He told the Daily Echo: “The third away game we didn’t lose, but every time one point is not enough”.
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Speaking to saintsfc to give his pre game thoughts, Koeman talked generally about the last performance and also gave a team news update.
The 26-year-old’s brace, his second from the penalty spot, came either side of Mané’s double while Long grabbed his two later in the second half to add up to the heaviest defeat of MK Dons’ short history.
Graziano Pelle should be available on Saturday despite missing the MK Dons trip due to a foot injury and Uruguayan midfielder Gaston Ramirez could also feature in the squad having made his first appearance in over a year at Stadium MK.
“We had a run past year to the quarter-finals and we will try to get further on in this tournament, and that ambition we showed”.
“What’s changed is we are past the transfer window”, said Koeman.
“Sometimes it is a tough place to be when you have been beaten like we have tonight but you have to take the positives out of everything but I’m not going to say we won’t move forward from here because we have to”.
“We have to fight for a high position in the table and that starts this Saturday [against Swansea City]”.
The left-back – who has played for England on four occasions – missed the pre-season and start of the season after undergoing minor knee surgery in early July. We know Ryan is a good player, a good full-back and very offensive. He did a great job in all the games he played last season.
Bertrand’s absence has seen 20-year-old full-back Matt Targett fill in on the left of the Saints defence, but with the former Chelsea man back and ready to play, Koeman could provide him a chance to earn some match fitness in the tie with the Championship side.
Despite the ignominy of overseeing the club’s heaviest ever defeat, Dons boss Karl Robinson was philosophical on reflection of the night’s events.
“The way I am getting asked things is as if we are reaching for the panic button or something, ” Monk said. But their team is worth about £98million, to my two hundred grand…
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“But forget money and the talent that can buy, Southampton’s hunger and desire was absolutely phenomenal”.
