Yahoo Sports ‘It’s one game, it doesn’t define us’ – Southampton boss Allen reacts to Blackburn Rovers defeat
Southampton head coach Remi Allen expressed her disappointment with the team’s 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers but highlighted the fact that one game doesn’t shape a season.
Allen’s Saints side faced Rovers at St Mary’s Stadium in their third game of the season on Sunday afternoon. Farah Crompton netted the only goal of the game for the visitors in the first half.
When speaking to the media after the match, Southampton boss Allen said that the loss was disappointing after her side had dominated possession and created more chances.
“We weren’t at the levels we needed to be,” Allen said. “They had one shot to score, they were clinical, we weren’t. We didn’t create enough and then they had that final bit of quality in the final third, so yeah, disappointing.
“It’s one of them, isn’t it? Connections, technical detail, we were just slightly off today. In the moment, when we could have hurt them, there were opportunities, we just didn’t exploit it enough. You get punished in this league if you’re not clinical.”
Allen acknowledged the fact that Blackburn Rovers came to St Mary’s with an effective game plan which was executed very well.
She said “Credit to them. They were never going to come with high presses, they sat in their block, worked really hard out of possession and we didn’t move them enough. We didn’t switch them enough to hurt them, it was a little bit slow and passive at times, so credit to Blackburn, they came here and did exactly what their game plan was in the game.”
It has been a summer of change at Southampton with Allen coming in as head coach along with player incomings and outgoings. The Saints boss said that things might take a little time to gel before the club reap the rewards.
She said “I think we’ve got good strength, we’ve got strength-in-depth but I think we’re still trying to find ourselves a little bit. It’s a new way of playing, new players, it’s going to take a little bit of time.
“I said in the previous two games, what we did have is a bit of resilience to not concede. It’s one little moment and we’ve been punished but we weren’t good enough in this game. Listen, it’s not panic stations, it’s one game, it doesn’t define us, so we have to pick ourselves up and go again.
“You want games thick and fast and you want to be able to put it right, so hopefully, we will next week.”
Southampton are back in Barclays Women’s Championship action on Sunday afternoon when Sheffield United are the visitors to St Mary’s Stadium.
