The Spaniard admitted you cannot survive in the Premier League being only a defensive team as he reflected on the defeat to Leeds United over the weekend. Saints have lined up in Hasenhuttl’s trademark 4-2-2-2 – with an unchanged starting XI – in both of Selles’s matches as boss since Nathan Jones was sacked. It had initially been a consequence of circumstance as Selles felt he did not have time to implement his own ideas ahead of facing Chelsea, before beating the Blues in London. Speaking to the Daily Echo, Selles offered a detailed breakdown of his thought processes regarding tactics heading into an FA Cup fifth round tie versus Grimsby.
Ruben Selles said: “The ideas implemented, especially the high-pressing, is an idea that I have developed and especially with Ralph got to know, that is not a question. One or a lot of the principles of the defensive high-pressure are coming from that, but I think we are also improving situations – especially in possession with different ways to build up. We probably did this better in the Chelsea game than the Leeds game, there were moments where you can see a team that find the offensive lines, find diagonals and can play between the lines and combine. That is what we need to continue doing, you cannot be a good team in the Premier League only being a defensive team. If you want to stay in the Premier League you need to take control of the game in possession, know when you need to stop the game or accelerate the game, when is the moment to make a short pass or a long pass. We cannot go and only play direct, second-ball action because then we will not make it. We have players that can really play football at the best level possible and that’s what we’re trying to do. If we do that and have a system, a platform, that can allow us to not concede goals – but unfortunately in the last game we were more in the defensive moment than with the ball.”
Speaking after the defeat at Elland Road, Selles commented on how he is trying to “create a net” for his players to feel comfortable in. The boss has inherited a squad with many key areas limited in Premier League experience, including goalkeeper, central defence and in the forward positions. Saints – who have lost 10 times this season by a margin of just one goal and been beaten 1-0 on three occasions by the team in 19th – have been accused of lacking bravery and spirit.
Ruben Selles said: “What we need to do is to be clear with what we want, communicate it in a clear way for everybody to understand, and then to evaluate the process. Then, we will see where we are. It’s not about leadership, I don’t believe only one person is taking lead of the group. There are many types of leadership and what we are doing is simple and clear, everybody counts and everybody has an opinion but at the end of the day I make the decisions. But everybody needs to feel that this is their club and they have the right to express themselves.”
