Report: Southampton 4 – 1 Hull City

A disastrous opening forty-five minutes away at Southampton saw Steve Bruce get his tactics wrong and City produce their worst performance of the season, although credit must go to the home side for the way they played and dismantled an off colour City.

Having seen the 352 formation work so well at Tottenham Hotspur, Bruce opted to utilise the same tactic again. In asking Southampton to attack his team, his do so against a side with more attacking fluidity that Tottenham have at the moment and in-front of an England manager, the Southampton front three excelled.

Before Southampton scored their first, they had already threatened. Aerially, Southampton are a real handle and it was perhaps a surprise that Bruce did not bring Faye into the three mad defence rather than shifting Figueroa inside, the Honduran never looking that comfortable.

The home side`s first came via a Clyne cross. He found Lambert who beat Davies in the air and Morgan Schneiderlin had time and space to choose his spot, heading into Harper`s top left hand corner.

It wasn`t too long before further goals followed although the way in which City defended left much to be desired. Cutting through the centre of the team, Lallana was set free and he was upended in the area by Harper. The veteran keeper had no reason to attempt to challenge Lallana where he did as the England man ran away from goal and it was a poor decision by someone who should know better. Rickie Lambert doesn`t miss penalties and duly dispatched from twelve yards.

Minutes later, Southampton had a third. Thirty yards from goal, Lallana cut inside past two and inside Elmohamady who opted not to make a challenge as the forward entered the area. Bearing down on goal, McShane opted to back away from the advancing Lallana who shot low past Harper into the far corner. At 3-0 before half-time, the game was over and City had rarely troubled apart from an occasional corner and long range effort.

It is difficult to blame Bruce when he has done so well in steering City into mid-table early in the season. However, the formation allowed Southampton to dictate the play and pressure City high up the field and when the defenders did not perform as they have done so far this season, City produced their worse 45 minutes this season.

At half-time, City introduced Robert Koren which yielded a change of formation. Elmohamady was the player removed and City soon found their way back into the game. Wanyama had given the ball away numerous occasions in the first half and when he dwelled with Livermore in attention, the on loan Spurs midfielder won the ball. Playing in Yannick Sagbo, the Ivorian curled the ball from the edge of the area, round the defender and past Boruc.

As City threatened an unlikely comeback, Huddlestone saw a shot from distance held by Boruc. Southampton by this time had understandably lost some of the edge from their first-half display but Lallana forced a god save from Harper and Osvaldo saw his header also stopped before Southampton added a fourth minutes from the end. The impressive Clyne was again allowed time and space down the Southampton right. His cross eluded the diving head of Davies and Steven Davis controlled and finished low past Harper to wrap up the victory.