Martin details how Southampton can use international break to improve

Southampton have nearly two weeks until they are back in league action against Manchester United on Saturday, September 14.

Deadline day arrivals Ryan Fraser and Maxwel Cornet will have a chance to get up to speed with the tactical demands.

Martin confessed the break will allow Saints to work in areas that are more difficult to focus on between games.

He told the Daily Echo: "We will balance it the best way we can. We have a big squad and we'll be left with a lot of players still.

Russell Martin is disappointed by the Premier League schedule (Image: PA)
"Some people need to really work. Some people need a bit of a balance of rest and work. We'll do a lot of work with them in their units and individually.

"We will cross our fingers that the guys who are going away come back fit and ready. We will show them and reinforce some of the brilliant stuff they've done over three games.

"There's a lot of it and some of the stuff that's hurt us. That's the process and they'll be part of that.

"I wish there was a game next week but there's not. So now I'm looking forward to getting to work on the training pitch. That's the best part of the job."

Ryan Fraser is hoping to use the international break to get up to speed (Image: Southampton FC)
He added: "We can't work fluidly as a team but we can do a lot of work which is hard during the season, especially physically.

"We can get some tactical work, position-specific work for guys that have just come into the building or still need a bit of that.

"I mean the fact we have three breaks one after the other, I don't like that. I don't know, the schedule must be difficult but I just don't like that.

"It's really difficult to build any momentum but I think every team has to deal with that right. So we'll work as hard as we can during the break.

"They'll also have a little bit of rest as well because we'll all need that. It's a long, hard season.

"I think it'll be a really important period actually for one or two of the players to really get some work in and come back and be ready in a better place than they were."