Southampton FC fans need to rethink Finn Azaz stance - Plymouth & Middlesbrough evidence is clear as day | OneFootball

Saints fans must show more patience with Finn Azaz to help him start producing, as demonstrated from his time at Plymouth and Middlesbrough.

Southampton have had quite a slow start to the new 2025-26 Championship season under Will Still.

The Saints were expected to be a force back in the Championship after their relegation from the Premier League, but have only picked up six points from their opening six league games.

They are winless since their last-gasp opening-day victory over Wrexham, drawing to Ipswich Town, Watford and Portsmouth as well as tasting defeat at home to high-flying Stoke City and most recently away at Hull City respectively.

It may take an extended period of time for the senior first-team figures to adjust to the methods that Still is looking to implement, particularly when 10 new players arrived on the South Coast this summer.

Finn Azaz’s poor start to life at Southampton

One of those is playmaker Finn Azaz, who moved to the South Coast from Middlesbrough for a reported fee of £12m, that could rise to £14m with add-ons.

So far, Azaz has done very little to justify such a sizeable price tag, with his early form drawing criticism on social media by Saints supporters, who are frustrated by his lack of impact in the final third so far this term.

But they should take a look back at his previous stints at Plymouth Argyle and Middlesbrough, with Azaz in the early days flattering to deceive in both stints, but coming good the longer he stayed under a regime.

Through this, some more patience should be offered to the playmaker to show how much of an influential asset he can be at St Mary's.

When Azaz signed on the dotted line to join Southampton on a four-year contract, a lot of expectation was placed onto his shoulders that he was going to be their creative talisman to help push them back to the Premier League.

There was some warning from Boro fans prior to his signing that he would be a frustrating player, and that has certainly played out over the first few weeks, as Azaz has been unable to justify his big-money move, while some Saints fans have taken to social media to voice their concerns.

Azaz has started all three league games he’s been available for, but has failed to record a single attacking contribution and has been substituted off in all of them, with this a key part to why the South Coast outfit haven’t tasted victory since their last-gasp opening weekend win over newly-promoted Wrexham.

The 25-year-old’s struggles have been demonstrated via FotMob, with some of his numbers sure to set alarm bells ringing in the Saints camp.

Azaz has only completed two successful dribbles, had 14 touches in the opposition box, been dispossessed six times and created only seven chances, numbers that should be much higher for a player of his quality.

Finn Azaz’s original struggles at Plymouth Argyle and Middlesbrough

What some Southampton supporters may not know is this isn’t the first time Finn Azaz has underwhelmed when joining a new club, with the attacking midfielder suffering similar misfortune when lining up for Plymouth Argyle and Middlesbrough in recent years.

When linking up at Home Park from Aston Villa back in 2022 and entering his maiden League One campaign, Azaz started off the season in electric fashion, registering six goals and three assists from his opening 13 league matches, but then an ankle injury disrupted his process and ruled him out for 10 matches.

On his return, Azaz would only score two more goals for the remainder of the term, unable to recapture the form that had made him a fan favourite on his arrival.

But when given time, the patience would be rewarded, as Azaz stepped up to Championship life with ease, recording seven goals and five assists from 26 second-tier matches, which saw Middlesbrough leap in and secure his signature on a permanent basis.

His opening stages to his Boro tenure are following a similar route as at Southampton, with Azaz mustering four goals and five assists from 20 matches, which was a solid tally, but his performances routinely didn't pass the eye test for many Teessiders, as Boro narrowly miss out on a play-off place under Michael Carrick.

But his second and first full season in Boro colours would see Azaz spring into life, as the Republic of Ireland international recorded a sensational 12 goals and 11 assists from 45 league appearances.

Southampton should show patience that Finn Azaz will come good

There was always going to be strenuous pressure on Azaz to immediately step up for Southampton due to his fantastic previous term, price tag and expectation for the club to be in the promotion mix.

But from his previous track record, it should be a reminder to Saints fans to give him time.

It isn’t particularly helpful that the team collectively aren’t playing well enough, but you have to factor in that this is the biggest move of his career, and he just needs to get off the mark to restore his confidence and begin firing on all cylinders again.