Consistency.

It’s vital in top level sport – in preparation, in matches, in a season.

You cannot expect to thrive without it.

Saints are struggling to find much consistency at the moment when it comes to their attack.

At the back it’s a different story.

There is a consistency of selection and tactics, with a regular first choice back six of Clyne, Fonte, Alderweireld, Bertrand, Schneiderlin and Wanyama. Behind them it’s been Forster, now Kelvin Davis, in goal.

Ronald Koeman and his coaching staff have drilled them brilliantly, moulded them as a unit, and the fact Saints have the best defensive record in the Premier League tells its own story.

Up the top end up though, and those front four positions, it’s not been such a success of late. Just five goals scored in the last nine Premier League games has hurt Saints at a crucial point in the season.

We have seen inconsistent form of players, decision making in games and also selections.

It would appear that Koeman is unsure what his best front four is and has tinkered in recent weeks.

Victor Wanyama is strong on the ball

With suddenly an array of options to pick from it feels as if we have seen just about every combination possible featuring Elia, Mane, Ward-Prowse, Long, Pelle, Tadic, Djuricic and Steven Davis.

There were more changes for the game at Everton.

After a goal for Italy in midweek Pelle was leading the line, in the hope that he might start scoring for Saints again, but Shane Long, in great form over the last few games for club and country, and in recent times at least a better player through the middle, was shunted to the right.

Elia was drafted in down the left and Ward-Prowse in the hole.

We have to accept that Koeman’s job is not easy. As a manager you are privy to more information on the fitness and freshness of the players and have to make judgements on that.

Also you have to think about the opposition, which might have been behind Koeman’s selection at Goodison Park, but Saints are packed with quality, they need to back themselves.

Saints have hit upon a few things that have worked.

Playing Mane through the middle off of a main striker is something that has always looked good.

He and Long were brilliant at Chelsea, causing the next best defence in the top flight absolute nightmares. That was immediately abandoned though.

Mane off of Pelle was going well before injury and international duty called for the Senegalese. That has been largely abandoned since.

Playing Steven Davis in the advanced central role was good at times, but that happens less frequently now.

Saints are searching for something to click, but when it has they haven’t given it much of a chance.

Eljero Elia takes on Aaron Lennon

Do not for one second take away from the achievements of this wonderful season, which should still have a fantastic end to it. Koeman is far too good a manager, his squad far too strong, to let this fizzle out at the last.

It is just a frustration that a lack of goals has meant decent performances have not always got what they should of in terms of points during this recent run.

Koeman reckons the top four looks unlikely right now after defeat to Everton. A fair summary, but with a bit of wiggle room.

This dream is not quite dead. A quick look at Man United’s fixtures shows why Saints shouldn’t throw in the towel on that just yet, but they do need a spectacular winning run in the final seven games.

They also have to be wary that there are no guarantees that a Europa League place will be available for seventh.

It probably will be, in which case they are virtually in now, but if not then they must finish ahead of one of Liverpool and Tottenham to get what is just reward for this campaign.

A rueful Kelvin Davis looks on as Phil Jagielka celebrates Everton's winner

In fairness to Saints, though the defeat at Everton was disappointing, they were up against a good side. Indeed, it was two teams packed with quality playing in a similar style and largely cancelling each other out.

Tactically it was an interesting battle, but in terms of excitement for the neutral it was short of much puff.

It might have all been so different had Tim Howard not made a brilliant save just six minutes into the game.

Long’s right wing cross was flicked towards goal by Pelle, darting ahead of his man at the near post.

The shot looped over the head of Howard but the Everton keeper dived backwards and managed to scoop the ball away just before it could cross the line.

Everton took the lead on 16 minutes with a disappointing goal from a Saints perspective.

The Toffees managed three unanswered touches in the area after a right wing corner was put into danger zone. A header found Gareth Barry who slid the ball into the six yard box where Phil Jagielka turned it home.

Ward-Prowse came close with a free kick that was narrowly off target and forced Howard into another stop with a fierce shot that moved all over the place but being straight down the middle the Everton keeper did manage to swat it clear.

Sadio Mane goes down in the area

Try as they might virtually nothing happened in attack for Saints in the second period.

Everton dropped deep, were really impressively organised and sat on their lead.

Koeman made a double change after just over an hour, and finished the game with three at the back and virtually five up front. It was all to no avail though, the closest they came being Jose Fonte firing over from 12 yards out.

You again cannot accuse Saints of playing poorly, but it’s not quite happening where it matters most week in and week out at the moment. Consistency counts.