Former Portsmouth star slams Southampton for allowing Arsenal comeback victory

Ex-Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has blasted south coast rivals Southampton after they allowed Arsenal to complete a comeback victory.

The Saints went 1-0 up at the Emirates on Saturday through Cameron Archer, but their lead lasted just three minutes as Arsenal turned it around to win 3-1.

Hislop, who played for Portsmouth from 2002 to 2006, was critical of Southampton after the match as the football pundit analysed the game.

‘Before the game, I heard Southampton described as this season’s Burnley,’ Hislop told ESPN FC.

‘A team trying to play football, playing out from the back, even when it gets them into trouble they stick to those principles… I like that analogy.

‘You go away to the Emirates, you take the lead, and you insist on passing out from the back?

‘Take some heat out of the game! Take the emotion out of it. Go long once or twice. Protect the lead for as long as you can. Then you want to settle back into your natural game.

‘But Southampton gave the ball away cheaply – very cheaply at the back. Take nothing away from [the finishes] but Southampton have this need to play out from the back and give it away cheaply in transition.’

Southampton boss Russell Martin was more pleased with his side’s performance and feels they improved from Monday’s 3-1 defeat to AFC Bournemouth, although he admits ‘there’s a lot to be frustrated about’ due to a lack of points.

‘I feel so much more positive and proud of my team than I did on Monday night, and we played against one of the best teams in the country,’ Martin told the BBC. ‘If we play like that in the next block of games I’d be very happy.

‘Our mentality at 1-1 was much worse than when we scored. Emotions, it’s nice to score a goal, it’s a nice goal, but we have a problem and we concede.

‘I think we’re learning and growing and we’re on a journey. But we’re doing it under huge scrutiny and the intensity of the Premier League. I have to keep the guys on track and on path.

‘There’s a lot to be frustrated about, we don’t have enough points on the board and a win yet, but I loved all of our resilience today. I loved all of that and if we continue to grow I’m going to be happy.’