This article is part of Football FanCast's The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

As the saying goes: attack is the best form of defence.

In Southampton's case, their defence is statistically the worst in the Premier League this season having conceded 32 goals in 14 outings.

A report from The Mirror (print version, November 12, page 53) revealed that Ralph Hasenhuttl is targeting a 'top quality centre-back' and a new right-back in the January transfer window.

However, another report from The Telegraph outlined that Southampton owner Gao Jisheng will give the former RB Leipzig boss 'limited' funds to work with this winter, which isn't ideal given the surgery needed in the Saints' backline.

"Southampton are still also intending to appoint a specialist in player trading, although Ralph Hasenhuttl will be limited in his January budget and will largely need to turn Southampton’s season around with his existing squad."

So, what could Hasenhuttl do to counterbalance his awful defence without spending huge amounts?

Well, while it may not necessarily stop the goals flying past Alex McCarthy, the Austrian must begin to play Moussa Djenepo and Sofiane Boufal together on the flanks.

This is something that Hasenhuttl hasn't done from the start of any Premier League game so far this term, except for the 1-0 win away to Sheffield United - however, Djenepo oddly started at left wing-back.

In that particular game, there was no such evidence that the pair would cause havoc together, although their performance against Watford recently when Boufal came off the bench to play the last 34 minutes evoked extremely positive signs.

The former Lille man recorded a whopping five dribbles in just over half-an-hour on the field - only one player completed more.

Incidentally, that was Djenepo with seven, one of which led to Danny Ings' crucial equaliser.

Boufal put Nathan Redmond to shame with his cameo showing, as the former Birmingham man could only muster up one dribble and no key passes.

It feels like it will take a couple of transfer windows to repair the lackadaisical personnel within Southampton's defence, although by playing the African duo and allowing them to pin back opponents with their directness and flair, perhaps the Saints' backline will be afforded some more respite.

In other Southampton news, Hasenhuttl may have suffered yet another transfer setback after an update in the Championship...