Southampton boss Ronald Koeman angry at Tottenham defeat

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman decried his team for being "too nice" after slipping to their fifth loss from six games against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Koeman's Saints, like in many other games, started the match brightly but failed to take advantage of their chances. However, two poor lapses in concentration from the Southampton defence allowed Spurs to score two goals in three minutes from Harry Kane and Dele Alli to wrap up the game and take all three points back to White Hart Lane.

It's a worrying time for Koeman and Southampton fans. This slide in form, plus some tough upcoming fixtures including their Boxing Day clash at home against Arsenal, means Saints could well be in a scrap for Premier League survival.

With just six points separating Southampton and the relegation zone, the above could well be a present reality.

Speaking to the BBC, Koeman criticised Southampton's sloppy defending which ultimately lead to the defeat:"If you analyse the game and watch the first goal, I am very worried because the defending was at amateur level and not the level you need to win this kind of game. It was so naive.

"One of my criticisms this season is that we are too nice people. Until the first goal, Southampton was the better team but they showed us what is a 'killing mentality'. They won the battles and second balls and were more clever in one-on-one situations.

"It might also be about confidence, but we need to be more clinical. If you get three or four good chances, you have to score. We maybe need to change players because they are not responding to our strategy."

Koeman echoed these sentiments when talking to the club's media team:

It's clear there are problems at Southampton. But, with Koeman being the professional he is, there is plenty of time to turn things around. Here's hoping this resurgence starts against Arsenal on Boxing Day.