MANAGER Russell Martin insisted Saints lacked "energy, aggression, intensity, purpose and joy" during their 2-0 pre-season defeat at Oxford United.
First half goals from Mark Harris and Ruben Rodrigues saw the Championship outfit beat Premier League opposition at the Kassam Stadium.
Martin was left frustrated with the performance in the first half but felt things improved after the break.
Saints also lost Sekou Mara and Kamaldeen Sulemana to slight knocks in the first half.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Martin said: "That annoyed me a little bit.
“We lacked feeling, energy, aggression, intensity, purpose, personality, character and joy in the first half.
“We lacked all of that. We didn't lack good positions. We didn't lack structure.
“We didn't lack good detail. We just lacked energy and feeling.
"The only player that played with a little bit of joy, and gave a little bit of joy, was probably Sam Amo.
“I thought Ryan Manning did great in bits in a different role.
READ MORE: Saints suffer first defeat of pre-season at Championship Oxford United
"We played a ball over the top three or four times and we were in.
”Someone takes a really positive touch - then we take three touches and wait for the opposition to come back in.
"It's madness. That's done. That bit of the process is done. I give the guys the benefit of the doubt because it's pre-season.
"We're three weeks in. They're knackered. They're planning with fatigue. The atmosphere is pre-season atmosphere.
"But like, I said to you, we've got no time to rest and wait and find out. We need to bring our best version of ourselves every time.
"When the guys play in the way that we want to, with real intensity, they experience a lot of joy,
“I think. They give me a lot of joy. Hopefully, they give a lot of people a lot of joy.
"Tonight, (there was) no joy in the first 45 minutes. They did better in the first bit of the second half.
”And then the guys that came on were much better. (They were) more aggressive.
“(We had) actual chances. We should score a couple. Runs. Just energy. Feeling. Character, personality. So, yeah. We need to improve."
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