Tribal Football

Martin upset as Southampton beaten by Oxford

Martin upset as Southampton beaten by Oxford
Martin upset as Southampton beaten by OxfordAction Plus
Southampton manager Russell Martin has laid into his team after a preseason game.

The Saints boss was furious at how his players performed as they lost 2-0 to Oxford United.

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As the new Premier League season is only weeks away, Martin knows that his team must improve.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Martin said: "That annoyed me a little bit.

“We lacked feeling, energy, aggression, intensity, purpose, personality, character and joy in the first half.

“We lacked all of that. We didn't lack good positions. We didn't lack structure.

“We didn't lack good detail. We just lacked energy and feeling.

"The only player that played with a little bit of joy, and gave a little bit of joy, was probably Sam Amo. 

“I thought Ryan Manning did great in bits in a different role.

"We played a ball over the top three or four times and we were in.

”Someone takes a really positive touch - then we take three touches and wait for the opposition to come back in.

"It's madness. That's done. That bit of the process is done. I give the guys the benefit of the doubt because it's pre-season. 

"We're three weeks in. They're knackered. They're planning with fatigue. The atmosphere is pre-season atmosphere.

"But like, I said to you, we've got no time to rest and wait and find out. We need to bring our best version of ourselves every time.

"When the guys play in the way that we want to, with real intensity, they experience a lot of joy,

“I think. They give me a lot of joy. Hopefully, they give a lot of people a lot of joy.

"Tonight, (there was) no joy in the first 45 minutes. They did better in the first bit of the second half.

”And then the guys that came on were much better. (They were) more aggressive.

“(We had) actual chances. We should score a couple. Runs. Just energy. Feeling. Character, personality. So, yeah. We need to improve."