A couple of bad results does not define a season but Southampton's form of late is dipping and technical director Johannes Spors needs to do something about it quickly.
The squad is severely lacking in depth. The quality of the goalkeeper has been called into question for some time. Adam Armstrong is in need of support; the Championship's top scorer is being relied on too much. But none of that is Saints highest priority right now.
Spors has recently appointed the Under-21 manager, Tonda Eckert, first as interim manager and recently as First Team Head Coach.
Things couldn't have started better with Eckert winning four games in row before succumbing to a battling defeat away at Millwall.
Once appointed as permanent Head Coach, Eckert got the team back to winning ways with home victories over Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. But since then, things have gone slightly awry and questions have been raised about Eckert's tactics and substitutions.
What Johannes Spors must do now is bring in an assistant to the Head Coach: one who has the necessary experience to support and challenge the young German.
The best 'Number Two' in the history of the Premier League
Fortunately the best number two of the Premier League era is currently available and should be approached in relation to the supporting role at St Mary's.
Previously a serious contender for the Southampton manager's job, former Manchester United number two, Steve McClaren is currently available, having left his job with the Jamaica national team.
McClaren could be the ideal foil for Eckert as he finds his feet in management. Bringing his vast experience of being an assistant manager to both Alex Ferguson and Sven-Göran Eriksson, and being a manager in his own right at Middlesbrough, FC Twente and Derby County (to name just a few), McClaren would have plenty to offer.
It's not difficult to see that Tonda is a little out of his depth at the moment and bringing in somebody with the experience of McClaren could help bring the best out of the younger coach.
There is a quiet logic to the idea of Steve McClaren walking through the doors at Staplewood as Tonda Eckert’s assistant.
The simple reason why McClaren appointment makes sense
It is not glamorous, and that is exactly why it makes sense. Steve McClaren has simply been around the game for a very long time. He has seen teams chasing titles, teams scrapping to survive, and everything in between.
He has worked on big European nights and on damp midweek evenings when the football is secondary to getting a result. That kind of lived experience is hard to imitate.
For a head coach as intense and detail-driven as Tonda Eckert, that background has real value. McClaren has felt the fallout from big calls, whether tactical tweaks, selection calls or managing a tricky dressing room. He knows when to calm things down, when to take pressure off players, and when the clever idea needs parking in favour of something simpler.
Perhaps most importantly, McClaren understands defensive organisation. He believes in structure and responsibility, but not at the expense of attacking threat. As a steady presence and a trusted sounding board, he would bring balance, perspective and reassurance to Eckert’s Southampton set-up.