Sunderland boss David Moyes believes that the Black Cats are suffering in the Premier League this season because of a poor transfer window.
Moyes is yet to register a league win this season as his side sit at the bottom of the table with just one point from their opening six games.
The former Everton and Manchester United manager thinks that he doesn't have enough good players in his squad to put the points on the board in what was a disrupted summer due to the departure of Sam Allardyce.
He said: "Ultimately, you have to have good players on the pitch. And, at the moment, we're not getting enough good players on the pitch.
"We know we're going to have to improve on what we've got to give ourselves a chance. I think we're probably paying the price for not recruiting earlier.
"But what would you say about the year before that or the year before that?
"Would you say you were paying the price for recruitment then or are there other reasons?
"This is a position the club's been in before and it's something we have to try and get rid of.
"I knew it wasn't all going to be easy but I did expect to come in and find myself winning games.
"But the club's been in that position last year and the year before. And we have to try and do what they did and find a way to get out of it."