Southampton could have easily lost their mid-week encounter with West Bromwich Albion.
The first half saw the Baggies completely dominate proceedings, as the makeshift starting XI cobbled together by Tonda Eckert, with surprise inclusions for Samuel Edozie and Divin Mubama, didn't work whatsoever.
Eckert's visitors would fail to register a single shot on goal, and they could've been more than 1-0 down at the break, as Jimmy-Jay Morgan blasted an early effort over, and Jayson Molumby nearly caught Daniel Peretz out for the rampant hosts.
Edozie would come out for the second half a completely different beast and would equalise, with the ex-Manchester City winger now hopeful he could start against Preston North End on Saturday, if Leo Scienza remains sidelined through injury.
Staggeringly, Edozie thumping home the crucial equaliser means the Saints have now had 15 different goalscorers this season in all competitions.
Still, despite the goals being so spread out, a new striker signing in January should be a priority, as they squandered several big chances in the second half to sneak a win, despite being so off-colour during the first 45 minutes.
A new striker is a must
With the goals being so scattered across the team, the fact Cyle Larin has been out of the team since the Bolton Wanderers 0-0 draw hasn't hurt Eckert and Co. that much.
They've managed to score three away at West Ham United, without the Brampton Bagsman leading the line, alongside putting four past a usually stern Queens Park Rangers backline.
But, on Tuesday evening, they could've done with Larin, who has seven Championship goals next to his name this season, as the aforementioned Mubama never looked like scoring as the Saints' main focal point up top.
The one-time West Ham striker, who is currently on loan at St. Mary's from Man City, failed to register a single shot at goal during his awkward 71-minute runout.
Having now not scored since August, when he came off the bench to find the back of net against Stoke City, it's clear he can't be relied on to start games.
If you had Larin in his spot, a win might've been forthcoming, with the absence of the clinical Canadian even more apparent when Lewis Dobbin spurned a glorious one-on-one chance late on as Mubama's replacement.
Those sort of chances are Larin's bread and butter, but Dobbin is clearly still a little unsure in his new surroundings as a £9m summer recruit, as he failed to add to his solitary Saints goal by weakly hitting an effort at a relieved Max O'Leary.
The 15 different goalscorers stat is remarkable, but if your strikers are missing costly chances to turn a draw into a win, as they did at the Hawthorns, that amazing figure quickly loses its razzmatazz.
Who could Southampton target as a more competent back-up to a returning Larin?
They have been linked with several names...
Who could arrive through the door?
Daniel Jebbison has reportedly been on the Southampton shopping list in the past.
His Championship numbers aren't jaw-dropping, with the AFC Bournemouth striker only bagging seven second tier goals to date, but he could be an effective stop-gap signing to ensure the Saints don't have to rely on Dobbin and Mubama to solely deliver the goods.
He has scored against the Baggies, too, during his EFL-heavy career, with Jebbison perhaps putting away that one-on-one opportunity, if he had already been playing under Eckert.
Lukas Nmecha's name has also been mentioned, and he could be just what the doctor ordered, too, in gifting Eckert a more reliable second-in-command striker, with the Leeds United attacker amassing six Premier League strikes last campaign, from only ten starts.
Eckert could well want another centre-back in through the door in January, as well, with Zach Abbott a forgotten back-up to the likes of Keven Schlotterbeck and Jack Stephens.
But, a much more pressing task to get done is to pick up another striker, as Mubama's anonymous showing, and then Dobbin's wastefulness, cost the Saints what would've been an eye-catching three points against a promotion rival, even if they were put under the cosh for a lot of the 90 minutes.
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