Southampton managed to bounce back to win against Leeds United at the weekend after suffering four straight defeats.
Several former players have questioned Russell Martin’s possession-based football tactics, which saw Saints concede 12 goals in their four defeats.
Tessem believes that Martin needs to find a way to make his team move the ball forward and thinks playing over the top or in behind opposition defenders might be an option.
The former Southampton star stated that he sees nothing wrong with a possession-based team using long-ball tactics, as he pointed out that Premier League champions Manchester City play that way.
“I think he has the players; he has the formation; it’s just that it is so based on possession, but the possession is backwards and sideways”, Tessem said on BBC Radio Solent.
“If he can make that possession forward quicker and also use long balls, there is nothing wrong in possession-based football to play over the top or play wingers in behind; that is also good possession.
“Manchester City do it, so it should be good enough for Southampton.”
After their win over Leeds, Southampton have moved up to tenth place in the Championship table with 13 points from nine games.
