From a statistical point of view this was a very evenly matched game, in some respects there was some evidence of that but the reality was a case of deja vu.
The statistics said Saints had 48% of the play, had 18 shots compared to Spurs 13, 5 on target compared to Spurs 8 and we hit the woodwork 3 times, add to that that the home goalkeeper Lloris was man of the match and if you were asked to guess the score from those stats without knowing the two teams involved you might suggest a draw would have been the most likely result.
But it was 3-1 to the home side and unsurprisingly the reason why it was yet another defeat and indeed a case of 8 goals conceded in the last three Premier League games was down to our inability to mark players in and around the six yard box.
The fact is all of those 8 goals have been scored when a player has been poorly marked from within 10 yards of the goal mostly nearer, Wesley Hoedt has been a scapegoat but he hasn't played for the last two games so at least five of the goals can't be down to him.
Kelvin Davis's team selection seemed strange, injury and suspension disrupted it, but surely Vestergaard deserved a start in front of either Yoshida or Stephens and why no Valery who was a bright spot in the draw with United ?
Saints faced an uphill struggle from the 9th minute, they got caught napping by a short corner and when the cross came in both Yoshida and Stephens stood and watched Harry Kane score what will be his easiest goal of the season.
It was similar situation just after half time when Lucas Moura was left staring at 3 Saints defenders marking no one and had time to pick his spot from close range and minutes later Saints were dead and buried as a Targett clearance was blocked and the rebound fell kindly, but we should still have reacted quicker both in trying to block the cross and also in picking up Son who slotted home unmarked.
This poor marking is destroying us, two years ago a failure to replace Jose Fonte meant that when we lost Van Dijk through injury we had to soldier on for the rest of the season with last night's central defensive pairing, poor marking at Wembley back then cost us the League Cup Final and two years later nothing has changed and it should have done and has to now.
This must be soul destroying for a midfield who worked hard all evening and never gave up the ghost meaning that we didn't concede five as we did a year ago at the same venue, perhaps Spurs did take their foot off the gas, but you can only play what is in front of you and our midfield ran their socks off and if the score had been one or even two nil then it could have been different, Nathan Redmond hit the bar with a great run and dipping shot, Lloris had to make three good saves in as many minutes and even at 1-0 in the first half and under the cosh we hit the post and had our moments.
In the midfield Steven Davis added some leadership, Pierre Emile Hojbjerg battled tirelessly as did Ward Prowse who saw Lloris make a wonder save from a close range shot and Nathan Redmond was at the heart of everything we did and ran at players took them on and created chances, but I'm sure some will not give him the credit he deserves.
But for the third game in a row we didn't get much out of a game we really should have got more from and as I say it must be soul destroying to see poor marking constantly cost us goals, it is soul destroying for me having to watch it that is for sure.
What this game showed is that the issue if far more than Wesley Hoedt, this has been going on for two years now, it was happening before he arrived and it is now happening with him sat on the bench watching.
The answer is simple in January we need to sign a leader at the back, someone who knows how to marshall a defence, knows how to read a game and is not stood watching yet another opposition player have a simple tap in.
This game was the end of an era on Saturday another one begins, we have to move forward now we need to start getting the best out of what we have and those that cant get better need to be moved on.