RED-HOT frontman Che Adams admits he does feel an added responsibility among the club's strikeforce this season in the absence of Danny Ings, insisting: "It's up to me to help them."
Adams, 25, has been in fine form in recent weeks.
His goal in defeat at Norwich City on Saturday was the striker's fifth in six outings for club and country, having also struck in wins for Scotland over Moldova and Denmark earlier this month.
Adam Armstrong was signed up from Blackburn Rovers after Ings left to join Aston Villa, but has just two goals to his name in his 12 appearances for Saints so far.
Shane Long has been limited to just three substitute outings across league and cup, while 20-year-old Armando Broja and academy graduate Nathan Tella are inexperienced in the Premier League.
That often leaves Adams as the most senior, experienced striker in a starting line-up for a Saints side which so often previously looked to Ings to save the day.
Like Armstrong, Adams arrived from the Championship to Saints in a £15million deal. He infamously took 30 matches to break his duck for the Hampshire club.
But having now settled into Premier League life, the Leicester-born ace is keen to pass on his advice to his fellow strikers.
Asked if he feels added responsibility this season with Ings no longer at the club, Adams told the Daily Echo: "Yeah, you could say that.
"Obviously it’s difficult to say, because I feel so young as well at the same time.
"But I mean, I’ve been in this league for a couple of years now and it’s up to me to help them – help Armando and help Adam as to what happened to me and where I went wrong."
Reflecting back on his difficult early months at Saints, the former Birmingham City man added: "I think it was just about being too up tight.
"I think it’s just being patient because my mind was so set on scoring goals and being so anxious on doing that, that’s where I went wrong.
"I was snatching at things where I should’ve been just relaxed.
"It’s easy to say now, but now I can look back and say where I went wrong.
"But I think that was definitely something I was thinking about."
Asked if he speaks to Armstrong about some of his recent misses in front of goal, Adams said: "It’s difficult because obviously I don’t want to sound too patronising, because Adam has done it in the Championship.
"But obviously I’ve been in that situation and I know Adam can score goals.
"He’s experienced as well and as a striker you’re always going to have these chances, but people always remember the ones you miss."
At this stage last season, Saints had scored 24 goals from their 12 league matches. This campaign they have just 11, with only Norwich (7) having netted fewer in the top flight.
Discussing the side's lack of goals this campaign, Adams said: "We’re getting into the right places to score, but we’re not doing that.
"We just have to be patient, keep doing what we’re doing because we’re getting into those areas where we can score and we can hurt the defence and we’re just not putting the finishing touch on it.
"So I think it’s just a matter of being patient and self-belief."
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