Russell Martin labelled Southampton’s display as “madness” following their 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Martin, speaking in his post-match press conference, bemoaned his side’s lack of end product after failing to register a single effort on target during the match — the second time this season Southampton had zero shots on target after their previous visit to the Midlands against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
While this is the second time, only two other sides across the Premier League, have failed to register a shot on target in a single game. For Villa, meanwhile, it was just their second league clean sheet of the season and their first at Villa Park since March.
“Another mistake and not a shot on target is madness, really for how many times we stole the ball in the first half and for some of the football we’ve played in the first half and at the start of the second half,” said Martin.
“We had more final third entries than them today, so we should be able to create more of what we have. I think the level of opposition we’re up against recently, it’s really evident that the front guys make such a difference because we’ve been so competitive, but their front guys make a big difference to them in and around the box.
“We really haven’t got that, apart from Tyler (Dibling), someone who can really change something in an instant, and he is 18 and his end product at the minute, is inconsistent, which you’d expect.”
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Martin was equally critical of his players’ defending in the lead-up to Jhon Duran’s first-half goal, which ultimately decided the contest. Southampton failed to clear a long ball, with Duran tackling Taylor Harwood-Bellis before finishing past goalkeeper Joe Lumley.
“We just give teams a lead too many times with such poor goals,” added Martin. “When teams score a really good goal or a bit of individual quality, you can maybe accept it, but the goal is just so poor.
“We kick it long because we have a scary moment just before it and we just don’t need to and to two of the smallest players on the pitch. Then it comes back, and then we press and force it to one side of the pitch, and two v one with their striker and somehow he ends up with the ball and scores, which is madness. It’s those fine lines that just hurt us too many times, so many times and the goals we concede are so poor.
“I love Taylor and I don’t want to criticise him but what happened can’t happen. So you either smooth the game out and pass the ball to a teammate, or you defend and clear it, and we do neither.”
The defeat keeps Southampton bottom of the Premier League, with just five points from 15 games.
Martin’s side return to action on December 15 when they host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
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(Robin Jones/Getty Images)
