From the Boardroom - David Gold

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I know this has been a difficult spell for everyone connected with the Club, but we must remain positive and stay optimistic.

We improved the squad and expected to perform better. We have had injuries but some of them are close to coming back and it will give everyone a lift.

We will have some of our key players back after the international break and there will be great competition for places.

Aaron Cresswell and Andy Carroll are not far away and we also have Andre Ayew and Diafra Sakho who are not too far behind them.

These are all big players and it will lift the players and the fans to see them back in action.

I am optimistic that we will see a massive effort from the players to win the game on Saturday and the players know they have under-performed.

This is a good squad of players and when I look at the team that will be named at the weekend, I know the quality that will be on show.

You just believe that any moment the ball will run for us and we will get the result to turn our season around.

I keep remembering the first 40 minutes against Watford and we looked superb until they scored the first goal.

That was the kind of performance I remember seeing on a regular basis last season and that is what all the fans would love to see against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

I know Mark Noble was very honest in his assessment of the Southampton performance straight after the game and he doesn't hide from anything.

I admire his passion and honesty and I know that he will be working his socks off with the other players to put things right.

This is not the place they wanted to be in at this stage and it is about pride and wanting to get out of the bottom three.

The fans have stayed resilient through difficult times and this is our hour of need. We need them more than ever now to stay behind the team.

With over 50,000 fans inside London Stadium, I have no doubts they will make it a special atmosphere and they will be an integral part of our recovery.