THE summer signing of Ben Brereton Diaz looked certain to be a snip but most would opt for 14 million Freddos rather than his contributions so far.

The 25 year old did net a confident penalty in the Carabao Cup shootout at Everton and should have got off the mark with a spot-kick against Man United.

But instead, he has managed just one shot on target - a speculative backward header that was never going to threaten Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

Chilean international Brereton Diaz attracted interest from Villarreal for his performances and statistical output with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.

That move to the Yellow Submarine failed but he returned to England with Sheffield United for the second half of last season, scoring six goals in 14 matches.

Brereton Diaz scored on his Premier League debut and second league appearance for the Blades, who never got off the bottom of the league.

The first was a trademark Blackburn Rovers Brereton Diaz strike, cutting in from the left. The second was a rebound from a central position.

The final goal he scored was a penalty but the three prior were all first-time finishes from inside the box - precisely where Saints are not getting him.

The area from which Ben Brereton Diaz found the net last seasonThe area from which Ben Brereton Diaz found the net last season (Image: Wyscout) The area from which Ben Brereton Diaz found the net last seasonThe area from which Ben Brereton Diaz found the net last season (Image: Wyscout) The area from which Ben Brereton Diaz found the net last seasonThe area from which Ben Brereton Diaz found the net last season (Image: Wyscout)

He has largely been cast out to the left touchline. In the first two matches that was with nobody even playing through the middle at all.

Brereton Diaz has only averaged about four touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes so far for Russell Martin's Saints side. This is the key statistic. 

He is not receiving the ball enough in the areas in which he can be dangerous - nor is he carrying it there himself. 

Ben Brereton Diaz's positional heat map this seasonBen Brereton Diaz's positional heat map this season (Image: Wyscout)

It is not a matter of total isolation for the wide forward, though. He is receiving as many passes per 90 minutes as Mohamed Salah (27).

"I think just keep developing his understanding of why he needs to be where he needs to be at certain times," Martin insists.

Ben Brereton Diaz is still looking for his first Saints goalBen Brereton Diaz is still looking for his first Saints goal (Image: Stuart Martin)

"We've got a lot of players trying to learn and develop in a certain way whilst playing in the Premier League. It's not always easy.

"He's been here before but played very differently with a team that had a bit less structure in possession, so he had a bit more freedom to go there."

Martin continued: "But he's playing in a position now where he's scored a lot of goals for Blackburn. I've got no doubt he'll be fine."

It took Brereton Diaz just five minutes on his first friendly start to show St Mary's what he is capable of, cutting in from the left to beat Lazio's keeper.

He had two big chances in the Premier League opener - one with his head, and one goalbound shot from close range blocked behind for a corner.

Had he netted either of those - or been given the penalty missed by Cameron Archer three weeks later - maybe the narrative would be different.

It was against AFC Bournemouth where that narrative really turned against the summer signing, with some fans declaring that they had seen enough.

Upon rewatching his clips from that 3-1 defeat, Brereton Diaz almost made fairly a positive impact. But not when it came to impacting the opposition box.

Conceding possession in three of his first four progressive moves, including a failed backheel pass, set the lens for what supporters watched his efforts through.

Ben Brereton Diaz's failed backheel attempt frustrated supportersBen Brereton Diaz's failed backheel attempt frustrated supporters (Image: Wyscout) Ben Brereton Diaz's failed backheel attempt frustrated supportersBen Brereton Diaz's failed backheel attempt frustrated supporters (Image: Wyscout)

He twice tried but failed to find Archer with balls across the box before going as an unused sub for the first time in Saturday's clash at league-leaders Arsenal.

Ben Brereton Diaz moved across to the right for the end of the matchBen Brereton Diaz moved across to the right for the end of the match (Image: Wyscout)

Martin insisted: "We just need to stick with him and persevere and make sure he understands why he's doing what he's doing all the time.

"He is a talented player and he's probably really frustrated with himself. We have to be patient and understand in the same way we did our forward players last season.

"We were a little bit rigid and sticky and then by the end, we scored a lot of goals and a lot of fluid moments. I've got no doubt Ben will be brilliant for us."