Ahead of this weekend's Premier League meeting, Tottenham manager José Mourinho has been speaking of similar frustrations to the ones highlighted recently by Ralph Hasenhüttl, following an usually short pre-season period which has left certain players short of match fitness.
Spurs are contending with Europa League matches as well as domestic commitments, and will be entering Sunday's tie having travelled back from Bulgaria in the week.
Saints, comparativley, were on home soil but are yet to reach the level of performance witnessed in the nine games post-lockdown - where the St Mary's side finished third in the mini form table, behind the two Manchester clubs.
"I read Ralph's comments after the game with Brentford and I could sense that my words are very similar to his," Mourinho commented. "Lots of players are not yet at the top of their game or condition.
"The pre-season was not great. We are using these matches for the evolution of the players and the team. The reality is we are playing for big things, so when you lose a match in the Premier League you lose three points. It is difficult to manage. In this moment to prepare is to recover.
"For me, the best image of Ralph as a person is to look at what happened with that incredible home defeat against Leicester, but they stick together as a club, him and the board, him and the players.
"Of course they will be waiting for us with everything they've got to try and get a result."
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