Dean Wilkins felt that there was not enough killer instinct from his side against Rochdale.
The caretaker manager revealed that the team were upset following the game, but believes that they were not far off their usual selves during the match.
"I think they are angry because of the result, and that is understandable," he told Saints Player. "I've seen far worse performances out here over the last year, but we have to win. Where we let ourselves down today, again, like I said on Tuesday, is in and around the final third. We've lost Adam Lallana who is a huge talent, but twenty goals, and also that trickery in tight areas in and around the box where he can make things happen. We missed that, and we missed Lee Barnard, who again is twenty, twenty-five goals a season, so naturally you miss that.
"Today I don't think we were dynamic enough in terms of delivery into the box, and having someone get on the end of it, and that has pretty much cost us. That said, there were still opportunities where we should have got ourselves in front but we went behind, and when we were behind we could have got ourselves back in it. We still had numerous opportunities and I think it can be a fine line between that win and that defeat, and we are suffering from that fine line at the moment.
"The biggest gripe is that it's all well having that possession and we did have some nice patterns to our passing, at times it could have been crisper but once you get in and around that final third someone needs to take responsibility. You have to deliver a good ball into the box or take someone on, or get your shot off. To me it looked like we were passing responsibility too much today.
"What you have to do when the chips are down, is look at yourself, and that's me included and all the players, and assess your own performance. Once you have done that you can start assessing how we are doing as a group and collectively make the situation better. We've got enough characters in there to do that."
Once again his side dominated large spells of the game and Dean sympathised with individuals in the side who were unfortunate in front of goal.
"Jason Puncheon is disappointed, because on other days that ends up in the back of the net, and on other days that would have been a three nil victory. We are getting done on that fine line, the one before half time I wouldn't say was a killer, but the lads come in at half time and you have to pick them up again. Punch had his chance at one nil down, we had a couple of other chances and they go down the other end and to be fair to the guy he has scored an absolute screamer.
"That's deflated the players a bit, but if we take responsibility in the final third in terms of getting your crosses in, and getting enough bodies in the box, we will turn it around, no problem.
"Alex Chamberlain did take his chance, and I thought he was very good. I know the supporters reacted when they came off the pitch, but we had to try something different, it wasn't a reflection on his performance because I thought he did really well and he is a real good prospect. It was just a case of trying to get another body higher up the pitch with Rickie, and then get someone even closer to those two as well. Unfortunately it hasn't worked out, but you can't stand there and wait for things to happen, you have to make things happen."
