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Boos from Southampton fans for Will Still and his players after 3-1 defeat to Bristol City

There were boos from Southampton fans for Will Still and his players after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Bristol City on Tuesday night.

Adam Armstrong had put Southampton in front on 30 minutes, but Anis Mehmeti levelled the scoreline shortly after. Then came Scott Twine’s goals, capitalising on a deflected shot and a Southampton error.

It sealed all three points for the Robins, who sit 4th, and increase pressure on Will Still, with his side slipping to 17th, having only two wins in 11 games, as the frustrated travelling end headed for the exits early.

Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber told BBC Radio Bristol:

“We are happy, we dealt with a big opponent, we are on a really good level.

“We struggled a little bit in the first half especially in the first 30 minutes, we were not always on the same page in the way we press. It was really good that we bounced back with Anis Mehmeti, showed them how difficult it is against us.

“The second half we changed the pressing line and waited for the right moment to come in transitions, we killed them today over this phase and I’m very happy with how the boys did it, how smart they dealt with them.

“We spoke with the boys that we should be at home on the same balance like [we are] away and today we had the same energy, the smart pressing and were clean enough to score.”

Struber, per Sky Sports:

“I am very happy because we did not play well in the first half-hour, but in the end the players have adapted to changes we made and beaten quality opponents.

“To start with we didn’t get our press right and the gaps between our lines were too big. Southampton’s players were able to find space and cause us problems.

“It was so important that Anis Mehmeti equalised as quickly as he did. At half-time we were able to change our shape a bit and you could see them becoming frustrated in the second half and taking more risks.

“We were able to capitalise on that and our finishing was better than in some games. It is important that Scott Twine does not just score from free-kicks and tonight he showed that he can get other types of goals.”

Southampton manager Will Still told BBC Radio Solent:

“We’ve been totally dominant and in control for the first half again, scored a great goal and created three if not four really big opportunities to kill the game off and win it.

“[We] come back out after the break, played really well for 10, 15 minutes, hit the crossbar, somehow missed from a couple of yards out.

“And to make things as worse as they can get a shot that’s going about six yards away from goal and gets deflected and hits the post, somehow falls into their feet and we concede.

“The last one you’re chasing the game again, trying to look forwards, pass it sideways and they’ve not had to do very much to win the game of football and we give ourselves a mountain to climb every single time.

“It’s just not going our way. You can talk about tactics, intensity, whatever, if you watch the first half as a whole, if we don’t make a mistake they’ve literally almost not come over the halfway line.”

Still, per Sky Sports:

“Again we have gifted our opponents points by failing to take numerous chances and paying for some defensive mistakes.

“Unfortunately, I can’t put the ball in the net for my players, much as I wish I could. What I can do is give them the right processes from which to work and I think our performances are showing they are working.

“In the first half we were in total control of this game, scored a great goal and just paid for one mistake.

“We started the second half well too and had great chances to go back in front before they had a bit of luck with a ball that hit someone’s backside and spun against a post to create their equaliser.

“I have been a football fan myself and I totally get that they pay their money and have the right to criticise. From the outside this will look like a poor Southampton performance, but if you analyse the game we did a lot right.”

This is how Twitter users reacted following boos from Southampton fans for Will Still and his players after 3-1 defeat to Bristol City…

@cw1uk2: Sports republic need to sell. Disaster after Disaster. No plan on the pitch, no passion, your football possession philosophy doesn’t work. Give it up . And please find coaches who can actually improve players .Constant decline. Not long before untainted players follow suit.

@tim1mooney: Will Still hasn’t got a clue. Negative back 5 but can’t defend. Zero ideas going forward. Totally out his depth. Another Sports Republic disaster.

@Nickyp72: Fucking appalling. I’ve had an ST for years… barely missed a game, but I think I’ll leave it for this season. 2 league wins in about a year is just the most appalling record. Maybe SR should stop with their little experiment with our club and appoint a proper manager

@CorkyMorris: Rotten top to bottom. Players are as weak as piss. Manager is arrogant & has seen us win 1 in 10 in the league. Owners have delivered 4 league wins in 17 months. Recruitment is appalling. Embarrassing!!

@TheExiledRobin: More than a few. Players seemed pretty pissed off and tbh I don’t entirely blame them. Thought they put a lot in, first half especially – I wasn’t quite sure how we were level at HT! But as good as the forward play was, they look so loose and easy to get behind at the back

@JacobSalter1: Out smarted, out manoeuvred and embarrassed by Bristol City! Times running out rapidly. 30 mins of good play in first half pointless and meaningless if you can’t manage the full 90mins. Interested to see what Still says about this #saintsfc

@Too_Jazzee: Literally no words. 4 wins in 18 months. This entire club is rotten to the core. Don’t worry though, you can play crazy golf at Level 1. Pathetic. #saintsfc

@Rusty_SFC: Through thick and thin. Highs and lows. I get it, I do! It’s just so hard when you’ve seen only 4 wins in 17 months and your club just looks so lost and confused. Poor ownership. Poor recruitment. It’s killing us slowly. #SaintsFC

@007Sutts: As a Bristol City fan there tonight, that’s Quality support for midweek night game when live on Sky & not in best form. No matter what, least you expect from the players is to show appreciation to the fans at end of the game. Poor very poor

@mrmarkpat: SR have been a fucking disaster. Bad recruitment after bad. We need a technical director in that knows the English leagues. Look how good Brighton and Bournemouth are doing. Both smaller clubs. It’s fucking criminal. We are now 4 points off bottom 4 #SaintsFC

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