Southampton's Martin has one big problem ahead of Championship finale

It is not the fact they must play 10 games in 36 days - although that is not ideal either - as momentum could be massive. 

He has no issue with scoring goals, as Saints average more than two a game with a front three of enviable quality and experience. 

There is also depth all over the pitch with two players of evidenced reliability in almost every single position.

The issue is a lack of clarity on what his best defence should look like - and that might mean benching the club captain. 

Martin does not want to do that and has altered how the team build-up to accommodate Jack Stephens in the last month. 

"It is about getting certain players in," Martin recently explained when asked why he has fiddled with what was a reliable back four.  

Saints did not concede twice in a league game from the end of October to mid-February

"At the moment, this team needs Jack in it," he said previously, speaking after the 2-1 home defeat against Millwall.

The first point I feel compelled to make is that Stephens has played well on an individual basis in the games he has come on. 

He shows what Martin wants in being brave playing out the back and driving into midfield in a John Stones-style role. 

Watching Stephens makes me wonder if Martin looks at him as the style of defender he wishes he was allowed to be.

The boss often comments how he never got to play this way, caveating that with the suggestion he would not have been good enough anyway. 

Stephens is also in the team for his leadership - the decision to elect him as the next club captain was made within days of Martin's arrival. 

"My half-time team talk was made loads easier by what he said to the players in the dressing room before I got in there," Martin said. 

Jack Stephens has made 170 appearances for Saints

That was after the chaotic 4-3 win at Birmingham City the outing before last, with Saints 2-1 down at the break. 

However, with all that being said, Stephens is simply not as good a defender as Jan Bednarek or Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

He has racked up 170 appearances for Saints and would start for almost every Championship side so it is not that much of a slight.

But the Polish international and England's under-21s captain are two of the best in the entire division in their natural positions. 

This season, Saints have allowed 0.92 expected goals against per game in the nine matches with Stephens playing 60 minutes or more. 

The number rises to 1.06 in the games he has played no part in, indicating an increase in the amount and quality of chances conceded. 

Martin may also be influenced by the fact that Stephens did not play a minute in games against Bristol City and Hull City. 

These are the recent defeats in which the boss likely feels his team shrunk and were beaten by a braver group of men. 

Flynn Downes missed the defeats versus Bristol City and Hull City through injury (Image: Stuart Martin)

This does not factor in the absence of Flynn Downes, which meant reduced protection of the back four that did start.

Now the West Ham loanee is back, Martin can play the same back four and midfield six that largely saw the side 25 unbeaten.

The obvious question is why change something that has been proven to work? It is a long-term effect of missing Downes for those games. 

There will be at least one big decision made for the visit of Middlesbrough on the return of football after the international break. 

Kyle Walker-Peters will be fit meaning Martin will have Stephens, Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis and Ryan Manning to select three from.

Kyle Walker-Peters is expected back to face Middlesbrough on March 29 (Image: Stuart Martin)

One of Manning and Stephens are most likely to be on the block but the decision could offer clarity for the run-in. 

Martin did withdraw his captain after 70 minutes against Sunderland in favour of a traditional right-back in James Bree. 

Bednarek could make Martin's life easier as he is set for a two-match ban if he gets booked against Middlesbrough.

Should the 27 year old escape a 10th yellow card in that fixture, the threshold for a ban will increase to 15 bookings. 

It is an old Sir Alex Ferguson quote that attack wins you games and defences win you titles. 

The Championship's top two currently are the two teams with the best defensive record - Leeds United have conceded 19 fewer than Saints. 

Martin's side have shipped an unsustainable nine goals in their last four games - that is going to have to change.