HARRY REDKNAPP admitted Pompey's pace "frightened" his team and highlighted once again defensive woes that have seen Saints concede 14 goals in their last five Premiership matches.

Saints were totally overrun in a dreadful opening spell which saw Pompey take a 4-1 lead, with Lomana Lua Lua causing all sorts of trouble as he scored two and won a penalty before being forced off with injury.

Centre-backs Claus Lundekvam and Andreas Jakobsson looked terribly fragile and the problems even spread to goalkeeper Antti Niemi, whose two missed clearances led to Pompey goals.

Redknapp said: "We got off to a horrendous start before we had a chance to get into the game.

"The problem is simple - in our games of late, we have kept conceding goals. You can't win games if you let in three or four goals. You have got to come and be solid and hard to beat.

"I thought we weren't quick enough to deal with the front people and they gave us problems. We were afraid of their pace and so we dropped deep.

"They ran at us and we have problems in areas of the team.

"We lost the game because we couldn't defend. We gave three goals away in a 15-minute spell.

"It was uncharacteristic of Antti Niemi, but everyone has days like that and he will come back stronger than ever."

Once behind, Saints did not display much urgency, but Redknapp rejected questions concerning the effort and work-rate of his players.

He said: "I don't know if it's lack of hunger or passion. If every time you look around a goal has gone in then it's difficult.

"But they were better than us to be fair. They were quicker than us, they've got pace.

"They have got good players and they were stronger than us. They have got lightening pace up front. They looked bright all over the place and they were the far better team.

"They moved, they passed, they have got good players. But they were awful goals. Lua Lua gets through, Antti comes out but his pace just gets him to the ball. We concede another goal when we don't defend a free-kick. De Zeeuw comes in and is more determined to win the ball than we are.

"We get a great goal back and you think maybe we can get back and turn the tide, but within a minute they whack a hopeful ball forward.

"The goalkeeper and the defence all smash into each other and it's a terrific finish from Lua Lua and suddenly it's 3-1."

Saints lost top-scorer Peter Crouch during the warm-up with a hamstring problem, but Redknapp was not making any excuses.

He added: "Crouchie had a hamstring, but that was no excuse. It's a blow but I'm not going to say that is why we got beat.

"We are short of certain ingredients which makes it difficult to win games. I tried to bring some bodies in during the window but it is very difficult.

"People with pace and great leadership qualities at the back are very difficult to find.

"I've got what I got. I've got the group of 18 in the dressing-room and that's what I've got."