January Transfer Window Crucial If Southampton Are to Arrest Their Slide

It all seems to be going a little bit wrong for Southampton at the moment.

After a magnificent start to the season, which saw them win 11 of their first 14 games in all competitions, they are now without a victory since the start of November, having lost their last five.

Of course, a certain amount of regression was inevitable, because while the Saints recruited shrewdly in the summer after the departure of so many key players, these were not purchases that would sustain a challenge for the Champions League spots.

Still, the dramatic nature of their recent slump must cause some concern for Ronald Koeman and his staff, because this is the sort of run that can really derail a season.

Of course, this can be partly explained by the vagaries of the fixture computer. Their start to the campaign was relatively friendly, with the only two really tough games (Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur) being the ones they lost. In recent weeks, they have faced Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United, which is certainly one explanation for the downturn.

However, their run of defeats has also included reverses at Burnley and, perhaps most damagingly, against League One Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup. While progress in the league was, of course, a priority, that was their most realistic chance of winning a trophy and having something tangible to show for their season.

Jon Super/Associated Press

The problem for Koeman is that the upcoming games don't exactly look promising for a recovery. Over the next six weeks or so, Southampton face Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Manchester United and a tricky FA Cup third-round tie against Ipswich Town. There is the possibility in those fixtures, in the parlance of the football cliche, for the slump to turn into a tailspin.

The primary reason for the bad run of form is surely the strength in depth of the Southampton squad. Aside from Jay Rodriguez, a long-term absentee, most of their key players were fit at the start of the season. In recent weeks, however, injuries have started to bite, with Morgan Schneiderlin, Toby Alderweireld, Victor Wanyama and Dusan Tadic all suffering problems.

Koeman clearly recognises this when he reflected on the Sheffield United defeat, as quoted by the Daily Express:

"

They showed today what Cup football means, it's not about level—it's about doing what you have to do.

I think they had the best chances in the game, but we weren't good enough—we didn't create a lot, it can happen.

In the last few games we have had to change too much, people are not looking fresh and that is difficult.

"

There are certainly indications that Southampton will be making moves in the transfer market this coming January, with the latest rumour concerning a move for Dutch star Wesley Sneijder, as reported by Neil McLeman in the Daily Mirror on Thursday.

While Sneijder is obviously a class player, Saints fans would be right to be wary of such a move, given that some of their previous big-money, high-profile signings have been failures. Dani Osvaldo barely played before personality problems saw him return to Italy, while Gaston Ramirez became a peripheral figure and is now on loan at Hull City.

The intent is good, though. Southampton need to significantly strengthen their squad, if not perhaps their first-choice team, in January if they are to arrest their current slide down the table.