Southampton FC manager: Bravery not to blame for attacking struggles

Since taking charge following the sacking of Nathan Jones, Selles has worked to improve Saints’ defensive outlook and it’s led to three clean sheets in five games, including such successes at both Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford.

Those clean sheets have led to seven crucial points but the lack of goals was brought to the forefront once again on Wednesday night as Selles’s side toiled to create anything of note despite keeping the majority of the ball.

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Saints have now scored just twice in the five Premier League games under the Spaniard’s guidance. But asked by the Daily Echo whether he has prioritised a defensive approach and a lack of attacking bravery, Selles insisted that was not the issue.

“If they (fans) feel there is a lack of bravery they can see the build-up with Gavin (Bazunu), Armel (Bella Kotchap), and Jan (Bednarek) in the last game, how we are trying to build from the back. 

“I don’t think it’s lack of bravery, I’d take that of the equation. I think sometimes it takes time to build something, I think because we’ve changed a lot in the last year it’s not easy to find the connections, and then once you find the connections and find the principles, it’s just about finding the flow and the players to do it. 

“I know people are worried about that (the lack of goals) but I don’t think our approach is a defensive approach at all. I think what we are doing is trying to defend high, trying to apply pressure, trying to win the ball high, and when we have the ball we are not a team who is kicking the ball long and guessing for something. 

“We are a team that is trying to build up, you can see the patterns, you can see the adjustment from game to game - sometimes it works, sometimes a little bit less. So I would say for us, for me, for this period, it’s a process.

"I will not evaluate before because it’s not the right thing to do and I hope and think that after the work we put in we will become better soon. But I understand the concern because it’s facts.”

An element of the concerns raised by supporters has been to do with the personnel chosen by Selles.

While record-signing Kamaldeen Sulemana has established himself as a regular, fellow January addition Paul Onuachu has taken a back-seat to Che Adams while Samuel Edozie and Joe Aribo have struggled to even make the squad.

Saints striker Che Adams in action against Manchester United. (Image: PA)

The attacking trio that started against Brentford has combined for four league goals this sason - all scored by Adams - and no Saints forward has found the net since the World Cup break. 

But Selles rejected the idea that those players picked have been the reason for the team’s lack of potency.

“It’s interesting because I didn’t have that perception,” he responded. “So if you have that perception maybe I should communicate in a better way. 

“I just think that I can live with my strikers not scoring a goal in the whole season but doing everything properly. As you see with Che Adams, we are using him in the link-up play many times, freeing the space for others. 

“Right now we’re in a situation where it’s not about who scores the goals, it’s about actually scoring the goals. If we sound like we have a defensive approach then maybe I made a mistake trying to send that message because it’s not like that. 

“And I think we show it. We show our patterns of play, we show dominance for some periods also, the Manchester United game we had situations in the box and it wasn’t because we weren’t brave or because we didn’t have the quality or because of one name or another. 

“It was the team, 11 vs 11 or 10 vs 11. So I don’t see a problem there, we are working and we are improving and like many areas.”