Why Southampton must not sack Will Still - there is one clear and obvious reason | OneFootball

Southampton's struggles this season have been down to poor finishing, which should ensure Will Still is given more time to turn things around.

When Southampton appointed Will Still as their new head coach in the summer, it was supposed to signal the start of a new exciting era after years of underachievement.

Instead, they sit 20th in the Championship, just three points above the relegation zone, having won just two games out of 12 in the second tier.

So, you can understand why fans are hugely frustrated at the state of the club, and why many feel that, even just a matter of months since his arrival, Still should be shown the door.

Will Still has been let down by poor Southampton finishing

There’s no denying that Saints' position is unacceptable, as they have far too much quality to be sitting near the relegation zone.

However, that doesn’t tell the whole story about how their campaign has gone, and, when you break it down, it’s easy to have a lot of sympathy for Still.

That’s because he has been let down by poor finishing, with Southampton having been better than many opponents they have come up against this season.

You only have to look at the table to see that the major problem for the south coast outfit is they are drawing too often, with 50% of their games having ended all square, which is the highest total in the division.

If they had turned just three of those into wins, it would change the outlook completely, as Saints would be a point outside the play-off places, and it’s highly unlikely that there would be any debate over Still’s future in that scenario.

Of course, fans ultimately only care about results, but there is enough evidence to suggest Southampton’s fortunes can change quickly.

As outlined above, finishing chances is a major issue, which is backed up by xG. The stats show that Still’s side should have scored 22 goals this season, but they have managed just 13.

That is the biggest underperformance in the league by some distance, and it’s hard to imagine that they will continue at such a rate. Generally, this will even itself out over the course of the campaign, and the fact Southampton are second for xG in the Championship is hugely encouraging.

Southampton players must develop a ruthless edge to turn their situation around

In many ways, it’s surprising to see Southampton in this situation, because Still has players who have proven themselves at this level over the years.

Adam Armstrong, who is Saints’ top scorer, has been guilty of missing some big chances, which is unusual given his ability in front of goal. Likewise, Cameron Archer has shown he can score goals in the Championship, but he only has one to his name.

Meanwhile, Finn Azaz was one of only two players to record double figures for goals and assists in the previous season, but he has just one apiece in Southampton colours.

Even the exciting Leo Scienza, who looks like a fantastic player, only has one league goal for the club, which doesn’t reflect his talent.

Given the quality, you would expect those individuals, and others in the squad, will find their form eventually, and they will start scoring goals on a regular basis.

Will Still deserves more time to get Southampton climbing the table

Some Saints fans will disagree with this stance, and there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to the value you put on data. But, as a club, it’s something Southampton look at, and the major point here is that it should give Still more time.

If nothing changes by Christmas, and the team is still underperforming, it can be argued that change is necessary, but 12 games is a tiny sample size in the bigger picture.

When the former Reims boss was appointed in the summer, it was in the belief that he could transform the club for the years to come.