Saints Need More Time to Gel, Says Wanyama

“We were there for the first 40 minutes but then I don’t know what happened”.

The Saints have been a victim of their own success in recent times with a number of their top players joining bigger clubs on big-money deals following stellar spells on the south coast.

St Mary’s boss Koeman recalls making four changes between last term’s 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on Boxing Day and a 1-1 home draw with Chelsea just two days on. The second season is always hard for players, hard for a team who did more than everybody expects. “We need to get clean sheets and score goals but at the moment it is not working for us” said Wanyama after the match. While most of Europe’s elite leagues enjoy a winter break, the Premier League has one of its busiest periods.

“(Mauricio) Pochettino did a great job, then Ronald Koeman did a great job previous year. Southampton’s loss to Tottenham on Saturday was their fourth defeat in five league games.

They have already gone six games in all competitions without a single win, a factor that has now put the future of Van Gaal under serious doubt.

Wenger, however, knows all-too well the fragility which accompanies such momentum.

“Confidence is built up very slowly and goes very quickly, so let’s take care of our next performance”. You have to change your attitude because it’s a new situation.

“It’s possible. We know that because it’s the same every time”, said Koeman, when asked if he thinks Wanyama has been contacted by unofficial means by rival clubs.

“The only thing I can say is 2015, if you look back and try to analyse it, we have been consistent”. “It’s too much and we have to travel [to West Ham]”. I believe that football is down to performance.