PREVIEW: Bournemouth v Southampton

Unavailable: Bournemouth – Stanislas, Wilson, Mings

                      Southampton – Gardoş, Rodriguez, Wanyama

All good things have to come to an end – but as Cesc Fabregàs’ cross timidly bounced away from Fraser Forster for the first goal he had conceded in 708 minutes – it was to be an end that was fraught with disappointment. Branislav Ivanović then compounded matters by sending a powerful header towards goal that thudded off Forster’s wrist before nestling in the Northam goal to hand Southampton their first defeat since early January. Saints now have a chance to leave those melancholic memories in the fading sunlight at St Mary’s with this midweek trip to Dean Court (stadium sponsorship names should be culled in the public sphere whenever possible).

Yet it does not seem as if there are a great amount of errors to address prior to that short trip to Dorset. For the first 30 minutes on Saturday, Saints worked their opponents well, continuing to spray the ball around patiently, but were also mindful of how a direct approach could harm the visitors. Shane Long gleefully dinked the ball beyond Thibaut Courtois to hand Saints a merited advantage, but by that point Chelsea had discovered an entrancing rhythm that was hard to keep pace with – half-time was a mere stay of execution for Saints.

The second period brought sustained pressure as the Blues zipped the ball around the edge of their attacking third while Ronald Koeman’s three-man engine room honourably strived to disrupt them. Eventually, they succumbed. Petty squabbles amongst the opposing players didn’t help (Diego Costa continues to add to the “annoying sod” section of his character reference), but the hosts inevitably dropped back, as Chelsea’s quality left them fatigued. Still, it was a more than satisfactory showing from the team bar Graziano Pellè who most likely did the complete opposite of what Koeman instructed him to do from the bench – probably wheeling out more flicks and pirouettes than he did dancing as a youngster.

The Bournemouth game will bring a different challenge as they have recently switched to a swashbuckling 4-4-2 that will be far less concentrated on possession football, as Eddie Howe has sacrificed a central midfielder with an abundance of strikers at his disposal. While the 4-3-3 he has often adopted has been sturdy, neat and tidy – it doesn’t exactly scream attacking prowess. That changed at Vicarage Road on Saturday. Granted, the Cherries only secured a 0-0 stalemate, however they undoubtedly had the better of the game, and Howe’s men were unlucky not to reap the rewards that their courage deserved.

As Koeman stated in his press conference, Saints have to squeeze six points out their two fixtures this week if they have genuine European aspirations. A fifth straight win against a club who are desperate for any form of “local bragging rights” also wouldn’t go amiss.

Key Battles

Arter v S. Davis: Harry Arter is the archetypal box-to-box midfielder – unfortunately a dying breed in the Premier League. As Eddie Howe has reverted to a 4-4-2, it gives the Republic of Ireland international license to move forward as well as backwards, in comparison to playing a defensive role in the engine room where his offensive talent is restrained. Steven Davis is a similar player, with a bit less blood and thunder to his game, therefore it will be interesting to see how the two match up against each other.

Afobe v Bertrand: Ryan Bertrand has slotted in ably as a third centre-back, and in doing so, has added another string to his bow. He adds extra balance to the defence with his left foot, and can easily run upfield with José Fonte, and Virgil van Dijk shuffling across behind him. However, it has rarely been the case that the newly composed trio have had to face two strikers, who will inevitably try to shift and manipulate the Saints defence. Benik Afobe has been a hit since his January move from Wolves, and will look to surge past Bertrand with pace and power when given the opportunity. As ever, good communication between the three will be imperative.

Possible Line-ups

Bournemouth: Boruc – Smith, Francis (C), Cook, Daniels – Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Pugh – King, Afobe

Federici, Gosling, Elphick, Gradel, Iturbe, Distin, Murray

Southampton: Forster – Soares, Van Dijk, Fonte (C), Bertrand, Targett – Romeu, Clasie, S. Davis – Mané, Austin

Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Tadić, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Pellè, Juanmi

PREVIEW: Southampton v Chelsea

Unavailable: Southampton – Gardoş, Rodriguez, Wanyama

                       Chelsea – Zouma, Falcao

During the two week break between the away win at Swansea and this Saturday’s encounter with Chelsea, it has been business as usual at Staplewood. No holiday to Dubai. No jolly in La Manga. Not even a repeat of last season’s team building session in Switzerland that threatened to injure as many people as The Jump has. It has simply been a fortnight spent together at home for the squad to recharge and prepare themselves for the run in that is to come.

After experiencing what has often been a disappointing season, I would not be hugely perplexed if Southampton lay in mid-table, but given the weird, wonderful and fairly wacky nature of this campaign, Saints are now in sixth, and hounding Manchester United who uneasily sit one point ahead. Impetus has returned to the south coast, and no doubt the players will be itching to sink their teeth back into Premier League action this weekend.

Beyond the excellent form of his side, Ronald Koeman had another reason for the grin that was stretched across his face in the pre-match press conference – a return to training this week for Florin Gardoş and Jay Rodriguez. As ever, it will be the latter who will attract more attention, but the Romanian is also a talented performer who has not yet had an adequate opportunity to stake his claim. Clearly, José Fonte and Virgil van Dijk will continue to act as undisputed top dogs at centre-back, but should Koeman wish to employ a 5-3-2, Gardoş would be more than able to challenge for the remaining spot as he attempts to snatch a place in his country’s EURO 2016 squad.

Unfortunately, that possibility is somewhat more unlikely for Rodriguez. The striker would surely settle for a uninterrupted run with his club side until May, and grab a few goals to remind the naysayers of his abilities. The Burnley boy will only turn 27 this summer, and still has another three years on his contract – leaving him more than enough time to properly gel with those around him. Neither are ready to play this Saturday, but they will further complement a squad that currently poses an agreeable test for Koeman in that it is currently a challenge to pick an 18, let alone his starting line-up.

That will leave opponents Chelsea guessing as to what tactics the Dutchman will adopt right up until two o’clock on Saturday. Yet the Blues will come to St Mary’s in improved mood after a mild upturn in form and a narrow Champions League defeat in Paris – standards have clearly dropped at Stamford Bridge. Nevertheless, Saturday’s visitors are a different proposition under Guus Hiddink than they were when Saints last played against them in October. While José Mourinho appeared to be like the strict, demeaning teacher who students would lambast behind his back, Hiddink is the calm, composed sub – respected by his pupils who were disappointed the last time he departed.

The performance levels of numerous players have shot up since the Dutchman took charge in West London, but progress will be judged by achievements in the FA Cup and Champions League now, as a spot in the Premier League’s top four seems heavily unlikely. Regardless of that, Hiddink will hope to lever his men into the top half at least, and with his squad buoyed by new arrival Alexandre Pato to relieve some of the pressure on Diego Costa, they will be troublesome customers at St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon.

Key Battles

Romeu v Willian: Handed off by Chelsea to Saints at a cut-down price, Oriol Romeu has put in several admirable displays this season, and has been unlucky to have been overlooked on multiple occasions despite the erratic form of Victor Wanyama. Aggressive in the tackle, and able to sweep balls forward with accuracy, he is an ideal partner to anchor the midfield alongside Jordy Clasie. He will face a real challenge on Saturday though, as Willian will sit in the hole, and inevitably cause some problems for the Saints rearguard. With his quick feet and exceptional movement, the Brazilian combines well with Costa, therefore Romeu will have to pester the attacker throughout the afternoon.

Long v Cahill: A large part of the reason why Ronald Koeman has not lost to Chelsea in the Premier League is his willingness to play direct against them. While others quaked at the mere sight of the Blues last season, the Dutchman was brave with Sadio Mané and Shane Long sent to disturb the peace in Chelsea’s backline. Although Gary Cahill has improved remarkably since Guus Hiddink’s arrival, Long will hope to run at and unsettle him with his usual uncompromising style. This will inevitably leave gaps which Branislav Ivanović or John Terry may not be able to plug – leaving Mané to occupy them if selected.

Possible Line-ups

Southampton: Forster – Soares, Van Dijk, Fonte (C), Bertrand, Targett – Romeu, Clasie, S. Davis – Mané, Long

Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Tadić, Ward-Prowse, Pellè, Juanmi, Austin

Chelsea: Courtois – Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanović, Rahman – Mikel, Fàbregas – Pedro, Willian, Hazard – Costa

Begović, Oscar, Pato, Rémy, Matić, Terry, Loftus-Cheek

PREVIEW: Swansea v Southampton

Unavailable: Swansea – No unavailable players

                       Southampton – Gardoş, Rodriguez, Wanyama

Last Saturday, as Victor Wanyama miscontrolled a simple ball to intercept, and then watched Dimitri Payet tip toe around him, leaving the Kenyan clutching at thin air – I just had an inkling, being the pessimistic person concerning Southampton, that it would hurt Saints in one of two ways. Either the talented Frenchman would feather the accelerator and make his way towards goal, and slam the ball into the net to leave the press purring again, or the Saints midfielder would do something completely rash, and unnecessary. It was the latter. The Kenyan attempted to scythe Payet down with a scissor tackle that barely caught the man from La Réunion, but his antics of waving his legs straight up into the air as if he was a woeful synchronised swimmer did the trick. Yes, it could have been a yellow, but the Saints man was dismissed, and I have already used all the adjectives under the sun to describe how idiotic it was (that was one of those adjectives) to leap in in the manner he did.

But I would now prefer to concentrate on the aftermath of that incident, and the added grit that has levered Saints back up the table. With a strong, organised spine, the team rallied, and remained focused until the end bar one West Ham header that flew past Fraser Forster’s left-hand post. After an uncomfortable start to the season, José Fonte has come to the fore once again, and seems to be somewhat more adept in the centre-centre-back role within that back five. As the last line of defence before the opposition try to breach Forster’s goal, the Portuguese can order and shift his team around as if he is looking over a chess board. Last season, he was stuck on the right-hand side of the three centre-backs while Toby Alderweireld was given the nod, but this time round, the Saints skipper has the most responsibility. Marshalled by the Portuguese, and Oriol Romeu who was roaming around the midfield with the necessary aggression to knock the Hammers off their game, the team were also aided by leaving two up top which left a lingering doubt in the visitors’ mind about how many men they should leave back.

The workmanlike performance that has seen them over the line in the last three outings will have to be mixed with a bit of panache and style to see them take the spoils against Swansea though. The hosts are on form currently with new manager Francesco Guidolin helping his side away from the relegation zone. Well regimented, and blessed with flair, the Swans just miss that Midas touch in front of goal. Bafétimbi Gomis is a powerful presence, however he has been suppressed by a combination of injuries, and a lack of confidence.

Meanwhile, Saints have a squad that is nearly injury-free, with Florin Gardoş and Jay Rodriguez both making their way back onto the pitch. The charge for Europe could be on when you realise the strength in depth that they possess. A two-week break after this fixture will allow them to rest, therefore a performance full of vigour and high intensity should be expected by Ronald Koeman’s men in South Wales.

Key Battles

Cork v S. Davis: Jack Cork will be desperate to impress after Ronald Koeman informed him in the most amiable of ways that he would not be usurping Victor Wanyama or Morgan Schneiderlin last season. Such was Cork’s hunger, he was discontent with being No. 3 in line, and upped sticks to move to Swansea, where he slid into place perfectly. A neat, tidy player whose tackling ability was often overshadowed by Schneiderlin’s abilities, the former England Under-21 man, can also deploy balls forward to hurt Saints, therefore it will be imperative to shut him down early. Returning midfield maestro Steven Davis certainly has the tools to do this. With the Northern Ireland captain back in the side, Saints instantly become a better side, as he provides a certain doggedness along with a talent to link play up, as well as a consistency that makes him a key man for Koeman.

Routledge v Soares: After going through several unsuccessful spells at various clubs at the start of his career, it had been thought that Wayne Routledge’s talent would fizzle out, as he slid down the Football League. He was however, revitalised at Swansea, and even though he has been less prolific this season, he is still a difficult player to contend with. Cédric Soares will have to be wary of the winger attempting to race inside – or outside of him.

Possible Line-ups

Swansea: Fabiański – Rangel, Fernández, Williams (C), Taylor – Cork, Ki – Ayew, Sigurðsson, Routledge – Paloschi

Nordfeldt, Amat, Britton, Gomis, Montero, Naughton, Barrow

Southampton: Forster – Soares, Van Dijk, Fonte (C), Bertrand, Targett – Romeu, Clasie, S. Davis – Mané, Long

Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Tadić, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Pellè, Austin

PREVIEW: Southampton v West Ham

Unavailable: Southampton – Gardoş, Rodriguez

                       West Ham – Jenkinson, Lanzini, Sakho

Nearly four years ago, Southampton visited Upton Park as they slogged it out with their hosts for a spot in the Premier League with Jos Hooiveld scoring to cement his status as a cult hero, prior to being scapegoated by many Saints fans for his own-goal scoring spree in the Premier League.

This Saturday, it will be a slightly more lucrative, but somewhat less-pressured slog for the prize the two clubs are aiming for – Europa League football. Ironically, both sides spurned the reward of a European group stage berth in qualifying during the formative stages of this campaign. While West Ham showed a genuine lack of concern with Europe’s secondary competition in a long drawn qualification process, Saints were in it for the long haul after a hard earned seventh place finish. A longer stay in the Europa League next season would benefit the progression of both clubs – ideally without the pernickety ordeal of qualification. Games against teams such as Midtjylland and Astra Giurgiu are not as uncomplicated as they would first appear.

Nevertheless, the path to that prize still stretches out far into distance for both sides. It was only this time last month that Saints were in danger of slipping into the joys of a scrap to avoid the drop that would be so harmful from a financial viewpoint. The dogged nature displayed on Tuesday night mixed with the free-flowing offensive play in the Watford match has allowed Ronald Koeman’s men to ease themselves up into the top half of the table. There was also a sense of cohesion about the team that handed Saints the platform to take a point away from the Emirates.

This was borne from a defence that was shifted into a back four, but did not panic, even when under great strain in the second half. In front of them stood Oriol Romeu and Victor Wanyama. The Spaniard has warranted more playing time due to some excellent displays in the engine room, but in the past has always looked weakest when paired with the Kenya captain. In the past, the two players had always dropped far too deep onto the toes of José Fonte and Virgil van Dijk, leaving a vast amount of space in front of them for the opposition to attack. Yet the Gunners struggled to break through the defensive midfield duo, and they gave real balance to the team. On Saturday, Koeman will have to make the call as to whether Jordy Clasie should be given the nod in a game where his team are likely to have a far greater portion of the possession than they enjoyed against Arsenal.

The midfield battle will be key as that is what provides structure for the Hammers. Cheikhou Kouyaté and Alex Song combine well to safeguard the West Ham backline, therefore intricate passing, and intelligent moves from the Saints midfield will be necessary to unlock that door. A large part of that is dependent on the return of Steven Davis, who has arguably been Southampton’s player of the season. The Northern Ireland captain is not gifted with pace, but he manages to ghost into the No 10 slot, and work in tight areas. It would be surprising if it wasn’t a case of tight margins under the lights at St Mary’s on Saturday.

Key Battles

Clasie v Noble: These two playmakers should go up against each other on Saturday. Mark Noble is in fact one of the most underrated central midfielders in the Premier League, and has the ability to pick a pass to carve through defences in a heartbeat. Clasie will have to strangulate the Hammers captain’s hold on the game, and stick to him, while successfully linking the play from defence to attack down the other end. The Dutchman has impressed of late, and was unlucky to be dropped against Arsenal. Slowly but surely, he has acclimatised to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, and could stamp his mark in the closing months of the season.

Bertrand v Antonio: Saints fans need no introduction to Michail Antonio. During a loan spell in 2009/10, he was a real favourite with his direct, physical approach play. Many were disappointed not to see him sign at the end of that season, but then he was subsequently written off by many as a player who would linger in the Championship for the rest of his career. Oh how they were wrong. The winger has adopted the same style of play in the Premier League this season, winning many plaudits with some scintillating displays. Ryan Bertrand has been back to his best lately – either as a left centre-back or at left-back – but the sheer pace and power of Antonio will have to be monitored carefully by the England international.

Possible Line-ups

Southampton: Forster – Soares, Van Dijk, Fonte (C), Bertrand, Targett – Wanyama, Clasie, S. Davis – Mané, Austin

Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Long, Tadić, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Pellè

West Ham: Adrián – Tomkins, Collins, Reid, Cresswell – Song, Kouyaté, Noble (C) – Antonio, Valencia, Payet

Randolph, Carroll, Obiang, Moses, Ogbonna, Byram, Jelavić

PREVIEW: Arsenal v Southampton

Unavailable: Arsenal – Rosický, Cazorla, Wilshere

                      Southampton – Gardoş, Rodriguez, S. Davis

Whenever a team has a swing in fortunes, fans and pundits alike are determined to find the answer as to what has gone right or wrong. In Southampton’s case, it has obviously been going right recently leading people to query what has led to this recent upturn in form. Five at the back? The colossal might of Fraser Forster back in goal? The undoubted signing of January in the shape of Charlie Austin? Sometimes though, the answer is just not that simple, and I believe that this is the case at St Mary’s. We are not poking our heads round the corner at Staplewood every second of the day. It is a likely combination of any of the above mixed with a large dollop of the ultimate gamechanger that is so hard to objectively measure – confidence.

What is sure is that Saints have a purpose once again for this season. After a dour exit out of the back door from the FA Cup, it had been thought that all was lost, and all Saints fans would have to look forward to would be months and months of how much Manchester United would be willing to pay for the services of Sadio Mané. As it is in this topsy turvy season of fun, they have propelled themselves to within touching distance of those Europa League spots once again. It could well be a key week with potential European hopefuls West Ham also visiting St Mary’s this Saturday (instead of the unseemly prospect of a Monday night game for the majority of fans). Yet, on Tuesday night, it is the threat of title challengers Arsenal that they must quell. A fine balance has to be found between defending against the Gunners’ creative offence, and setting Shane Long and Mané onto a defence that can sometimes topple faster than a Jenga tower.

Saints found that out to their delight in the return game on Boxing Day. To say that Arsenal were fraught is a severe understatement. A shambles, disgrace or sheer mess are all superior ways of describing that “performance”. Per Mertesacker and co looked like they had their boots stuck in thick treacle, as they could not cope with a bulldozing display from Saints that showcased enough drive to win a few games. Watching Arsène Wenger’s pre-match press conference highlights the desperation to avoid another night of torment, and to secure a painless victory at Saints’ expense. Clearly though, matters will not be that simple. Southampton’s five man rearguard has durability and a swagger about it after three consecutive clean sheets. It also has the ability to spring the quick counter-attack, which will leave Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey turning their heels quickly in an attempt to deny the attacking midfield space to run into.

The hosts will be wary of the plethora of options that Ronald Koeman can now bring on during the game as well. The squad is malleable, and can often leave opposition managers asking what side will come out, and what shape will it slot into (even during the match), with the Dutchman unafraid to make changes in-play. If they can find that equilibrium I mentioned earlier, Southampton have the necessary firepower up top with the added patience at the back to frighten Arsenal. They must seize that opportunity on Tuesday night.

Key Battles

Mertesacker v Austin: There is no doubt that Per Mertesacker is an excellent leader at centre-back, however he is often left troubled by dancing feet or pure pace. While he has the ability to galvanise his teammates, he is often undone by a lack of speed which allows attackers to target him. New boy Charlie Austin should be able to find pockets of space away from the German on Tuesday night. With a knack of being in that proverbial right spot at the right time, Mertesacker may struggle to contain the striker, especially with Mané always running directly towards the Arsenal back four as well.

Ramsey v Wanyama: After being slated for a lack of professionalism against Norwich, Victor Wanyama displayed what he is capable of against United last week. He shackled any wave of attack that came towards him with excellent positional sense, and a few crunching tackles. On Tuesday night, he will have to protect that back five again, but this will clearly be a challenge against attacking midfielders who move the ball around so fluidly. It is Aaron Ramsey who will most likely play a holding role, but he will inevitably wander forward as well, therefore Wanyama will need to be thoughtful of the late runs into the box from the Welshman. This could also act as an opportunity for Saints to attack though – with Ramsey upfield, the visitors’ spritely attack could take advantage of Mathieu Flamini’s tiring legs.

Possible Line-ups

Arsenal: Čech – Bellerín, Mertesacker (C), Koscielny, Monreal – Flamini, Ramsey – Walcott, Özil, Sánchez – Giroud

Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chambers, Campbell, Elneny

Southampton: Forster – Soares, Van Dijk, Fonte (C), Bertrand, Targett – Wanyama, Clasie, Ward-Prowse – Mané, Austin

Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Long, Tadić, Romeu, Martina, Juanmi