AUTUMN is upon us, leaves are dropping faster than Ruud van Nistelrooy in the penalty box and City are at a crossroads less than two months into the season.

Is it really that dramatic? Well five defeats in six matches begs the question how far manager John Barton can take his current side without further additions to his squad.

The nucleus of the squad is there, no-one would dispute that, and Nuneaton Borough were pushed all the way in consecutive games but the fizz has gone out of things at the Lane at present.

Early season optimism has ebbed, and with FA Cup hopes already over, it feels as if there is a lull in proceedings.

Supporters want a boost and one sure-fire way to ignite passions both on and off the pitch is with the infusion of some new blood to freshen up the team ahead of the tough winter period.

After 12 games it's a little premature to write off City but three points out of 15 really does not bode well if you are looking for signs that Barton's team will be at the sharp end of things when the season reaches its nitty-gritty stage around March and April.

The bare facts show that the St George's Lane club are down five players since the start of the season, leaving a squad of 18.

Of those 18, Shaun Hayes, Liam McDonald and Dan Parker are fringe players at this stage leaving just 15 to chose from including Kevin Halliday (knee) who is weeks away from fitness and, it must be said, still untried at this level.

Dan Jones and Dean Smith's departures were relatively easy losses to absorb but the nagging feeling persists that Mitch Counsell's youth and vigour would have been useful to call on - not least with John Snape still looking to recapture last year's form which made him such a key figure.

Stewart Hadley's retirement leaves just three strikers while injuries to Carl Heeley and Jon Holloway have now given Barton further cause to fret though he is hopeful Heeley will be back to face Weymouth in two weeks time.

Worcester, of course, are not exactly flush with cash to nip out, a la Roman Abramovich, to bring in the latest superstars of the non-league scene but where do you draw the line against balancing books and balancing hope for the remainder of the season?

There is a well-documented financial millstone hanging round the club's neck which at the last count weighed nearly £700,000, but in football sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate.

The recent double-header against Nuneaton made it clear that City need to strengthen.

Despite an excellent first 45 minutes in the FA Cup defeat and a determined display last week, City emerged with nothing.

Barton, never one to duck an issue, admitted that ultimately they have been found wanting but the question is will he given scope to make the necessary improvements?