Adkins takes blame for Saints exit

Nigel Adkins took the blame for Saints' Capital One Cup exit at Leeds, accepting that the players he changed didn't take their chance.

Goals from Michael Tonge and El-Hadji Diouf and a Luciano Becchio penalty helped the Championship side to their second successive top-flight scalp, with their 3-0 victory earning them a first quarter-final berth since 1996.
Neil Warnock's men had the run of the park against a below-par Saints side, with Adkins' much-changed side unable to find sanctuary from their dismal Premier League form.
But having lost to Tottenham just over 48 hours ago, Adkins was of the opinion that he could not have put his first-team players through another tough workout and accepted the responsibility for the collapse.
"We didn't perform anywhere near what's expected of a Southampton Football Club team," he said.
"Forty-eight hours ago we had a high-intensity game and I made the relevant changes. I take full responsibility. We wanted to play on Wednesday, but the powers that be wanted it to be on Tuesday. But we gave the players who have not been in the team to the chance to show what they could do, and they did not take it."