The centre of Arsenal’s defence has been an interesting position for the Gunners this season, with a lack of reliable options being overcome and Arsene Wenger now having three international-standard players to pick from.
The first half of the season saw the likes of Nacho Monreal and Mathieu Debuchy have to slot in at the heart of their side’s rearguard due to injuries to others.
However, since the signing of Brazilian Gabriel Paulista in January, the North London club have turned a problem area into a position of strength.
The Emirates Stadium outfit have been much more secure at the back since the turn of the year, with more confidence in the team’s defence due to competition for places at its core.
Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny have formed a long-standing partnership at the back for the Gunners, but the future longevity of this pairing is seemingly in doubt.
While the giant German brings a wealth of experience, a physical presence and leadership to the team when he plays, the veteran is also lacking in a key component of the modern game – pace.
Too many times in the past has Koscielny or one of the Arsenal full-backs been forced to get Mertesacker out of a troublesome position due to a lack of acceleration.
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As such, the signs are there that Gabriel and Koscielny could well be the ideal pairing for the North London club going forward.
With both still at an age where they could play together for a number of years and strike up a real understanding, the future is looking bright for Arsenal’s defence.
That said, Koscielny can be impulsive and makes questionable decisions at times, while the Brazilian is still getting to grips with a new club, culture, team and language.
There is a case to suggest that this pairing will be the club’s future first choice but for the time being it appears that Mertesacker has a significant role to play.
With Arsenal lacking players that have won major silverware, if the Gunners are to challenge for the Premier League title they will need more than just raw ability and potential.
Leaders and players with a strong mental fortitude will be needed, which is where Mertesacker comes in.
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He is undoubtedly one of the leaders of an Arsenal squad that has ability but not yet delivered its full potential, while he has shown that he can play a considerable role in successful sides at the highest level.
Whilst Gabriel continues to ease his way into English football gradually, Mertesacker has an important role to play in continuing Arsenal’s development.
In the long run the Brazilian and Koscielny look like a robust and dynamic partnership, but for the time being the North London side need the experienced German to continue to act as a talisman for the Gunners.
Sunday will be the last day of this Premier League season and for many players and some managers it will likely be a time to say goodbyes. That may be the case for Sam Allardyce who is expected to be moved on this summer after West Ham failed to renew his contract and let’s be honest if the club were really hoping for the Englishman to be back in charge come August then they would have started negotiations already.
Allardyce joined the Hammers in 2011 making him the leagues second longest-serving manager behind Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger but that is probably about to change. The ex-Newcastle United boss helped mastermind a promotion to the Premier League making this their third consecutive appearance in the top-flight. Though despite keeping the club up many of West Ham’s fans no longer think he has what it takes to develop the team and help them climb the table.
I can’t help feeling a bit sorry for Big Sam as in the last three years West Ham have consistently avoided the relegation battle finishing around mid-table but apparently that is no longer enough. The Hammers started the season so well that qualifying for the Champions League or Europa League, through points not discipline, was actually still a possibility. In all honesty West Ham are nowhere near being a top six or seven club but they want to be and that is perhaps why Allardyce’s time is almost up.
Teams like Southampton and Swansea City have shown just how far ambition can take you and after West Ham’s impressive start some are questioning why they haven’t finished in a higher position. Especially with the club just one season away from their big move to the Olympic Park. If they want to fill the stadium then they’ll need to make the club more entertaining and nothing entertains like success.
Their 2-1 defeat against Everton on the last home game of the season definitely didn’t help the matter though Allardyce has one last chance to impress by beating Newcastle on Sunday which may even see the club relegated. Allardyce spent less than eight months with the Magpies before a mutual agreement to part company occurred, though fan protests over the clubs continuing decline surely left him with little option but to leave. Now his last action as Hammers boss may be to condemn his old club to the Championship.
If Big Sam does leave, with some expecting his departure to be confirmed as soon as tomorrow, then the club will obviously have to find the replacement that they believe has the attributes Allardyce was lacking. Ex-Manchester United manager David Moyes is rumoured to be a front runner but considering that he has publically stated a desire to stay in Spain with Real Sociedad then next choice Rafa Benitez might be a better option.
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Benitez has worked previously for Liverpool and Chelsea where he won both the Champions League and Europa League so if West Ham are looking for experience at continental level then he’d certainly be their man. But whether he’s ready to leave Napoli is uncertain as the Italians may still qualify for next year’s Champions League and Rafa will want to be around for that.
Allardyce has been through a lot during his many years in football management and he always finds a way to get back on his feet after a sacking so you’d expect he’ll do the same this time. And who knows, maybe West Ham’s new manager won’t work out and the club will come back on bended knee for Big Sam, at which point he would be well within his rights to tell them where to go!
We’re now just a week away from the official opening of the 2015/16 Premier League campaign, which can only mean one thing – it’s time to fill out your Fantasy Football teams!
Indeed, it’s an annual tradition for football enthusiasts up and down the country; spending hours – if not days – pouring over statistics, data and price indexes to compose the perfect squad, only to lose interest a few weeks of wayward results later and inevitably never look at your expertly-assembled team ever again.
But hey, it’s fun while it lasts and we at Football FanCast aren’t here to judge. In fact, we’re going to make things a little simpler for you this year by outlining the must-have players from some of England’s biggest clubs.
This article, using stats and prices from Fantasy.PremierLeague.com, takes a look at Liverpool, listing the five Reds that would add the the most to your squad.
Some represent fantastic value for money, others are dependable points generators and a few are speculative punts, but all are Liverpool stars your Fantasy Football team needs.
SIMON MIGNOLET
No Premier League goalkeeper received as much stick as Simon Mignolet last season, deemed the ultimate culprit behind a spate of weakly conceded goals and even dropped in favour of equally hap-hazard Aussie Brad Jones for a small period.
But Fantasy Premier League looked upon the Belgium international’s performances far more fondly; his 67 saves and 14 clean sheets from 36 appearances converting into 149 points – which is actually the second-best haul of any ‘keeper after Swansea City’s in-form Lukas Fabianski.
Whether the 27 year-old can repeat the feat during the 2015/16 campaign remains to be seen – overall, the jury’s still out on Mignolet’s consistency and suitability to a club of Liverpool’s stature.
But at 5.0m he’s available for the third-cheapest price of any goalkeeper; 0.5 less than Arsenal’s Petr Cech, Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois, Man City’s Joe Hart and United’s David De Gea.
Keeping clean sheets will be the biggest factor in Mignolet’s score, worth four points apiece, and many expect the Reds to improve defensively next season after finally addressing their right-back problem with a £10.5million swoop for Nathaniel Clyne.
MARTIN SKRTEL
Martin Skrtel is a valuable Fantasy Football asset for three predominant reasons.
Firstly, at a cost of 5.5, he’s certainly one of the Premier League’s top six’s cheaper centre-halves. To give some comparison, Chelsea duo Gary Cahill and John Terry will set you back 7.0, whilst the likes of Laurent Koscileny, Chris Smalling and Vincent Kompany are priced at 6.0.
Secondly, he’s a guaranteed starter. Over the last two campaigns, the Slovakian international has missed just seven Premier League fixtures and resultantly emerged as Brendan Rodgers’ most dependable option at the heart of the defence, with rotated partners Kolo Toure, Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren all enduring bouts of substandard form. And this looks set to continue next season, with Brendan Rodgers recently issuing Skrtel a new three-year contract.
Thirdly and most importantly, the 30 year-old knows where the goal is. His strike-rate for the Reds is one-in-14, which may not seem mighty, but it wasn’t long ago the thuggish defender bagged seven in a single campaign. If Skrtel can reignite that scoring touch next season, he’ll be an absolute gem in Fantasy Football – with goals from defenders worth six points apiece.
JORDAN HENDERSON
Jordan Henderson was a Fantasy Premier League gold mine last season, attainable for just 6.5 and eventually finishing up as the game’s seventh-highest-scoring midfielder with 162 points in total.
That’s in no small part due to the England international showing vast improvements in terms of output last term, racking up six goals and nine assists in 37 Premier League appearances.
Aged 25 and now donning the Liverpool armband, ‘Hendo’ will be expected to further develop that side of his game in the coming campaign, so an even greater strike and set-up return from the middle of the park certainly isn’t out of the question.
Furthermore, as Reds skipper he’ll be featuring in every minute of the Anfield outfit’s 2015/16 season barring suspension or serious injury, which instantly guarantees two points per match.
His price has gone up to 7.0m but he’s still a cheaper option than Cesc Fabregas (9.0m), Christian Eriksen, Juan Mata and Santi Cazorla (8.5m), and even Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson (7.5m), he continues to offer fantastic value for money.
JAMES MILNER
James Milner has always been a bit of a poison chalice in Fantasy Football terms. He was certainly a talented player and a provider of consistent output; yet it was impossible to predict when and where the England international would be selected in the Citizens’ starting XI.
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Regardless, he still picked up a decent enough 107 points last season – converted from his five goals and seven assists – despite making just 18 starts in the Premier League.
Based on his prior points hauls, Milner’s price of 7.0m isn’t fantastic value for money. But considering how well the 29 year-old performed under such restrictions at the Etihad, he should really rack up the points for Liverpool next season as one of the first names on Brendan Rodgers’ team-sheet.
CHRISTIAN BENTEKE
This last suggestion is a bit of a punt, entirely dependent on how much faith you have in £32.5million signing Christian Benteke.
On the one hand, his 8.5m price-tag isn’t exactly a bargain. It’s cheaper than the likes of Sergio Aguro, Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Diego Costa and Daniel Sturridge, yet more expensive than Everton’s Romelu Lukaku, West Brom’s Saido Berahino, Southampton’s Graziano Pelle and Stoke City’s Mame Biram Diouf, who all finished above the former Aston Villa star in terms of total points last season.
But if you’re a firm believer that the Belgium international will take the Premier League’s scoring charts by storm during his debut Anfield campaign – by no means improbable, considering he recorded three consecutive seasons of double figures for the Villans despite feeding off just one or two chances per match – that 8.5m could prove to be an incredibly shrewd investment come next May.
No doubt, it’s a bit of a gamble, but an educated one that could make all the difference to your Fantasy Football side. Furthermore, as Liverpool’s marquee summer signing, Benteke will at the very least get plenty of game-time.
BBC pundit Garth Crooks has expressed concern for Newcastle United ahead of the hectic festive schedule.
Rafael Benitez guided the Magpies back to the Premier League from the Championship at the first time of asking.
The North-East outfit stormed to the title in the second tier with scintillating displays in front of goal, but a lacklustre summer transfer window did not put the club in good standing heading into the top flight.
Newcastle surprised many across September and October by recording four wins and two draws – suffering just one defeat.
In recent weeks, though, the club have dropped out of the top half of the table and into the danger area.
Following eight defeats in their last nine games, the Magpies are in the relegation zone, one point from safety.
Crooks, who played for Tottenham Hotspur during his career, believes that Newcastle are not good enough for the Premier League and fears for them in the second half of the season.
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The 59-year-old told BBC Sport:
“The reality is the Magpies are punching above their weight and are slowly running out of gas. I dread to think how this squad is going to cope over the Christmas period.
“The games are coming thick and fast now. Players are going to have to play with knocks and bruises and put their bodies on the line for their clubs and teammates.”
According to reports in The Mirror, West Ham United are lining up a shock January move for Everton midfielder Tom Davies, who is rated at €15m (approximately £13.3m) according to Transfermarkt.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Mirror says that Irons boss David Moyes is keen to bring the 19-year-old to the London Stadium to provide some more energy from the middle of the park for his team.
However, while Everton manager Sam Allardyce is reportedly willing to listen to offers for a number of his players this month, it remains to be seen whether the highly-rated youngster will be one of them.
Nevertheless, the report adds Moyes is ready to test the Merseyside outfit’s resolve with a bid for the England U21 international, as well as a hefty pay rise to try and tempt the midfielder south.
How has Davies done this season?
After making his breakthrough under former Toffees boss Ronald Koeman last term, the teenager has continued to appear regularly for Everton during the current campaign as well.
The 19-year-old has made 30 appearances in all competitions – providing two assists – although he has been in and out of the side since Sam Allardyce took the reins, and he didn’t even make the squad for the 4-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday.
According to WhoScored.com, Davies has won 30 tackles in 23 appearances in the Premier League and the Europa League this season, while he has made 17 interceptions, 13 clearances and has successfully completed 13 of the 21 dribbles he has attempted.
Would he be a good signing for West Ham?
While he certainly isn’t the finished article yet, there is no doubt that Davies could still make an impact for the Irons now and in the future.
The 19-year-old would bring some much-needed energy in central midfield, and he would likely be a fans’ favourite given his desire and commitment and the fact that he is still a young player who is improving.
Will they get him?
It’s difficult to say.
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While Davies hasn’t established himself as a consistent starter for Everton, he is still playing a part in the majority of their matches and the Goodison Park faithful certainly wouldn’t be happy to see one of their younger players sold to a Premier League rival.
A deal looks unlikely this month, but Moyes may reignite his interest in the summer if he stays on at the London Stadium.
Arsenal are in need of an overhaul, and with the possible departure of both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil this January, they might just get it.
And yet there are two problems. One is that you probably shouldn’t rip it all up and start again in January – the summer is more conducive to that approach, giving new arrivals the chance to get acquainted with the club, teammates, and a new city – whilst selling the players they may be about to get rid of in the summer, when they had the chance, would have helped not just on this front, but would have brought in a whole lot more money, too.
Still, as useless as it is to repeat it, the Gunners are where they are: it’s time to make the most of it.
But with rumours flying around left, right and centre, those which have been touted as possibilities – a deal which involves Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United and Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way, one which takes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the Emirates, and another to bring Bordeaux’s Malcolm into the fold – simply do one thing: replace what Arsenal are losing.
If the three departures are to be Sanchez, Ozil and Theo Walcott – who is finalising a move to Everton – the Gunners will have replaced their Chilean winger with a young player with one for the future, their German playmaker with the exciting but unproven in England United attacker, and their back-up forward with an undoubtedly superior player.
Would that be good business? Possibly. Certainly Aubameyang is an exciting upgrade, whilst the other two would make for good signings in isolation. But the problem isn’t with the calibre of the players linked – and remember, we do mean linked, and the Gunners have been burned by plenty of rumours in the past.
Even if they do pull off a transfer window with all of the exciting names above joining this month, it might mean perfect execution, but will it have been a perfect plan?
To lose three players and replace them like-for-like, even if we’re talking about an upgrade here and there, it’s not much of a strengthening – more a redecorating job. Whilst the Gunners are reasonably strong in attack – though still have the worst goal return in the top six apart from Chelsea, with whom they’re level – you might be forgiven for thinking that it’s other areas of the pitch which need the most work.
Take the return of Jack Wilshere, for example. As exciting as it would be to have him fit and healthy in the long term, and to have him committed to Arsenal for the future and on the path to reaching his absolute peak, even if that were the case, what do Arsenal do about the returning Aaron Ramsey if that’s the case? Surely a defensive midfielder who acts more like the now-departed Francis Coquelin – only much better – would be a signing to allow both to play in the same midfield? A player like Everton’s Idrissa Gueye or Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi, who have taken over from N’Golo Kante as the Premier League’s top tacklers, for instance.
That’s the kind of area Arsene Wenger, or whoever is in charge of transfers these days, should be looking to target, not just because it’s a position the side have struggled in since the days of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva, but because it would utterly transform the midfield in a positive way. And lord knows Granit Xhaka can’t be trusted to do it.
The point here is that the Gunners already had a squad to sort out before January came calling and top players stepped up their efforts to leave. Fiddling around with the one area which already seemed solid might be necessary in light of contract disputes and player disruption, but it certainly doesn’t make the team much stronger – just filled with different faces.
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Instead, if they are to actually improve their squad, they’ll need to do some extra business and change the make-up of the players in other areas.
If a squad overhaul is what Arsenal need, then it should be done properly. Simply changing the faces who walk up to the camera on Sky’s lineup graphics won’t do it. They need to change the profile of the team as a whole. And for that, they need to find signings who do more than simply offer a like-for-like swap.
Newcastle have bigger fish to fry than an FA Cup fourth round tie, let’s be honest.
Rafael Benitez has been worried about the size and quality of his squad since the summer, but without significant reinforcements this month either, that’s only going to make matters worse.
With that in mind, a cup run would likely be seen as an unwelcome distraction rather than a shot at unlikely glory this season, and with Chelsea the opponents in the fourth round, perhaps that just makes defeat seem all the more acceptable.
And yet, there is some hope.
If you were to lay out the strengths and weaknesses of this Newcastle side, you’d definitely say that defending was a strong point and scoring goals was where they’d fall down. Against a Chelsea side who have struggled for goals in 2018, that could play into Benitez’s hands if he can cobble together an organised back four and hit Chelsea on the break.
Antonio Conte’s attack will be without Willian and Alvaro Morata meaning that the Blues’ toothless run could well continue.
Is this a winnable game?
Perhaps the first question, then, that Benitez has to answer ahead of tomorrow’s clash is whether or not this is a game worth trying to win.
After all, Premier League safety is a much more important goal when you’re a newly promoted team, and with so much uncertainty around the club, that only makes things harder.
On the other hand, cup victories can kickstart seasons, especially triumphs over better sides. Beating Chelsea could instil belief and foster even greater team spirit as the players grow in confidence and enjoy the taste of success. With the Blues in a bit of an attacking crisis mode at the moment, this could be one to try to take advantage of.
Which side plays?
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At this stage of the season tiredness might start to set in very soon. There have been a few rest days since the madness of the festive period last month, but this is the long stretch of the year now.
That means rotation and resting players is vital at the best of times, but if this is seen as a distraction away from a bigger goal, does that mean the likes of Matt Ritchie (who was dropped last weekend anyway), Jamaal Lascelles and Javier Manquillo who have all played more minutes than anyone else for Benitez’s side this season should be rested with an eye on the home game with Burnley in the league in midweek?
Biggest fear?
An Michy Batshuayi with a point to prove could be Newcastle’s biggest nightmare here, if they have one at all.
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Losing this game may not be the end of the world, but the last thing Newcastle want is a heavy defeat, and with so much talk around Chelsea attempting to sign a striker in January – one who is literally the opposite of everything the Belgian forward can ever hope to be – that might light a fire under him to improve and bag a few goals at Stamford Bridge tomorrow.
Just as a win over tough opposition can galvanise a side, a heavy defeat can see things fall apart, even if it’s a weakened side. Psychology is a strange thing and Rafael Benitez will have to be careful about the team he picks even in a game he may not care about winning.
Following Philippe Coutinho’s departure from Liverpool, another Brazilian has been taking centre stage at Anfield.
Roberto Firmino has been in fine form for the Merseyside outfit this season, scoring 20 goals in all competitions.
The forward has linked up well with Mohamed Salah, and that was evident at the weekend when Firmino’s flick helped his teammate score the second in a 2-0 win over Southampton at St Mary’s.
Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas thinks that the 26-year-old will be pivotal in Liverpool’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Porto in Portugal.
Jurgen Klopp’s men pride themselves on their attacking prowess, and they have proved many times this season that they can devastate teams on the counter-attack.
Luis Suarez was Liverpool’s star attraction a few years ago, but his scintillating form earned him a move to Barcelona in 2014.
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Nicholas has made a bold statement by claiming that Firmino is becoming as important to the Reds as Suarez was.
In a piece for Sky Sports, the former Arsenal forward said:
“Salah has obviously been fantastic but I’m a big fan of Firmino and his work rate and his link-up play are different class. He’s not quite Luis Suarez, but he’s not far off.”
The Hammers are still in the relegation mire with 11 games to go in the Premier League, and with a good result a must at Anfield, manager David Moyes will be relying on the health of several players being up to scratch tomorrow.
A long-term foot injury to Andy Carroll and a hamstring injury to influential midfielder Manuel Lanzini will be weighing heavily on the Scottish gaffer’s mind – as will a lack of availability in defence with Winston Reid suffering from illness and Arthur Masuaku currently serving a six-match suspension
Here is the lowdown on the injuries concerning West Ham at the moment, according to PremierInjuries:
Manuel Lanzini
When was he injured?: Lanzini has been out for over a month since pulling up with a hamstring injury in the 1-1 home draw with Bournemouth on January 20th.
Potential injury return date: 24/02/2018
Will he be missed?: The Argentinian is critical to Moyes’ plans, having scored a brace in West Ham’s last league win, and the Irons gaffer has said himself that Lanzini could not be replaced in the January transfer window.
What the manager said: “The Lanzini one we’re worried about. I don’t think you can suddenly say, okay we’ll go out, see if someone else is out there waiting to be bought of the level of Lanzini, because I don’t think you’ve got that.”
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Winston Reid
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When was he injured?: The Kiwi is currently struggling with a throat infection.
Potential injury return date: 24/02/2018
Will he be missed?: With fellow defender Arthur Masuaku suspended, Moyes will be hoping that Reid will be back to tomorrow to replace James Collins in West Ham’s back line.
Andy Carroll
When was he injured?: Carroll broke his foot on January 2nd in West Ham’s 2-1 win over West Brom.
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Potential injury return date: 21/04/2018
Will he be missed?: The Hammers have had decent goal returns this season from Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez, but the physical prowess of Carroll provides the side with an additional threat that will be badly missed in the next few weeks.
What the manager said: “To lose him is certainly a big miss. We are not sure whether the ankle will need an operation or not. To lose him takes away a big part of our armoury. It is frustrating for Andy, but it is frustrating for us.”
Southampton will look to give their survival hopes a huge boost when they host fellow strugglers Stoke City in a huge six-pointer at St Mary’s on Saturday, on the back of moving out of the relegation zone when they drew 1-1 with Burnley at Turf Moor last weekend.
Saints looked set to stay in the bottom three following Ashley Barnes’ second-half goal for the Clarets, but a late equaliser from Manolo Gabbiadini saw the south coast outfit move up to 16th, but only out of the danger zone on goal difference.
Mauricio Pellegrino’s men are still bang in trouble and just one point ahead of the 19th-placed Potters going into the encounter with Paul Lambert’s side, but they face a team that has the worst away record in the Premier League on Saturday.
Stoke have only taken seven points from 14 fixtures on their travels so far this term, with their only win coming against Watford in October.
That said, Saints have struggled on their own patch themselves and have failed to beat fellow relegation rivals Swansea City, Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and Swansea City at St Mary’s, and they can’t afford to let that record continue on Saturday.
Pellegrino will be considering making some changes to the XI that drew in Lancahire given the display was far from convincing, and the Argentine boss will regret if he fails to make a couple of alterations.
Here are three big changes the 46-year-old must make to his Southampton side when they host Stoke…
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for Oriol Romeu
Romeu won the club’s Player of the Season award last term but his performances this term haven’t lived up to those from last year.
The Spaniard has looked lethargic and often off the pace in the middle of the park, and Southampton can’t afford to have someone like that in such a crucial clash against Stoke.
Meanwhile, Hojbjerg was left on the substitutes’ bench against the Clarets having been something of a regular in recent weeks, and there is no doubt that he gives his all when he is on the pitch.
The Dane must start over an out of form Romeu against the Potters, working alongside Mario Lemina in the middle of the park to try and ensure the hosts are difficult to break down.
Josh Sims for James Ward-Prowse
Ward-Prowse has arguably been Southampton’s best player so far in 2018, but while he is effective from set-pieces, he still doesn’t provide the spark and the quality out wide that the south coast outfit need in open play – especially when they are at home.
Saints need players that are quicker, more direct and can cause the opposition defence more problems when they are trying to break them down, and that is exactly what Sims can do.
The 20-year-old has made a big difference from the substitutes’ bench in recent weeks and he had a good chance to score in a five-minute cameo in the 2-1 win against West Brom in the FA Cup, while he played a big part in his side’s equaliser against Burnley as his cross was nodded down by Guido Carrillo for Manolo Gabbiadini to slam home.
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Manolo Gabbiadini for Dusan Tadic
Southampton picked up a 1-1 draw against Burnley last time out after Pellegrino took a risk by playing two up top in the closing stages, and it paid off as Carrillo and Gabbiadini linked up for the goal.
While Saints supporters will want the duo to start in attack alongside each other against Stoke, the Italian may also be effective in the role just behind the centre-forward too, and he should have some of his confidence back after scoring his first Premier League goal since October.
With Gabbiadini through the middle behind Carrillo and Sims and Nathan Redmond on the flanks, the south coast outfit would have an attack that could cause Stoke plenty of problems, and that is something that Tadic hasn’t done enough of whether he has started in the No 10 role or out wide at St Mary’s this season.