by Christmas for a management job. Assistants Matt Gill and Colin Calderwood oversaw set-pieces for the rest of the Championship season as Saints were best in class in the division. Meanwhile, Sport Republic co-founder Rasmus Ankersen had been an early pioneer in detailed set-piece analysis with FC Midtjylland and Brentford. Amid new struggles, Martin has not ruled out bringing in a new specialist set-piece coach but played down the suggestion it was essential.  "I think we're always open to it but it needs to be the right person," said Martin. "It needs to be someone good enough to come in and convince the players. I'm really happy with the coaches we have to deliver it. "Andreas left not late into the season and it's the same people that were doing it last season. We did it well so we have to just keep working to try and improve."