SHOULD we be surprised by this result, or should we have expected it?

Seasoned Saints fans probably expected it, it's been the Saints way for so long.

On a run of four consecutive wins and seven games unbeaten, they travel to the Championship's bottom team, who were without a win in their previous 17 league games.

Oh, and they had a normally prolific striker, Freddy Eastwood, who hadn't scored for ten league games.

We needn't have bothered turning up really.

Most people thought this Saints team was different to ones we have seen in the past, that they were starting to display the qualities required to avoid these banana skins.

Where it all went wrong is a subject for debate.

For much of the game it seemed as though Saints wanted to walk the ball into the net, whereas Southend would just have a go when an opening arose.

Southend were well up for it, snapping at Saints' heels.

But there was no lack of effort from George Burley's men.

Maybe there was some mental complacency, it's hard to say.

For sure, some of the passing could only be described as sloppy, while much of the set-piece delivery was absolutely dreadful.

Burley has some thinking to do.

There is an obvious discrepancy in the team.

The left-hand side looks so strong, the exceptional Gareth Bale of course being much to do with this.

The right hand side is not exceptional. Saints still have to find the right blend there.

After two games back in the side, Alexander Ostlund was dropped from the 16 entirely, Chris Makin coming in at right back.

It's proved a problem position.

Ostlund gives you more going forward but there are some defensive question marks over him.

Makin is solid in defence but offers less in attack, and Jermaine Wright is similar when he has played there.

The answer is not easy.

But what we do know is the man Burley described as the best right back in the Championship last season, Chris Baird, is playing at centre half and there is a centre half (Pele) playing in the centre of midfield while Inigo Idiakez, Jhon Viafara and Mario Licka sit on the bench.

To be fair to Burley, why would he change something that has worked so well in recent weeks?

But after this result, maybe it's time to go back to the drawing board.

The spine of your team is the most important thing and the argument for Baird being in the centre of defence is obvious.

He is a ball winner, whereas Claus Lundekvam can sweep up behind. Pele is more out of the Lundekvam mould than the Baird one so whether the two could work together is open for debate.

With Michael Svensson and Darren Powell still not ready, there might not be many options - until the transfer window perhaps.

It's certainly going to give Burley and his coaching staff plenty to mull over in the next week.

But that deficiency - and it also includes who to play on the right of midfield - needs to be fixed one way or another.

The match was certainly lively.

Bradley Wright-Phillips shot wide and later saw an effort turned on to the bar before Southend took the lead on 22 minutes.

Freddy Eastwood, the real piece of quality in a workmanlike team, cut in front the left, Saints stood off him and he needed no second invitation to fire in a shot from 25 yards which flew into Kelvin Davis's bottom left-hand corner.

Southend started the brighter in the second half before a game-changing moment on 64 minutes.

A combination of keeper Darryl Flahavan and a defender on the line managed to block close range efforts from Grzegorz Rasiak and Baird - and Southend promptly went up the other end and scored again.

Again Saints stood off a player, this time Alan McCormack, and he curled a pearler from 20 yards into Davis's left-hand corner, leaving the keeper with no chance.

Saints went as far as pushing four men forward in search of a goal and had Davis to thank for keeping them in the match as he made three superb saves.

Saints almost did get back in it, Rudi Skacel having a goal disallowed for a handball spotted by the linesman - though it appeared a wrong decision.

Wright-Phillips also hit the post before Rasiak did pull one back, controlling and spinning to blast a shot into the top corner from close range after a long Bale throw.

But, with just three minutes left, it proved too little too late.

It's up to Burley now to put the bandwagon back on the rails.