SAINTS brought the curtain down on a miserable year with a game that seemed to sum up the past 12 months.

In a team that saw several key players injured, an unfamiliar side put in a brave and battling display.

It was more to contain the opposition than to go out and win, but understandable when you play at Anfield.

For a while it looked as though the hard work the players were putting into keeping the game goalless would pay off.

Maybe it would be a point, perhaps Saints could find something to nick all three.

In the end, Saints came away with nothing other than a sense of moderate pride in not capitulating - but no points.

And it's stating the obvious but points are what Harry Redknapp needs more than anything.

During Gordon Strachan's time in charge, Saints would hold onto goalless draws and often turn them into wins.

Now they are much easier to beat.

And it's not down to the attitude of the players, which is generally first class, but down to a lack of confidence.

That's why the players that Redknapp brings in next month have to be big in personality and drive and have an aura as well as be decent footballers.

The team needs a lift, something to galvanise them and bring them together.

A catalyst on the field to kick start their season and give them a feeling of upward momentum rather than the downward trend that currently grips the club.

It now seems almost certain they will have to do that without James Beattie.

But if his sale means more money for Redknapp to spend on getting in the four or five players he feels are necessary to keep Saints in the league, then so be it.

It will certainly be sad for Saints fans to see Beattie go, but it's been no big secret that he wants a move away and after six years and 68 league goals for the club it's fair enough.

All the St Mary's faithful will hope is that all of the money from the likely sale will be given directly to Redknapp to spend - and then some more as well.

Saints should have been looking to spend to keep them up even if Beattie had stayed, so buoyed by his sale money it should really be a decent sum available to Redknapp.

Of course, replacing a guy who can score so many goals - 44 since the start of the 2002/03 campaign - is a big ask as well.

But all concerned probably feel that Beattie's time at Saints has run it's natural course and so it's better for everybody if the parting of ways is quick, clean and amicable.

It seems that will be the case.

At Anfield yesterday that style of performance typified in 2004 was back again.

Saints dropped deep, defended solidly and covered endless miles closing Liverpool down.

They allowed them possession in their own half but cut down the time and space for them to play in the areas of the field where it hurts most.

John Arne Riise tested Antti Niemi with a low shot early on while Florent Sinama-Pongolle ruffled the side netting on 11 minutes.

But other than that, Saints contained Liverpool for most of the opening half.

Steven Gerrard was the driving force for the hosts but even he was being stopped in his tracks.

The nearest Saints came was an effort that flashed wide from David Prutton, and with only 90 seconds until half-time it seemed everything was going so well for the visitors.

They say that the worst time to concede is just before the interval, though, and unfortunately that's what Saints did.

Dexter Blackstock gave the ball away to Xabi Alonso who dissected Martin Cranie and Danny Higginbotham to put Pongolle through on goal and he made no mistake with a low finish across Niemi.

But when Saints came out after the break, they didn't feel sorry for themselves and instead tried to get about Liverpool.

They only found any real attacking impetus when Anders Svensson and Kevin Phillips were introduced - the latter proving a good foil for the recalled and hungry-looking Brett Ormerod.

Even so, as has so often been the way this year, that final pass, shot, cross or decision in the final third of the pitch wasn't quite right and Saints couldn't create a clear-cut chance for an equaliser.

Liverpool could have an added a second with Niemi saving well from Neil Mellor, Luis Garcia and Gerrard while Riise rattled the crossbar with a ferocious shot after a wonderful cross-field pass from Gerrard.

So 2004 ended for Saints with the disappointment that has dogged the last 12 months.

Let's just hope for a happy New Year.