RALPH Hasenhuttl demanded his Saints side show significant improvement, insisting “otherwise, we have no chance” of getting a positive result at Brighton this weekend. Although they have failed to give themselves a launching platform with just one win in seven Premier League matches, a mark-up in performances could still see the season end in success.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “We have to play different, better for sure. Otherwise, we have no chance there. I’m sure that we can do it better. First (we’ll) look at the game, look at what I have seen today and then, although we don’t have a lot of time, give them the best chance to show the reaction we can. We have now all the teams around us and if we are stronger than they are then you deserve to be there (top-half), if not then it’s very simple.”
Brighton have won just two in their last 10 Premier League matches, but they came away to Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur this month. Graham Potter’s side were defeated 3-0 by Manchester City last time out, but have thrown their season a lifeline with an upturn in form. Given his public ambition of tabling a first top-half finish since arriving as manager of the club in December 2018, Hasenhuttl admitted it “absolutely” made Sunday a big occasion for him. However, he then preferred to look back at what went wrong on Thursday, rather than forward,
Ralph Hasenhuttl added: “We know what you have to expect when you come here (Turf Moor) and we did not find the right answer. Physically not strong enough, with the ball not calm enough, when you want to create something against them then you have to be brave and in the right moments produce better decisions. We have to look at it.”