Sunderland boss Gus Poyet insists he was sidelined for their summer market campaign.
Poyet says the loss at Southampton - which equalled a club record - was not helped by only having four fit defenders.
And the Sunderland boss does not take responsibility for the club's failure to bring in the personnel he asked for during the summer.
"I wanted seven defenders and we started the season with six," said Poyet, having this week signed former France defender Anthony Reveillere on a free transfer.
"That's true, but now we have seven. I didn't make the decision to have six, but that's life.
"I accept it and I get on with it. Which means I'm not going to tell you I'm happy or not happy. Don't say that. I'm okay. I get on with it because that is where we are.
"We were looking for certain players, we were looking for Fabio Borini but he didn't come. We signed Ricky Alvarez. But I'm not going to lie, we didn't sign a replacement for Borini."
