"WE have a bit of a problem at 1-0 up," Saints manager Russell Martin admitted, speaking after his side let a lead slip at Huddersfield Town.
The St Mary's side remain nine Championship games unbeaten and although they missed a chance to go third, gained a point on the promotion race.
Leeds United were held to a 1-1 draw by Rotherham, while Ipswich Town - operating on a significantly smaller budget - lost and have failed to win three of their last four.
Once again, Saints exhibited almost complete domination of the ball in Yorkshire but were still vulnerable to the Huddersfield assault.
Their 78 per cent possession and 16 shots eclipsed the efforts of the injury-ravaged Terriers but it was still the hosts who looked most likely to win.
What merit does Martin's claim that his side struggles after making the first move have? How do they sort it out so as to not let it derail a promotion campaign?
Incredibly, Saints have scored the first goal in 13 of their 17 Championship fixtures this season, going on to win nine - some, just about.
Here is a reminder of all the fixtures in which they have scored first:
Matchday one: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Southampton
It took a late Che Adams winner (87') to claim three points after Wednesday's Lee Gregory (54') equalised during their only period of momentum in an otherwise comfortable tie.
Matchday three: Plymouth Argyle - 2-1 Southampton
The lead Nathan Tella gave Saints lasted just two minutes before Ryan Hardie equalised for the Pilgrims. Adams netted a late winner (94').
Matchday four: Southampton 2-1 QPR
Similarly to the previous weekend, Southampton's lead lasted just 120 seconds before Jack Colback (32') fired in from range.
Matchday eight: Middlesbrough - 2-1 Southampton
Looking to arrest a three-match losing run, Saints were cruising when Adam Armstrong opened (17') but a Riley McGree goal before half-time completely derailed them.
The visitors ended up with less possession than the hosts and significantly less expected goals, with Boro unlucky not to add a third on the break.
Matchday nine: Southampton 3-1 Leeds United
Arguably the most complete performance of the season, Armstrong and Will Smallbone goals in the first half blew the Whites away - although they were on top for the second half.
Matchday 10: Stoke City 1-0 Southampton
Saints earned their first clean sheet of the season for a deserved three points after Stuart Armstrong's free-kick (41') but did not kill the game off.
Matchday 11: Southampton 1-1 Rotherham
Once again, Saints were unable to kill the game off despite complete and utter domination against Rotherham. They were punished by a freak Jordan Hugill goal (74').
Matchday 12: Hull City 2-1 Southampton
Southampton's first-half lead lasted just five minutes at the home of serious playoff contenders Hull City before Ryan Fraser won it late (95').
Matchday 13: Preston 2-2 Southampton
Saints went into the break ahead at Deepdale but the home side's double salvo (52' + 55') was only negated by a last-minute Ched Evans own goal.
Matchday 14: Southampton 3-1 Birmingham City
Saints went two up for only a second time this season when Wayne Rooney's Birmingham City visited, and were comfortable for most of the occasion.
Substitute Jay Stansfield made it a nervy finish having made it 2-1 with one of his first touches but Adam Armstrong shored things up with another goal.
Matchday 15: Millwall 1-0 Southampton
Fraser's late strike (93') left no time for Millwall to respond. Second clean sheet of the season and a top defensive performance.
Matchday 16: Southampton 2-1 West Brom
Smallbone opened the scoring after just five minutes but Saints were unable to cut out any more clear opportunities before a Kyle Bartley equaliser (65').
Matchday 17: Huddersfield 1-1 Southampton
Lost control of the game in the second half despite taking the lead just before the break and were rightfully punished in the closing stages (87').
Although it is not the instruction to sit back and protect when leading in matches, WyScout stats suggest that is often the outcome.
Saints have been losing or drawing matches for significantly more minutes than they have been leading this season (1,191 to 618) but the numbers still paint a picture.
Saints average 0.45 expected goals, 4.43 shots on target, and 23.64 passes into the final third per 90' while winning so far this season.
When drawing or losing, those stats read 1.44 expected goals, 11.28 shots on target, and 42.94 passes into the final third.
Speaking at Huddersfield, Smallbone admitted: "For 45, 60 minutes we seem to put in a real good performance.
"To span that over the full game is something we need to strive towards and I believe we will over the next few games and weeks."
It is undeniable that Saints were not good enough after the break at Huddersfield, but the match stats do not support the suggestion they just looked to play around the back.
A significantly higher percentage of Southampton's attempted passes (28.5 per cent) in the second half at John Smith's Stadium were forward passes.
This compared to 23.65 per cent in the first period. Back passes and lateral passes made up 59 per cent of Southampton's attempted moves before the lead at the break.
After the interval, they made up 58 per cent. The major difference is the success rate of all progressive passes and passes into the final third.
The progressive pass success rate dropped from 89 per cent to 69 per cent between the two halves, and passes into the final third from 92 per cent to 79 per cent.
Martin commented: "The game was there for us. We had some brilliant moves in the first half and then we allowed the momentum to shift and the atmosphere to change.
“We became less brave. We were forcing things too much when we didn’t need to because the game was coming to us."
Saints also have not won any of the six games in which they have gone behind. At best, they rescued points against Norwich and Preston with last-gasp equalisers.
It could be that Martin is right regarding a potential mentality issue. In games that are comfortable, the foot is sometimes taken off the gas and that inspires the opposition.
Saints are still missing a clinical edge, with Che Adams misfiring since the transfer window shut and deadline day signing Ross Stewart still being edged back to fitness.
Former Blackburn Rovers hitman Armstrong has turned a corner with his finishing this season, netting 10 from just 6.68 expected goals.
The next top scorers are Adams and Smallbone with three each, and there are only seven more players at the club who have got on the scoresheet at all.
Leicester City, Leeds United and Ipswich Town - as well as others - all have multiple names at the top of the Championship scoring charts.
It is Martin's job to find a way to get his team to finish games off and make it more comfortable for themselves. But they are on a good run and no overreaction is needed.
Back-to-back home matches against Bristol City and Cardiff City represent a chance to land a third seven-point week of the season.
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