IF it wasn't exactly a very merry Christmas for Saints, it's even less of a happy new year.

A 3-0 defeat at home to Watford on the first day of 2008 made the form book miserable reading for Saints.

Just three points collected out of the last possible 15 and already five home defeats only just into January.

The rest of the division may be inconsistent, but that is not good enough if Saints have any real hopes of making the top six.

In fairness, those do seem to be increasingly hard to justify.

Whilst it is still very possible, it is difficult to make a case that it is likely based on what we have seen.

The difference between Saints and Watford, a team challenging for automatic promotion, was here for all to see - and it was in the most critical areas of the pitch.

Watford are a decent side and this result, though not a good one, isn't what has done the damage to Saints' season so far.

Look at the defeats at home to Preston, Barnsley and Crystal Palace.

Also look at the games recently where Saints' staff and players have been quick to point out that the team dominated possession and should have won.

The important word there is should'.

When Saints have had games they should have won, they too often haven't.

When Saints have had games they have deserved to lose, they normally have.

There is no hiding from the statistics and the truth is that Saints are moving nearer to the bottom of the league than the top.

Injuries haven't helped George Burley's cause and some of these problems go from individual and collective performances on the pitch through to team selection.

There are too many mistakes being made the whole way and, whilst Saints fans are still just about biting their tounges and staying patient, you sense it is wearing very thin.

Burley has to have a rethink and try and lift his players again.

They are only going one way in the table at the moment and to suddenly string a run of form together is going to be tough.

It is not impossible though, because Saints should be doing better than they are.

The first starting point is the weekend FA Cup tie against Leicester, a respite from the league and hopefully a chance to try and restore some confidence, belief and momentum.

Watford were everything you would have expected them to be - big, physical, strong and tactically very aware.

They worked out a gameplan to beat Saints and stuck to it.

They tried to expose Jermaine Wright, a right-footer playing out of position at left back, and they neutralised the influence of Youssef Safri.

There were not many chances to speak of early in the first half.

Saints saw Bradley Wright-Phillips fire into the side netting and Jhon Viafara send two efforts, one deflected, wide of the target.

Towards the end of the half, Watford's direct approach started to look effective.

Kelvin Davis reacted quickly to turn Darius Henderson's header just over the bar.

But in first half stoppage time, Saints did fall behind in an all too familiar fashion.

Tommy Smith attacked Wright on the outside, his weaker left foot, got towards the by-line and played in a low cross.

Saints failed to deal with it at the near post and Damien Francis stole ahead of Andrew Davies at the far to stab it home.

Jason Euell at least managed to work Richard Lee two minutes after the restart with a volley from just inside the area, but it was straight at the keeper.

That was really the only save he had to make during the game.

On 56 minutes it was 2-0.

Referee Fred Graham awarded Watford a free-kick just outside the Saints area to the left of centre after adjudging Safri had fouled Jobi McAnuff.

The Saints man claimed he had taken the ball.

Marlon King stepped up and fired the free-kick, via a slight deflection and the fingertips of Davis, into the keeper's top left hand corner.

And the Hornets ended the game as a contest six minutes later.

Marlon King fed Henderson, who took the ball down on his chest and was given the time to fire a powerfully volley from the edge of the area which got through Davis.

Towards the end, sub Adam Hammill fired just wide and Wright-Phillips hit the post.

But it was too little too late.

If a top six finish is to come for Saints in 2008, they will need to do better at both ends of the pitch - and soon.