Southampton manager Nathan Jones admits his new team committed “borderline suicide” in the manner of their defeat to Liverpool.
Darwin Nunez scored twice before half-time after Roberto Firmino’s opener had been equalised by a Che Adams header as the Reds earned a 3-1 Premier League win at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
Jones had taken charge of only one training session before the game having been appointed as successor to the sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl on Thurday.
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And of the game, the Southampton boss said: “We were really passive first half. The first 15-20 minutes fine, no real issue, we conceded a really poor goal, we have to be better than that from a set play, but then we were really passive, waiting for the inevitable to happen.
“The goal just before half-time killed the game off, but in the second half I was really proud of how we reacted. Alisson made three wonderful saves to deny us.
“We have only kept one clean sheet as a club (this season) so that has to change. We were really passive first half. We allowed world-class players too much space and that is borderline suicide. That is something we address.
“We will work on the negatives and be better in the next game. The positive was the second half.”
Jones added: “We didn’t do the basics first half. We conceded from a free-kick, we lost headers and were too deep in the defensive line. We let runners go. They are the basics we didn’t do, let runners go off the back and because of that we have lost the game.
“We showed them at half-time, it wasn’t a rant or a rave, we are passive and giving world class players too much time. Second half we were more aggressive and once we did that I thought we were much better. I was just disappointed with how passive we were.”
Of the quick turnaround following his appointment, Jones said: “I only had one day to work with them, but that is not my character, my style. I wanted to work with them, to get to know my players, my staff. One of the toughest places you can start at. I have learnt a lot.
“I wouldn’t have learned that in the stands, that is why I wanted to take the game. That would have been the sceptical way, think Liverpool away, but I wanted to take it and learn from one of the best teams the Premier League has had.”
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