Matt Le Tissier, Southampton's greatest player in Premier League history, has hit back at fans' criticisms of the current situation on the South Coast.
The Saints have just one win in their last seven league encounters, but the retired forward turned TV pundit has turned to twitter in an attempt to encourage unhappy supporters to keep the faith in manager Claude Puel and his side.
Poor form continues
Excluding their qualification for the EFL Cup final with a monumental effort against Liverpool over two legs, Southampton's form in 2017 has been hideous. The combination of breathtakingly boring away performances in defeat to the likes of Swansea and Burnley, and home humiliations such as the FA Cup defeat to Arsenal has ensured that morale around St Mary's has plummeted.
The Saints' problems all over the pitch were showcased perfectly in their 3-1 defeat to West Ham at home last Saturday. Despite taking the lead, Puel's men's weakened defence and more questionable goalkeeping from Fraser Forster allowed the Hammers to come from behind to secure a comfortable victory.
Defence was far from the only issue though, with the hosts creating very few notable opportunities and, when a chance did come their way, they could not find the net, as has been the problem so often this season. The loss meant they slipped further down the table, and are now just a handful of points away from the relegation zone.
This latest defeat has only added to the feeling of frustration and unrest around the club, leading to many of the Southampton faithful demanding an end to the negative tactics, poor efficiency and terrible results under Puel.
Le Tissier slams fans
It was no surprise that following the West Ham defeat, Southampton fans once again turned to social media to vent their frustration at their side's poor form.
Le Tissier, an avid user of Twitter himself, addressed the concerns, tweeting that "some fans have been spoilt in recent years". Since the 2009/10 season, Southampton have improved on their league position each year but, after finishing sixth last season, that streak looks set to come to an abrupt end, as they are currently thirteenth.
Nevertheless, 'Le God', who spent his entire career in the red and white stripes and played in far worse sides than the Puel's team, accepted that the Saints "couldn't keep finishing higher every year", implying that fans need to acknowledge that his club's decline was inevitable.
More support needed
As well as calling for fans to adjust their expectations, Le Tissier emphasised the need for the support at St Mary's to improve. With the unrest growing by the week, the atmosphere at Southampton home games has mirrored their recent style of play; lifeless.
In another tweet, Le Tissier told the fans that they "all have to play a part" and that "you don't realise how much a great atmosphere can lift a player."
With their bad form pushing them closer and closer to a relegation battle, there is no denying that the Saints players need all the help they can get at the moment, and a bit more encouragement from the terraces could be the stimulus required to turn around their mediocre season.