Ralph Hasenhuttl has insisted “normally it should look like this, this is possible” when reflecting on the high-intensity game with Chelsea on Tuesday. And looking ahead to the trip to Watford this weekend, Hasenhuttl has told supporters that exciting, end-to-end football should be the norm for Saints.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said “We want to have it like this. Our games, normally it should look like this because we like to have it active and fast. When you have also the five subs in the end it was good for the players, some raised their hands and said they’re finished at 70 minutes, the stats for running were very high, it was massive. Yes this is why I can agree it must be a very good football match to comment, it was for us a very good football match to watch and for all the supporters inside the stadium it was a fantastic cup game. This is possible I think yeah, when you have the five subs even more so, you can have a bigger side and rotate a little bit more like we did.”
Both teams ran each other into the ground in the 1-1 draw before penalties were needed to separate the sides, with an end-to-end contest that excited the staff and supporters alike. The Austrian boss pointed to extremely high running statistics from his players, as well as suggesting that being allowed five substitutes played a big role. The Burnley fixture last Saturday at St Mary’s was a similar feeling in periods, with Saints racking up chances – albeit often unable to finish – in what should have been another three points.
