The Saints boss says Sunday’s loss to The Tigers will serve them well in the long-run.
Southampton manager Claude Puel has described his side’s Premier League defeat to Hull City on Sunday as a valuable learning curve for the club.
The Saints boss told the club’s official website his side lacked their usual intensity and that ultimately they let their opponents believe they could win.
Having taken the lead at the KCOM Stadium courtesy of a Charlie Austin penalty, The Tigers hit back with two goals in as many minutes from Robert Snodgrass and Michael Dawson, holding on to win 2-1.
Hull City’s Robert Snodgrass celebrates scoring their first goal
Puel’s men failed to recover from the host’s quick-fire double and the Frenchman suggested his side’s work was simply not good enough, but added his congratulations to Mike Phelan’s under-fire side.
The Frenchman stated: “Today, we didn’t make all the good work, we didn’t give all the intensity. We left this team to believe in a comeback, and for us this is not normal. I am the first responsible.”
“Congratulations to Hull City, because they believed all the time that they could come back, but I think we can do better to try to score this second goal to keep the control of the game.”
After previously reaching a seven game unbeaten stretch in all competitions, Southampton have now lost three of the last six, including their last two league games in a row.
Southampton manager Claude Puel speaks with Charlie Austin
Still sitting in a healthy mid-table spot, their current form is something of a concern ahead of the international break.
When domestic hostilities are resumed, Claude Puel’s men host table-toppers Liverpool at St. Marys’ in a fortnight, before a reunion with former boss Ronald Koeman’s Everton a week later.
Regarding the events of Sunday, whilst the Saints boss was angry with his side for being wasteful in front of goal once more, the manner Southampton were punished in could yet be a valuable lesson in the future.
Southampton’s Nathan Redmond in action with Hull City’s Harry Maguire
“It’s not disappointment, but we are angry, because we are responsible”, the Frenchman said.
“After, of course, we have situations and chances at the end of the game, but we didn’t finish the work with the second goal, for example, or keep control of the game and we paid for this very expensively.”
He added, “It was a strange first half, it was dangerous, and we saw this. It’s a good lesson for the future.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
