Lack of Saints strikes concern for Puel

Southampton manager Claude Puel insists now is the time for his strikers to deliver the goods after suffering yet another blank at the hands of Sparta Prague on Thursday night.

Europa League games on the road have not been kind for the Saints, failing to score in any of their three matches, something which has left them teetering on the cusp of group-stage elimination.

That, added to 12 goals in as many Premier League games, is quickly becoming a cause for concern at St Mary’s, with Charlie Austin’s eight strikes the highest in all competitions so far.

But with Shane Long without a goal in 13 club matches and Jay Rodriguez looking a shadow of his old self since returning from injury, rumours have started circulating for Daniel Sturridge to make a shock switch from Liverpool in January.

Yet with Nathan Redmond also on his books, Puel is keen to work on the options currently at his disposal, looking to restore the verve that saw Saints finish sixth last season under Ronald Koeman.

Shane Long (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

“It’s important to develop our strikers, our offensive players,” insisted Puel. “They need to improve on the acquaintance between the players and set attack with good movement and good run.

“It’s not important to think about other players – I like to develop my own players.

“Now is not the time [to talk about transfers] because the transfer market is not open. All we can read or listen to is just speculation.

“I am happy with my squad. I want to keep my players, of course, and not to find other players. It’s important to continue the work – to improve and to develop the team. All this, for me, is speculation.”