Ryan Fraser demands Southampton FC reset before play-offs

Saints are coming to the end of a gruelling Championship run which will see them play 10 games in just 36 days.

Russell Martin's side have only won three of their last nine Championship fixtures, most recently losing three on the spin.

"The mood in the dressing room is not good," Fraser conceded after Southampton's 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Saturday.

"I think it's something that us players are going to learn from. The last four weeks haven't been great.

"All of us can admit that. None of us have been at the levels we should be at. There is going to be a reset now.

"This will be the first week of training we have had. People might say it won't make a difference, but it makes a big, big difference.

"It'll be competitive because everyone needs to be fighting for their place. Everyone needs to have a reset."

READ MORE: Adam Armstrong named Southampton's Player of the Season

Fraser wants his teammates to take time to assess their own performances in order to improve before the playoffs.

"We all need to have a look in the mirror, myself included and ask ourselves, 'What am I going to bring to the next four games? How am I going to push to get into that team?'

"We're all going to be working hard. Everything's going to be preparation for next week because that atmosphere at Elland Road is going to be huge.

"We need to take that hard work into the playoffs."

As Fraser pointed out, Southampton have blown two chances to reassert themselves on the automatic promotion race while their rivals have continued to drop points.

The 25-time Scotland international is keen for his teammates to put their recent disappointment behind them before next month's playoff campaign. 

Ryan Fraser was downcast after Southampton's defeat at Cardiff City (Image: PA)

"We can't be known as a team that is going to falter at the wrong time," he said. "We're going to come together, look at ourselves as a team and give everything for this club.

"You could look at the playoffs as a new three-game tournament. None of the season matters anymore.

"We can start taking confidence from this massive week of training. We haven't had much training recently because it's all been about recovery.

"We've got big characters in the dressing room and that's what it's going to take. Some of the boys are going to need arms around the shoulders. 

"There will be times when it's not going to be great but we just need to stick together."

Although Southampton have ended the regular season on a down note, the Newcastle loanee drew attention to this campaign's positive moments.

Saints could still reach 87 points, just one point fewer than they achieved during the 2011-12 promotion season.

Ryan Fraser wants Southampton to remember the good times (Image: PA)

They also set a new unbeaten record when they went 25 games without defeat between late September and mid-February.

"It's hard to remember those moments after a defeat, but the gaffer is really good at reminding us that we have had a really good season.

"There have been a lot of positives to take from this year and there are a lot of positives we can take into the next couple of weeks.

"But when it comes down to crunch time, we're going to have to do what it takes to win."