I know it was only the Carabao Cup, when teams tend to field a weakened side, but we beat them 4-1 back in August, so I’m hoping for more of the same in this encounter.
Saints made five changes to the squad that beat Stoke the weekend before we played but four of those came on in the 2nd half
Canadian CF Cyle Larin was on the bench back in August, now 2nd top scorer in the Championship with 7. On Saturday he was subbed before half time with a leg problem but no word how bad it was
Divin Mubuma started up front in the Carabao but he was left on the bench against Bolton with Lewis Dobbin preferred as Larin's reaplcement
Other regular starters on the bench in August were Irish AM/LW/RW Finn Azaz, 5 assists and 3 goals, LB Ryan Manning, Japanese CM/RW Kuryu Matsuki who got his first two caps during the international break and Flynn Downes
Downes is currently top of the Championship for tackles per game but was out at the weekend with an ankle injury, chances of him being available are "possible but ambitious". Academy graduate 21yo Cameron Bragg started on Saturday alongside is our old mate James Ward-Prowse who has started the last seven
Another addition since we played is CB Keven Schlotterbeck (£3m Augsburg) who has started nine in a row
Eckhart says Downes and Larin are both trying to get fit for tomorrow (today?) but neither has been seen in training this week
The fans aren't optimistic, they don't think Manning or back up LB Wellington will be able to cope with Bowen
They've pretty much given up on Divin Mubama, he's had 4 appearances off the subs bench in the last 6, averaging less than 10 minutes each
They had a bid for Will Lankshear turned down by Spurs, missed out on other targets and aren't happy than the only alternative to Larin is either Dobbin or Azaz as makeshift strikers
They do have a striker in the U21s who has scored 11 in 8
Princewill Ehibhatiomhan
Hope he's got big shoulders, that's a lot of name to fit on a shirt
Middlesborough do look good but they have not visited the Premier League for a long long while as they tend to flirt with it but never prove quite good enough to see it through.
Comments
The fans aren't optimistic, they don't think Manning or back up LB Wellington will be able to cope with Bowen
They've pretty much given up on Divin Mubama, he's had 4 appearances off the subs bench in the last 6, averaging less than 10 minutes each
They had a bid for Will Lankshear turned down by Spurs, missed out on other targets and aren't happy than the only alternative to Larin is either Dobbin or Azaz as makeshift strikers
They do have a striker in the U21s who has scored 11 in 8
Princewill Ehibhatiomhan
Hope he's got big shoulders, that's a lot of name to fit on a shirt
Birmingham, Wolves & WBA with favourable games today.
A big game to win, but I think this will be tricky.
Subs: Areola (GK), Scarles, Mayers, Golambeckis, Souček, Orford, Austbø, Piroe, Pablo
No mention of Veltman as being injured, but he's not even on the bench. I would defo have preferred him over KWP at RB.
Four changes from last week, Dobbin for Larin, Jander for Bragg, Matsuki for Fellows and Manning for Wellington
Peretz
Bree, Stephens, Schlotterbeck, Manning
Ward-Prowse, Jander
Matsuki, Azaz, Scienza
Dobbin
They will score
We will score more
We have not shown up at all thus far - they are just playing through us