Nigel Adkins will have to continue with his current Saints squad until January after the emergency loan window closed without incident.

There was speculation that Saints might attempt to bolster their squad before the window shut last night, the last chance to do so until the full transfer window reopens in January.

But as it turned out there was no fresh business in or out of St Mary’s.

That means that Adkins will have to manage his current batch of players over a busy fixture period.

Between now and the transfer window reopening on January 1, Saints face six games assuming they don’t require an FA Cup replay with Cheltenham.

Adkins has a strong and competitive squad but it is not one that is huge in numbers.

There is good cover in some departments such as centre half, right back and even central midfield, thanks in part to the loan deal of Richard Chaplow which has already been extended until the end of the year.

However, other areas are a little more threadbare.

In particular the wide areas have little cover.

With Jason Puncheon having gone out on loan to Millwall, it leaves Adam Lallana on the left and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right as the main choices.

Beyond that it is not as if Saints have no options but in terms of front line and experienced replacements it is tricky.

One of those options on the left will not be 21-year-old Joseph Mills who has extended his loan spell at Doncaster until January 19.

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