At a midweek match against the Southern youth side, Fridge said he was looking for the players to ''show character, and a vast improvement on what was frankly a very disappointing performance against the Bay''.
The ultimatum switched Southern's senior side on to a blitzkrieg of seven goals at De Carle Park, but the acid test of improvement will be what quality will be shown tomorrow when Southern travels north yet again, to play Wanderers at Auckland's Seddon Field.
After encouraging early season wins over Canterbury and Waitakere, Southern has slumped to three consecutive losses, to Hawkes Bay, Wellington and the Phoenix reserves.
''The last thing I want is to go into the Christmas break on the back of four defeats,'' Fridge said.
''We have to recapture the work ethic and strategy of closing down the opposition, winning ball possession and using that ball possession to good effect.
"Not as we did against Hawkes Bay, where we passed poorly and repeatedly let them into the game.
''From the first game, I promised our supporters that we would work hard, and be a team that was hard to beat.
"We did that convincingly against Canterbury and Waitakere, and gained our rewards, but somehow, complacency has crept in, and we are not sticking to our game plan.''
Certainly, an under-strength Southern started well enough last week, when Tom Jackson scored after six minutes, and had what looked like a good second goal chalked off on the advice of a linesman.
But as Hawkes Bay improved, Southern lost its way and only goalkeeper Tom Batty showed true form.
''We have to get back to basics,'' said Fridge, who promised that there could be changes made in his starting XI this week.
However, there may be diminishing choice, since striker Jackson got a knock last week and had to be substituted.
Both he and defender Craig Ferguson - carrying a groin strain - sat out Wednesday's match, and unlucky Morgan Day injured an ankle in the game, and has already been ruled out for the weekend.
Chilean midfielder Eder Franchini Pasten lasted the pace midweek, and Alistair Rickerby, Tim McLennan, Jude Fitzpatrick and David Hayman are available for the Wanderers game.
Centreback Matt Joy has had his surgery, and possibly the mid-season break, byes and general time off might see the talented defender back in action early next year.
Wanderers are perched one slot ahead of Southern, in seventh place, in the ASB Premiership, having scored three more goals. The points tally is equal on six.
Under coach Darren Bazeley, a Wanderers team pulled together from a wider squad of players preparing for the 2015 Fifa Under-20 World Cup has beaten Waikato-BOP 3-0 and Canterbury 3-1.
In the national youth league game at Tahuna Park tomorrow, Southern United and Canterbury United contest the southern derby.
Southern v Wanderers
Auckland, tomorrow, 2pm
Southern United: Tom Batty, Ross Howard, Craig Ferguson, Cam Attwood, George Milne, Taylor McCormack, Eder Franchini, Andrew Ridden, Thomas Jackson, Victor Da Costa, Josh Stewart, Tim McLennan, Tom Connor, Nick Hindson, Liam Little, Alistair Rickerby, Jude Fitzpatrick, David Hayman, Michael Neaverson.
Wanderers: Damien Hirst, Brock Messenger, Deklan Wynne, Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, Adam Mitchell, Vincent Wiktora, Sam Brotherton, Moses Dyer, Nicholas Sugden, Andre de Jong, Judd Baker, Regont Murati, Clayton Lewis, Gowan Stares, Zac Speedy, Angus Kilkolly.
