Even 15 new signings and three different managers were unable to prevent Premier League relegation.
Kyle Walker-Peters thinks Southampton's difficult season was severely impacted by the volatility brought on by a wave of new signings.
After spending the duration of their miserable season in the Premier League relegation zone, Saints' 2-0 loss to Fulham on Saturday effectively sent them to the Sky Bet Championship.
The bottom-placed team in the division added 15 players throughout the course of the last two transfer windows, and current manager Ruben Selles is the third to hold the position this season after the dismissals of Ralph Hasenhuttl and Nathan Jones.
Although England defender Walker-Peters acknowledges that certain players have underperformed, he believes that club turmoil in the backdrop hasn't helped the situation.
"No, it hasn't," the 26-year-old responded. "To be really honest, that has been extremely difficult for everyone.
"When I first arrived here, the squad was smaller and closer-knit, and it may be challenging when there has been a lot of change.
"On the field, we weren't good enough, and we didn't do our jobs well enough, which is ultimately why we're getting relegated," the player said.
Southampton lost to the Cottagers, their 24th defeat in the top flight amid a miserable campaign that saw just six victories, 31 goals, and 66 goals allowed.
In Selles' first three games after taking over for Jones, victories over Chelsea and Leicester raised hopes of survival, but the following 33 points available were just a pitiful three.
It's challenging to win games if you're not good enough in both boxes, according to Walker-Peters. "We haven't scored enough goals, we haven't stopped enough goals, and ultimately, if you're not good enough in both boxes, then it's hard to win games," he said.
The season's narrative has been "that"
At St Mary's, dropping into the Championship is probably going to cause a player exodus, and Walker-Peters is probably going to get some attention.
Prior to games against Brighton and Liverpool, the fullback, who made his international debut last year, kept mum on his own future.
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