Strachan hasn't exactly inherited a top line strike force. Beattie has a purple patch every season and then looks useless, Pahars seems to have lost that sparkle, Ormerod is trying to get to grips with a big step up to the Premiership and Delgado is perpetually injured and is currently a complete waste of resources.
Typically for our club, the policy of "let's see how little we have to spend to stay in the division" has prevented Strachan bringing in anyone who can turn things around up front.
With Ormerod bagging a hatrick for the reserves, he had earned his place as the forward in the 4-5-1 formation Strachan chose. However Jo Tessem was given the nod. Jo gives 100% and has a great attitude, but he is not a striker. I get tired of saying this every week as the goals fail to go in. I would prefer to have Uwe Rosler back at the club and up front than Tessem.
Ormerod is the closest thing Saints have to an all round striker. He needs to work on his strength a bit, but is tall and capable of holding the ball up as well as mobile enough to create opportunities by himself. It must have come as a blow to be only on the bench against Bolton.
I fully expected Bolton to be the winners and Djorkaeff's header after five minutes almost gave Bolton an early lead after a knock back from Ricketts. Antti Niemi was equal to the task, however and pulled off the first of numerous good saves in the game. On current form it's going to be a long time before we see Paul Jones again.
Anders Svensson had a shot shortly afterwards after Tessem had held the ball up, and Fabrice Fernandes was looking lively but without much of a finish.
Michael Rickett;s could only find Niemi from a close range effort on 31 minutes and the rebound came off Djorkaeff.
Saints were reduced to long range efforts; a terrible Fernandes freekick (do Saints bother practising set pieces, I 've always wondered) and a better effort from Delap which went close.
Unlike Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal, Antti Niemi was forced to work to keep his side in the game after the break, handling a dangerous Holdsworth header.
There were chances for both teams with Bolton looking the most threatening, Ricketts hitting the side netting and a shot form Per Frandsen going close.
For Saints, Tessem saw his effort go just wide.
Bolton continued to threaten with Bergsson heading over and Niemi saving well from a close range Holdsworth effort.
Then he deadlock was finally broken, and it was by the Saints. A fine run from Bridge who ignored a challenge from Campo and who finished with a thumping shot into the net. Bridge is dangerous when he gets forward and should be encouraged to do it more often. We need the goals if nothing else.
Unfortunately, as James Beattie missed a good chance after a poor Bolton pass-back, the home side got themselves level.
Saint completely failed to defend a text book long throw and paid the penalty when Djorkaeff put the ball into the net at the back post with not a marker in sight.
It was a disapointing end after so much good work throughout by Niemi.
Teams
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Barness, Bergsson, Whitlow, Charlton, Frandsen, Campo, Farrelly (Pedersen 78), Djorkaeff, Ricketts, Dean Holdsworth (Okocha 78).
Subs Not Used: Poole, Livesey, Tofting.
Booked: Barness.
Goals: Djorkaeff 90.
Southampton: Niemi, Delap, Lundekvam, Anders Svensson, Bridge, Telfer, Michael Svensson, Oakley (Ormerod 75), Marsden, Tessem (Beattie 65), Fernandes.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Dodd, Hall.
Goals: Bridge 82.
Att: 22,692
Ref: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).
Footy Mad report:
Southampton were seconds away from earning their first away win of the season when Bolton hit them with an injury-time equaliser.
The home side, beaten by late goals in the last two games, kept up their record of scoring in every game when Youri Djorkaeff netted from close range after Mike Whitlow's header had come back off the post.
Until then Saints looked to have secured a precious away win after Gordon Strachan's tactics of fielding a largely defensive line-up and relying on breakaways seemed to have paid off.
After goalkeeper Antti Niemi had kept them in the game with crucial saves from Dean Holdsworth and Michael Ricketts, Wayne Bridge shot them ahead in the 82nd minute with a thundering left-foot shot.
In a largely sterile first half Bolton laboured in front of goal while Saints wasted their best openings with some off-target shooting.
Bolton's best efforts came in a two-minute spell just before half time when Gareth Farrelly and Holdsworth were both denied by good saves from Niemi who had earlier saved efforts from Djorkaeff and Ricketts.
Saints, hoping to improve on a dismal goal record that had seen them score only three times in seven games, looked livelier in midfield than the home side in the first half but failed to capitalise as Fabrice Fernandes, Rory Delap and Michael Svensson all missed the target from good shooting positions.
Bolton livened up their attacking play but still found the Saints defence difficult to penetrate after the break.
When Bolton did finally break through they found Finnish international Niemi in superb form in the Southampton goal as he kept out goalbound efforts from Holdsworth and Ricketts.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 82nd minute with Bridge the unlikely scorer.
As the Bolton defence concentrated on marking substitutes James Beattie and Brett Ormerod, Bridge stole into the penalty area, avoided Ivan Campo's tackle and hit a left-foot shot past Jussi Jaaskelainen .
Within two minutes Saints could have had another when Ormerod's chip landed on the roof of the net after the home defence had been caught off guard.
To their credit Bolton never gave up and they were rewarded two minutes into stoppage time when Djorkaeff finally beat the outstanding Niemi.
Saints boss Gordon Strachan was very disappointed after the match.
"Lack of professionalism and concentration cost us in the end." he said.
"It hurts, especially after we played so well before that."
In contrast Bolton manager Sam Allardyce was relieved at the final whistle.
"I'd have been dejected had we got nothing from the game," he said.
"It shows that good performances are important but the result is crucial."