Southampton

Ray Hunt
Fan writer

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Another week down and two more losses to compile more misery on Saints. It is 18 defeats now this season.

The stats will show no points and a further six goals conceded from games at Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, but that does not tell the whole story.

Ivan Juric has this team playing with more confidence and there has been an improvement, but game management continues to be a huge issue - one that has dogged the club for a number of years under a host of managers. It is in the club's DNA, it seems.

For 75 minutes at Old Trafford we looked likely to secure a first away win of the season - and it would have been richly deserved - until Amad Diallo struck a 12-minute hat-trick to sink our hopes again. This prompted yet more concerns over our game management.

Juric said: "We did really well for 70 minutes. Everything was almost perfect, but we have to score more goals. You have to be a little more evil to manage the game differently and we didn't do that."

Forest was the reverse; a total collapse at the start. Being 3-0 down at the break only to stage a comeback to give the fans some more hope ultimately left the Saints faithful feeling the same: heartbroken.

If there was some way to combine the two performances, then we have ourselves a good team and a decent chance in any game. But a total 90-minute display has been non-existent.

There are signs Juric is turning things around. The team looks sharper, and has more energy and intensity.

But time is running out, which begs the question: did Sport Republic wait too long to sack Russell Martin?

I think the answer is even clearer now.

Find more from Ray Hunt at the In that Number podcast, external

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"Southampton have been particularly pathetic with their six points" this season, said former Premier League striker Chris Sutton on the BBC Radio 5 Live Monday Night Club.

It's a bleak situation for the Saints, who performed well against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest but left both grounds with no points.

"It's awful," added Sutton. "They could end up beating Derby's record, that's how bad they are.

"We aren't even talking about them possibly staying up and even the most hardened Southampton fans have given up.

"They have had a totally miserable season after the highs of beating Leeds at Wembley last season. They probably wish they'd lost the play-off final!"

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Tom Gayle
MOTD2 commentator at The City Ground

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Ivan Juric has only been in the Premier League for five matches, but he is by far the most animated managerial character in the English top flight right now.

He kicks every ball during each passage of play and demonstrably debates each decision. His movement ranges from down on one knee to sprinting across the technical area, and he does not stop talking to his Southampton players.

The main thing which stuck out to me, seeing the 49-year-old in the flesh for the first time, is he clearly cares - evidenced by his actions during the game and also the selection and tactical decisions he is making to try to produce better results.

Russell Martin cared, but resisted calls to change how Southampton set up. As was the case with Vincent Kompany at Burnley last season, the demands of Martin's style of play did not correlate with the collective quality of his squad to pick up points in the Premier League.

Juric is a pragmatist. Everyone has a clean slate. The likes of Kamaldeen Sulemana, Paul Onuachu, James Bree and Lesley Ugochukwu have all earned more minutes under the new manager than they did in Martin's 16 Premier League games in charge.

Tactical tweaks have seen a switch to a back three, a consistent use of two attacking strikers and, from what I am told, players sticking to their strengths, rather than being asked to do things they struggle with. Juric has seen what does not work, and is exploring what can be done differently.

The reality is a lot of the same frailties remain - most blatantly the defensive mistakes which continue to be punished by opposition goals.

Yet Southampton show no signs of rolling over. Their manager is looking for complete buy-in.

Juric took the decision for the squad not to travel home following their defeat by Manchester United, instead they based themselves at St George's Park in the build-up to the Nottingham Forest game.

While Juric achieved unwanted history by becoming the first permanent Southampton manager ever to lose their opening five league games in charge, the past two performances - in his words, "80 minutes" at Old Trafford and then Sunday's "second half" - have shown signs the team are moving in the right direction, albeit from a very low starting point.

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Former Southampton striker Jo Tessem, speaking on BBC Radio Solent's Goin' Home With Adam And Jo podcast on Sunday's 3-2 defeat at Nottingham Forest: "I was very frustrated after the first half. The game was gone.

"There were the mistakes that led to the goals, but the reaction after was the scary bit. It was too easy - three simple goals we conceded and that took us to half time 3-0 down.

"Then there was the messiness of what happened in the second half. When you go away from home you don't need to entertain anyone, you just need to make things messy and get your opponent out of their rhythm.

"We totally got Forest out of their rhythm and when the messiness stopped we suddenly looked like the football team and were creating chances.

"We got the two goals and suddenly we were in the game and a toe from [Ola] Aina saved Forest from an embarrassing second half.

"It would have been a massive comeback but still we didn't get over the line."

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Southampton.

Here are some of your comments:

Forest fans:

Sean: Concerning injury to Hudson-Odoi, but otherwise business as usual. Clinical in the first half, let Southampton back into it in the second, but held out defensively once again. Plenty of Forest fans checking their passports, and why not?

Tom: Typical Forest. Get to 3-0 by half-time and then mess about. Nearly paid for not killing it off. Aina made a crucial goalline clearance. Injury time was agony.

John: This should never have been the final score. Forest were so far ahead in performance and score by half-time it was almost embarrassing. Southampton's first was an dodgy own goal and with two awful offside decisions by VAR and Anthony Taylor at both ends - both against Forest - it somehow ended 3-2. A travesty given the difference between the sides, performance and league position.

John: A quality start turned into a scrappy ending, badly refereed. Nuno could see what Southampton's tactics were and subbed some key players to protect them - but the subs looked worryingly naive. Sels, the back four and Anderson kept us in front. Some great stuff in the first half but the midfield and Awoniyi looked off it in the second.

Southampton fans:

Neil: Southampton the usual mixed bag - attacking intent and good possession coupled with mistakes and major defensive frailty. Players like Bednarek seem to always get away with it, while players who have been good seem to always get subbed off. Could it be time to give Bella-Kotchap some minutes on the pitch? Or maybe we need to go back to 4-4-2 so that our midfield is less easy to slice through?

David: Let's fast forward to the last part of the match. This was like the Benjamin Button movie. The players fought tooth and nail and did not give up. An observation: Armstrong, Archer and Downes do not have the Sulemana effect that the manager has created. Silly individual errors are costing us severely.

David: At last some determination shown by Saints after some (again) silly mistakes in the first half. Two goals conceded in the same corner of the goal, and a fumble by Ramsdale - Could have been 3-3 if Bednarek's attempt had not been kicked off the line - Saints lost, but at least there was a great effort put in for all those travelling fans.

Ross: Juric may not have the points to show for it, but the team has looked much better since he came in. We just can't sustain it for 90 minutes, whether that's a poor start or a poor end to the match. Chuffed for big tall Paul breaking his duck.

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's four Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Brentford 0-2 Liverpool

• Aston Villa 2-2 Arsenal

• Everton 3-2 Tottenham

• Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

• Ipswich 0-6 Man City

The latest episode of BBC Radio Solent's Goin' Home With Adam And Jo podcast has landed. Listen to Adam and Jo as they reflect on Southampton's near comeback against Nottingham Forest.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Southampton defender Jan Bednarek speaking to Sky Sports after their defeat: "Completely opposite halves. First one was really bad and the second was really good. We were really close to getting something from a tough place to play. We need to learn really quickly that United in the last 15 minutes and the first 45 here was not acceptable.

"We missed intensity. The way we played was too slow. We have to learn and hopefully, we get more intense."

Did he mean his goal: "No, I just wanted to touch the ball because I felt like it was going off target. I just wanted to touch the ball. We had chances to get something today but it wasn't enough.

"As you can see, we are a good side but we miss consistency. We have to do it for 90 minutes and focus on those moments where we have to stick together."

Matthew Henry
BBC Sport Journalist

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Southampton's fighting finish was admirable.

It followed a promising performance in defeat by Manchester United on Thursday, meaning those looking for positives will see a side still battling despite a bleak situation.

They continue to make errors leading to goals, however - a trait they must stop if they are to have any chances of staying up.

Jan Bednarek's loss of possession, which gifted Callum Hudson-Odoi the chance to score Forest's second, was the 17th time a Southampton mistake has led to a goal this season.

Aston Villa are the next most generous team with 10 such errors.

Manager Ivan Juric correctly said the Saints are struggling to play well for a full 90 minutes.

Identifying that issue is the easy part, finding the solution less so.

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Southampton manager Ivan Juric has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day after today's loss: "In the first half, we were not competitive and that is what happened. We played with heart and intensity and we scored. That is how we have to score.

"I didn't speak with them (at half-time). We are a competitive team but if we are down 10% then we are not competitive. I hope a first half like today never happens again. They score the first two goals, that is ridiculous.

"Second half we fight and score twice. Aina saved another one. At Manchester United for 80 minutes, in the second half today, we were good. We are not ready for 90 minutes and that is a real pity."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Nottingham Forest's performance

What did you make of Southampton's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

There are four Premier League fixtures on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you all the action.

• Everton v Tottenham

• Man Utd v Brighton - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Nottingham Forest v Southampton

• Ipswich v Manchester City (16:30) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

All kick-off times 14:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Southampton put up a decent fight against Manchester United but Tyler Dibling went off with an ankle injury in the second half and if he is missing here then that is a massive blow.

Let's face it, it is going to be hard for Saints even if Dibling does play. Forest are playing so well and Chris Wood keeps on scoring, so this should be a routine home win for them.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Southampton boss Ivan Juric is not backing down from Saints' latest daunting away trip as he contemplates a visit to high-flying Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

His side were unfortunate to lose at Manchester United on Thursday where they conceded three goals in the final 12 minutes.

Despite the result, Juric said he liked what he saw in terms of "personality, press, movement of the ball and build-up play" but "the bad things were in the last 15 minutes and how we managed the game."

It means Southampton remain bottom of the Premier League with just six points from 21 games.

Their season is a stark contrast to Sunday's opponents Forest, who are exceeding expectations and sitting firm in third.

"They are doing really well," added Juric. "They play really simple but really well.

"Yes, I am surprised [by their league position]. We will be ready."

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Former Southampton player Jo Tessem believes Tyler Dibling "looks absolute class" and "should have had a goal" at Old Trafford on Thursday as the Saints slipped to a damaging defeat against Manchester United.

Speaking on BBC Radio Solent's Goin' Home with Adam and Jo podcast, Tessem said the teenager was impressive once again on the big stage.

"When he turns and gets into the right area, oh boy is he good," Tessem said. "There are times when he loses the ball a bit too easily and there are other times when he looks absolute class.

"He maybe should have had a goal as well, but we are positive, we are shooting and we are creating chances."

Tessem was also impressed by winger Kamaldeen Sulemana who was a constant threat to the United backline.

"Kamaldeen Sulemana obviously has a manager now who believes in him and is making him better," Tessem said. "He's been given the licence to be who he is, which has changed him. With playing, he also gets fitter.

"He should knock it and run every time he gets the ball because of his pace. He was absolutely fantastic.

"He should have had a goal though."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your thoughts after Thursday's Premier League game between Manchester United and Southampton.

Here are some of your comments:

United fans

Sean: Amad Diallo just saved us from embarrassment. We didn't deserve the win but individual brilliance has got us over the line.

Steve: Let's credit Southampton first but for United, it's a win. Yes, it was terrible for 80 minutes of the game, but we are trying to compete with players that are tactically inept. Let's just get through this season and the real work starts in the summer, when I would imagine not many will survive the cull. Credit to Joshua Zirkzee for his impact by the way.

Nigel: Poor performance again, no creativity or threat for most of the game until Amad came alive. I feel sorry for Ruben Amorim - Sir Jim Ratcliffe needs to support him big time in the summer if we are to try and compete again. It's going to take time and I hope that Ruben sticks with it.

Rahim: Very poor performance overall masked by a wonderful player. Thought Zirkzee made a significant contribution when he came on. Southampton can consider themselves unfortunate not to have been out of sight by half-time.

Saints fans

Alan: Saints played their best football this season, but just couldn't score a second. They should take heart from this display. Some great performances.

David: I'm gutted. Saints were so much better than we have been all season and should have had a couple in the first half. Kamaldeen Sulemana had a cracking game but the lack of a good bench cost us. Will Smallbone was poor when he was on, Kyle Walker-Peters was tiring at the end and Diallo sensed it. Just when our luck nearly changed. We'll go down but this performance gives hope.

Simon: We lost, as expected ,but that was such an improved display. I know we had chances - we've had them all season - but across the whole team, we were much sharper.

David: A fantastic performance from Saints until Mateus Fernandes was taken off. We have no threat coming off the bench. Hopefully during the transfer window, we will get another attacking player in. Sulemana was outstanding.

The latest episode of BBC Radio Solent's Goin' Home with Adam and Jo podcast has landed.

Adam Blackmore and Jo Tessem discuss Thursday's loss to Manchester United and what Ivan Juric has changed in his short time at the club.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds