RALPH Hasenhuttl explained making six changes from the defeat to Burnley was not a message to his players but “a response to the shape we wanted to play”, following a 2-2 draw at Brighton.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “It was a response to the shape we wanted to play today and the shape. Very often the players I take is based on tactical things, what I try to change and we know what hurts them. They (Brighton) also changed their shape today, they also played a back four and tactically it was interesting for the whole game. In the end, I’m happy we took a point.”
Saints found themselves down to a Danny Welbeck opener inside 90 seconds, after just two days of preparation for the visit to Brighton. It looked like a continuation of the Thursday night horror when Mohammed Salisu put through his own net before half-time, and would have been but for James Ward-Prowse heroics. Having had so little time to prepare, Hasenhuttl admitted the early goal “definitely” made it even more frustrating.
Ralph Hasenhuttl added: “But even there I was full of belief that we can achieve something here. We knew it was a tough game but we have had a very good history in this stadium, since I was here we have never lost and always won here. Today we also had full belief.”
