What is going wrong at Southampton?

Southampton currently find themselves 13th in the Premier League, with some players attitudes being questioned and manager Mauricio Pellegrino under increasing pressure.

The South-coast club has impressed in recent years, even challenging for Europa League spots on occasion, but a selling-club policy could finally have caught up with them.

Star men like Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw, Morgan Schneiderlin, Victor Wanyama and most recently Sadio Mané have all left the club to join the richer and more successful English sides.

Each year the Saints have somehow managed to fill the holes with some excellent recruitment, but it would appear their transfer form has dipped and the first team with it.

In the Premier League this season the Saints have only picked up one win, beating an extremely poor and out-of-form Crystal Palace.

The most recent defeat for Southampton came against Burnley in a dull 1-0 loss courtesy of a Sam Vokes volley.

It's difficult to pinpoint exactly where the problem lies, but there are certainly individuals in the first team that could be heavily criticised this year.

Goalkeeper Fraser Forster has been far from an inspiring figure in the box, making errors on a much higher rate than what his defenders have come to expect from him.

Another issue in defence is the case of Virgil Van Dijk who handed in a transfer request last summer but failed to make the move most thought he would to Liverpool.

If the Dutchman still has Merseyside in his head it could be a case of the 6'4 centreback simply lacking the focus his presence requires.

On the attacking front the red and whites have been suffering several dry-spells, with striker Manolo Gabbiadini unable to maintain his good start to life at St. Mary's.

The Italian has lost the quality of chances given to him last season and has yet to build a consistent link with new signing and fellow attacker Sofiane Boufal.

Former Southampton player Gordon Watson thinks Southampton “needs a wakeup call”.

The retired Saints striker thinks the team has the quality needed but isn’t showing enough fight in games.

“Not one player is giving 100 per cent. There is no belief and at this rate they are setting themselves up for a relegation battle.”

“At the moment the manager does not know how to get the right blend – he can’t get them to play together.”

Chemistry is arguably the key to sucessful football.

An example is Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester winning the league against all odds due to having a first XI that functioned together excellently despite not having the most talented players.

The Italian's team then fell apart the next season as summer transfers and personal issues ruined the team's chemistry.

The Saints will need to turn things around quickly as another loss could mean the sack for Pellegrino, but with Manchester City up next, the Spaniard's job could be hanging by a thread.