'Normally I'm proud of them' - Martin 'hurt' by Southampton display

Southampton leader Russell Martin says he was "hurt by nan deficiency of tone and fight" his broadside showed successful their 3-1 Premier League defeat astatine Bournemouth.

The consequence leaves nan struggling Saints winless aft six games backmost successful nan apical formation and 19th successful nan array pinch conscionable a solitary constituent - their associated worst commencement to a run since 1998-99.

Martin was peculiarly angered by nan measurement his squad appeared to capitulate aft Evanilson scored nan opening extremity for nan hosts, who past added 2 much earlier nan interval.

"They make 20 fouls to our 10 aliases immoderate it is - I deliberation that sums up nan full game," Martin said.

"We were soft. Whatever unit you person connected nan pitch, immoderate measurement you play, if you deficiency nan conflict and aggression and tone and togetherness and courageousness that we lacked successful nan first half, you're going to person a big, large problem.

"I didn't recognise our team. I didn't for illustration a batch of what I saw, and I was wounded by nan deficiency of tone and fight. Normally I'm proud of them for nan courageousness they show, but location was nary aggression, nary courage, nary strength to play."

While Saints did amended aft being booed disconnected by nan travelling supporters astatine nan break, Taylor Harwood-Bellis' second-half header proved small much than a consolation for Martin's side.

"I thought I made capable of a woody astir Bournemouth and nan measurement they approached nan crippled and really bully they are astatine definite things," Martin added.

"Obviously it wasn't enough, because we looked for illustration we were unprepared for that, which, considering nan activity we've done is crazy.

"After starting well, virtually nan first setback we person successful nan crippled they score. I'm coming disconnected nan transportation astatine nan extremity of nan crippled and I thanked them for moving and fighting successful nan 2nd half and really I don't deliberation you should ever convey them for that, that should beryllium nan bare minimum."

Southampton are adjacent successful action erstwhile they recreation to look Arsenal successful nan English apical formation connected Saturday (15:00 BST).