A DESPAIRING Maya Yoshida has demanded more from Saints after admitting Claude Puel's side were too easily defeated by Arsenal at St Mary’s last night.

The Japan international was pleased with the first-half performance in the 2-0 loss, but bemoaned Saints’ loss of “organisation” as Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud sealed a Gunners win after the break.

“We played well in the first half,” Yoshida said, “but second half, especially after we conceded the first goal, we totally lost our organisation.

“There was a huge space in the midfield. We gave space like this to Ozil and Sanchez and they punished us easily.

“We are not Arsenal, Liverpool, City or Chelsea and because of that we have to play as a team every time.

“If we lose our organisation – it’s so easy for us to lose like this.

“Because we played well in the first half, it’s difficult to accept this defeat.

“But there are still three games to go and we haven’t won in five games so it’s very important to end that against Middlesbrough, especially because they’re relegated already.”

Saints are now on one of their worst runs of the season and Yoshida has urged Puel’s side to turn their fortunes around with three games left.

In the final run-in, they face relegated Middlesbrough on Saturday before welcoming Manchester United and then Stoke to St Mary’s.

He said: “It’s important to finish the season strongly now because there’s still a chance to get 8th place or in the top half of the table.

“We should try to get there and I still think we have a good opportunity to do that.”

The 28-year-old centre-back has targeted a big response away at 19th-placed ’Boro on Saturday after the disappointing Gunners display.

“It’s totally different to the Liverpool game and I understand that,” he said, referring to last night’s display, “we concede so easily and lost it so easily because we all know the way we played is not us.

“We have to recover quickly and show a good performance against Middlesbrough.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to play a team who have been relegated and now they’re free of pressure.”