THERE was more than a little good fortune about both of Chelsea's goals on Saturday - but nothing lucky about the result.

Following James Beattie's stunning opener after just 12 seconds, the Blues assumed control and carved out chance after chance before the Southampton resistance finally cracked.

Once ahead, Chelsea seemed to take their foot off the gas somewhat, although credit to the battling qualities in Saints' display.

Unfortunately, Beattie and Kevin Phillips aside, that was pretty much all Steve Wigley's men could offer, with the usual difficulties finding that final ball in the last third.

Indeed, with all the talk surrounding Paul Sturrock, Wigley and Rupert Lowe recently, it has perhaps been too easy to overlook the most relevant issue in the slow start to the season.

As Gordon Strachan was fond of reminding people, you can have any manager or system you like, but football is about quality players performing well.

Right now, Wigley doesn't have enough people doing that.

It's been said before, but Matthew Oakley really cannot return too soon.

He is close to coming back after almost a year out of first-team contention and his absence in the past 12 months has most definitely coincided with more difficulties retaining possession in midfield.

That was again evident on Saturday as Saints found themselves pinned back and unable to keep the ball long enough to ease the pressure.

Another huge miss continues to be the imposing presence of Michael Svensson at centre-back.

But for all the misfortune with injuries, you also have to wonder about the wisdom of the transfer policy this summer.

Two years ago, the priority was rightly to improve the squad.

That was done and it is certainly the deepest squad of capable Premiership players at Southampton for some time.

The problem, though, is that football is a match between teams of 11, not 25.

So while Saints have improved their squad they have not (with the exception of Phillips and arguably David Prutton) added tothe quality of the starting line-up.

Indeed if you compare the situation to two seasons ago, there are more good players at St Mary's, but still a slightly weaker best eleven.

Svensson and Oakley aside, Saints have not recovered from the end of the Wayne Bridge/Chris Marsden axis on the left despite the class of Graeme Le Saux.

It is worth noting that none of this year's summer signings made it into Wigley's team on Saturday.

Given that Saints already had a decent squad at the end of last season, you have to ask whether it would have been better to use any available money to purchase one major player.

Ideally, that would have been a much sought after creative midfielder.

Perhaps wages are the problem, but it is going to be tough this season if Wigley cannot bring in more established quality before the transfer-window closes this week.

The other big hope, of course, is that some of the hugely promising crop of younger players will flourish this season like Martin Cranie, Dexter Blackstock or Leon Best.

But if neither happens, the return to fitness of the likes Oakley, Svensson and Marian Pahars will be the decisive factor in Saints' season - and not what coaching structure Lowe decides to put in place.