Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl believes Leeds have obvious weaknesses to exploit as he seeks to disrupt the honeymoon period of long-term associate Jesse Marsch.
Saints travel to West Yorkshire on Saturday hoping to end a three-match losing streak in the Premier League, while their hosts have pulled away from immediate relegation danger courtesy of back-to-back wins under their new manager.
Hasenhuttl, who is well acquainted with Marsch having each had coaching stints within the Red Bull stable, has been impressed with the American’s impact since replacing the sacked Marcelo Bielsa but insists things are far from perfect at Elland Road.
“I think we shouldn’t forget that at the end of the Bielsa time they had a lot of injury problems,” said Hasenhuttl.
“So it’s not a coincidence that now that that they have a few players coming back it’s getting better and better.
“The question is always how long it changes and how fundamental the changes are and how good they’re working in the longer term.
“You don’t know if it’s the right thing what you have done after two or three months. You learn after two or three years if it was the right way to go.
“But the first fruits are good and it’s on us to show the weakness they still have because you can see that not everything is perfect with what they are doing.”
Marsch visited Hasenhuttl at RB Leipzig during the 2016-17 campaign when he was managing New York Red Bulls.
Following Hasenhuttl’s move to St Mary’s in December 2018, the 48-year-old became assistant manager of the German club under Ralf Rangnick before returning for a brief stay in the top job at the start of this campaign after a spell with Red Bull Salzburg.
“He’s an outstanding character, he’s very close to the players,” Hasenhuttl said of Marsch.
“It is not so easy to start in a German-speaking country but I think the step he made was absolutely good: with Salzburg, then Leipzig and now to the Premier League. It’s the right way to go.
“We know each other and you can see this RB history and you can see a few typical habits in our play.
“He has found a team that suits him with his way of playing football and this is the reason why he has had a good impact with this team.”
Southampton won the reverse fixture 1-0 in October, with on-loan Chelsea forward Armando Broja hitting the winner to claim his first Premier League goal on his maiden top-flight start.
The Slough-born Albania international has gone six league games without a goal and Hasenhuttl has urged his top-scorer to strive for consistency.
“When you come in as a new player, you surprise everybody with the qualities you have,” said Hasenhuttl.
“But in the Premier League they (clubs) are not stupid. They look at you and they know what are your qualities very quickly and then they know how to defend and then you have to adapt your game and then you get better.
“It’s not enough to concentrate on your few strengths or weapons you have. You have to get rid of your weaknesses and then you become more complete and a better player.
“We see different Brojas. He has to learn to deliver consistently. This is why he is here and why he should take this time here to learn.”
