If points are awarded for having a full squad then Saints could be taking the full haul home from Upton Park on Saturday as they head into the East End with a full squad and the Hammers are not very happy.

If Harry Redknapp was still in his spiritual home using salt and pepper pots to discuss tactics over pie & mash in a cafe near to Upton Park then he would be uttering his famous phrase used whenever someone catches a cold in one of his squads, "Down to the bare bones"

West Ham have a series of injury worries including influential club skipper Kevin Nolan who will be out for a number of weeks with a shoulder injury and he joins Andy Carroll and James Collins on the long term sick list.

Add to that Carl Jenkinson, Matt Jarvis and Diafra Sakho all of whom are doubtful and its a mini crisis for the Hammers.

Certainly the loss of Nolan is good news for Saints, he has been a thorn in our side in recent years, last season he scored in the 3-1 defeat for us at Upton Park after doing the same the previous season in a 4-1 drubbing.

From a Saints point of view the situation is a lot healthier, apart from long term injury Jay Rodriguez who is about to enter the sixth month of his recuperation, the only other problem we have is Lloyd Isgrove.

However with Isgrove's total league career being only the 8 minutes he played at Liverpool a fortnight ago, he is not the loss to the squad that Nolan is to the Hammers.

With a full squad to choose from Ronald Koeman has to now make sure he picks the right team to face the Hammers, he certainly has a lot of options, although as has been written in another article on this site, with no incoming transfers seemingly imminent, he has to look a little deeper in the squad for what he needs, but if he looks he might just find he has it there.

Photo: Action Images

GeordieSaint added 12:06 - Aug 29 I feel very confident about this one. 3-1 Saints Pelle and long both to bang, smiles all round.
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GeordieSaint added 12:06 - Aug 29 both to bag even!
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Zambucco added 12:51 - Aug 29 A start for Gardos? But with Pelle and Long both gaining confidence, we're looking at a couple of goals. Tadic is pure class and getting better every game, he will wreak havoc! Forster settling in very very well Clyne, Fonte, Davis & Wanyama stepping up to another level. Suddenly my summer long prediction of being better than last season is looking pretty realistic!
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