Southampton manager Nathan Jones said he had "let the players down" after their 3-0 defeat at Brentford, and got "carried away" because they are in the Premier League.
Saints are bottom of the table, three points from safety.
They have lost eight of their 13 matches since Jones was appointed in November.
"I haven't really put my own stamp on it and I should have by now," Jones told the BBC's Match of the Day.
"I was recruited to do certain things and I don't see my team in there. I have pandered a little bit. I have gone away and tried to accommodate what we have.
"I want to be brutally honest with this - I have let the players down.
"I was recruited to do a certain job, to play in a certain way because my teams did really well. We defended the box, we were aggressive, front-footed, we put teams under pressure, we pressed, we counter-pressed really well.
"I blame myself. I should be driving the standards. Everywhere I've been I've drove standards, I haven't let anyone get away with anything. I've been on top of everyone.
"I've maybe got carried away that these are Premier League players and you have to give them this and that, but no more."
