#PLStories- Southampton’s Jan Bednarek reveals lack of aggressiveness was cause of loss against Aston Villa #SAINTSFC #AVFC

JAN Bednarek has called on himself and his Saints teammates to improve their performance when they face Newcastle United this week, vowing: “We will cause them a lot of problems.” Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side were dismantled 4-0 in a match that could have seen an even higher score, when they travelled to Aston Villa on Saturday. Former Saints star Danny Ings was among the Villans who got on the scoresheet, with Ollie Watkins opening inside just nine minutes at Villa Park. Turns Stephens inside the box and sweeps it into the far corner. Hard to gauge how this game was going to go from the opening. #SaintsFC had put a few passes astray, both teams looked narrow - only the full-backs providing width, and the goal has come right through the middle. https://t.co/pYrVpoqZ4n — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) March 5, 2022 The result ended a five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, but Saints retained their ninth-placed status while other teams ahead of them in the division also lost. Saints still have a strong chance of tabling their best finish under Ralph Hasenhuttl (Pic: PA) They will have a chance to put the torrid afternoon right when in-form Magpies visit St Mary’s in a rearranged grudge match, on Thursday evening, but will need much improved showings. “One bad game doesn’t make us a bad team, so we know what was missing (at Villa), Bednarek insisted. “I’m pretty sure we will bring everything on track, we will perform on the highest level and get another three points. “The result after a good run, only one bad game, hopefully we can perform at the highest level and show them how good a team we are.” Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have also put on a stellar run and are undefeated in eight Premier League contests, dating back to the end of December. It has seen them rise from a relegation scrap to 14th. Newcastle are going well under new boss Eddie Howe (Pic: PA) The Toon were able to invest during the January window, following their Saudi-backed takeover. Bednarek added: “We know we can perform very well so they will have a tough battle and we will cause them a lot of problems.” Credit to the #SaintsFC support who have stayed to clap off their team. 👏Well reciprocated, I believe. pic.twitter.com/VHjkgEcqlY — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) March 5, 2022 Saints will hope the joint-heaviest defeat of their campaign was a one-off, after an impressive February saw Hasenhuttl nominated for the Premier League manager of the month award – as well as Howe. “It wasn’t our best game,” the Polish international added. “We were not aggressive enough, we just didn’t perform well enough. Saints' Saturday defeat was their joint-heaviest of the campaign (Pic: PA) “Against a team like Villa, that will cause you problems. They have massive quality up front. We were just not good enough, not good enough in the defence and not good enough up front so that was the result. “If I knew (what the problem was), I probably would have done it. I don’t think the system, I think the aggressiveness, the willingness to defend, the energy.” He continued: “There are good days and bad days, I wouldn’t think any more about it, it’s in the past. “Hopefully in the next game we can perform at the highest level, we have a few days to recover to be on our top form and hopefully we can win the next.” The Villa clash also saw a chance for Bednarek to go up against international teammate and friend Matty Cash, who switched allegiances from England and was capped twice last year. Matty Cash will be Jan Bednarek's Poland teammate going forward (Pic: PA) The 24-year-old right-back was impressive throughout, and laid off well for Ings to complete the scoring in the second-half. “Matty is a great player, great guy, it was great to meet him today,” Bednarek said. “He played for the better team so it is what it is, hopefully with the national team we can get some great results together.”