Russell Martin understands that his possession-based approach will spark mixed reactions as he aims to keep Southampton in the Premier League this season.
After three straight Premier League defeats, Russell Martin made changes in both formation and personnel for Southampton’s clash with Manchester United. Despite the adjustments, Southampton’s core principles remained intact. They started brightly, but things took a turn when Cameron Archer missed a penalty, and United went on to secure a 3-0 victory.
Before the missed penalty, Southampton were in control, with 18-year-old Tyler Dibling shining. He won the spot-kick after beating Diogo Dalot and being brought down. However, another loss leaves Southampton 19th in the table, one of just two teams without a point in the top flight.
Robbie Mustoe backs Russell Martin’s style at Southampton
Despite criticism of Martin’s possession-based style since promotion, many label it naive or arrogant. However, pundit Robbie Mustoe admires the manager’s commitment to his philosophy. On *The 2 Robbie’s* podcast, Mustoe praised Martin for being proactive, noting, “They’re having a go, Rob. You could sit back and still lose 3-0, so why not try to create something?”
While acknowledging the counter-argument that Southampton might benefit from more caution, Mustoe emphasized the importance of their possession game, especially in the first 20 minutes against United.
Martin’s takeaways from the defeat
Although Mustoe’s praise is rare among pundits, Southampton’s performance against United had positives. They dominated until the missed penalty and pressed United effectively early on. While the game slipped away after United’s opener, the performances of young players like Dibling, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Mateus Fernandes give Martin reasons for optimism heading into a crucial run of fixtures.
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