Russell Martin admits it is “incredibly painful and embarrassing” that his Southampton side have picked up just five points from their opening 15 Premier League games.
The Saints won promotion to the top flight last season via the play-offs but found the step up in quality too much, winning just one game – against strugglers Everton.
Individual mistakes have hampered the Saints’ progress, but Martin remains confident there are better times ahead.
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Speaking ahead of Sunday afternoon’s game against Tottenham at St. Mary’s, said: “We should not be in the grades we are. It is incredibly painful and embarrassing to be at five points – we should have more.
“But there were a few too many mistakes and a few too many moments where we didn’t get it right.
“We’ve had disappointments in games and setbacks but we have to keep trying to grow – grow as a team, grow individually and prepare the players for those moments that are difficult and find ways to cope emotionally.
“But they’re getting bigger and better and they’re so competitive.”
Martin knows what Postecoglou is going through
Martin has been criticized for his style of play with several of the aforementioned mistakes stemming from his insistence on playing from the back.
Sympathy, then, for his opponent this weekend, Ange Postecoglou, who has also been accused of stubbornness in refusing to budge from his all-out attacking philosophy.
Martin added: “I get criticized for the same thing, for being stubborn and all that, but if you believe in something and it’s taken you a certain way in life, then to deviate too much from that is crazy.
“I can’t speak for him, but we are also adapting. We adapt shape, approach, personnel but with the same consistency in what is important to us, with the same concept of the game. We can’t deviate too much from that or we become nothing, really.
“Everyone is quick to criticize these days and I have a lot of respect for him.”
It’s good to be different from the norm – Martin
Martin believes the different approaches improve the game, even if they leave coaches open to skepticism when results fall.
“People only criticize those who are a little bit different from the norm,” he said. “Well, if we all believed the same thing, it would be pretty boring, but we’d be less open to criticism.
“I watched (Postecoglou’s) Celtic team a lot, they were excellent. They received so much praise for being so brave and aggressive. He did a great job, won many trophies and played in the Champions League.
“He goes to Spurs and starts so well, so when the results are good, nobody questions his style or his beliefs or his belief system. Then, the moment he starts to falter, he’s always under it.”
