Martin disappointed by lack of intensity

Off the back of wins over Eastleigh, Bordeaux and Montpellier, two goals shortly before the break did the damage at the Kassam Stadium.

Despite making seven changes at the hour-mark, the visitors couldn’t get on the score sheet for the first time this summer, leaving Martin to reflect on a disappointing night.

“It was probably more difficult than it had to be. I just said to the guys there, it’s disappointing because they’ve worked so hard for three weeks. Forget the result, until the guys came on at the end for the last half-an-hour where they actually played with a bit more zip, energy and aggression and we should have scored a couple of goals at that point, but we lacked personality, character and energy in the first 45 minutes, lacked intensity and that’s a problem.

“That’s a problem whether it’s pre-season, whether it’s a game in the Premier League or a game in the Championship, when you don’t play with intensity and the way we want to play, it’s a problem.

“I’m disappointed by that, we have a lot to work on, a lot of really good stuff that’s been overshadowed. It felt like a pre-season game and I don’t like that feeling. We have to attack it and we didn’t.”

Forced into two first-half substitutions after Sékou Mara and Kamaldeen Sulemana suffered knocks, the Saints boss didn’t feel like disruption to the rhythm of the game was behind the overall performance.

“We lacked a bit of purpose, lacked aggression, lacked intensity, lacked energy, lacked ball speed and football is not easy when you do that, however you want to play.

“Feel like we train and play a way they should enjoy, but there didn’t seem any joy in the performance at all in the first 45 minutes. Not one ounce of joy – actually, Sam Amo-Ameyaw played with joy and plays with character and personality and he’s 18.

“We’re three weeks out from the season, have lots to work on but have lots to be happy about as well. It’s part of it.”