Southampton state case in automatic promotion race

Southampton captain Jack Stephens has played 242 times for the club [Getty Images] Southampton's win on Saturday against West Ham United made it clear just how serious and qualified they are to push for automatic promotion this season. If it was not for their four point deduction at the start of the campaign then Tonda Eckert's side would be second in the Championship table. Their seven wins in 12 league matches have them sixth in the standings and three points off Swansea in second. What started out as a siege mentality at the club after the summer and the Spygate scandal has developed into some real momentum , with Saints currently playing some of the best football in the division. On Saturday they caught the Hammers out at the London Stadium, scoring twice in the opening 11 minutes with a fast start that ultimately helped them to win the game. Former Southampton midfielder Jo Tessem believes that a recent switch in recruitment strategy is responsible for their upturn in performances on the pitch. The club previously signed promising young players like Romeo Lavia and Mateus Fernandes with the hope that they could develop before then being sold for a profit - which both were. By contrast, permanent signings this summer such as Cyle Larin (31), Keven Schlotterbeck (29) and James Ward-Prowse (31) have all had an immediate impact on the squad and came straight into the starting side. "From my career, the teams that I have been successful in have had experienced football players in them," Tessem told BBC Radio Solent. "Without a doubt you need young players coming through but you can't play with a full team of young players. Experienced players take things like training to another level. "To be successful you need an experienced core in the team as they will demand more from you and are mentally more ready for what's to come. Southampton now have this in their team. "Having this is crucial if you are to be successful, as they make up the back bone of the team." Bree scores stunner as Southampton beat West Ham Spygate put me in a difficult position - Spors Eckert's smaller squad gamble [Getty Images] After Saturday's victory in East London, Eckert revealed how he and the recruitment department assembled their squad over the summer. The German coach shared that his current group of 25 players have been chosen carefully as a compact squad, which he believes will give them the best chance of returning to the Premier League. Last season, 36 players made at least one Championship appearance for Saints, with Eckert taking over in November. This campaign is only 12 games old but Eckert has used just 23 players in the league, one of whom is Ben Brereton-Diaz who has since left the club on loan. "We've taken a decision very consciously at the start of the season to go into this campaign with a very small squad," Eckert told BBC Radio Solent. "That always means that injuries might hurt you at some moments, but at the same time you have the chance for some players to step up. "Everyone knows that the time comes at some point to make sure that you are ready and that's been very important for this block of games, and it will remain important if we are to play for something big this season." Latest Southampton news and analysis