Saints travel to Upton Park looking to reverse their fortunes in recent years at the ground where our last win was back in 2002.

Saints look to break their Hammers hoodoo, our last two visits have seen 4-1 & 3-1 defeats respectively preceded by a 1-1 draw in our Championship Promotion season, prior to that our last previous meeting was back in 2002/03 season when a last minute James Beattie goal gave us a 1-0 win in a season where the woeful Hammers were relegated.

If ever the opportunity was there to take all three points it is this game, West Ham have injury problems with 3 long term injuries including Saints thorn in the side Kevin Nolan as well as several more short term problems.

The two league games so far for Ronald Koeman's team has seen Saints look comfortable defending but lacking a certain spark going forward, but they will take heart from Graziano Pelle finally breaking his duck in front of goal at Millwall and if he can now find the sort of form he had at Feyenoord then Saints season could kick off.

Although its unlikely there will be any new faces in the side at Upton Park, Koeman still has a lot of options in all positions and his starting line up is far from assured.

In goal it will be though with Fraser Forster although not having many saves to make in the openers, he has been dominant in commanding his box and he has played a big part in bringing stability to the defence.

In the back four Ryan Bertrand will return but the big question is whether Florin Gardos will replace Yoshida in the centre of defence, Yoshida was a bit part player last year and in truth isn't up to the job full time, but Gardos is untried at this level despite his big fee and it is a case of when is the right time to give him his debut, I suspect that if he is now 100% fit it will be at Upton Park.

In midfield there are plenty of options, Wanyama and Schneiderlin are certainties as is Dusan Tadic, but then it is not so clear, Davis and James ward Prowse have got the nod in the first two games in what has essentially been a five man midfield, but Jack Cork has put in some great performances off the bench including his goal scoring game at Millwall and will be pushing hard, as well as that Koeman has to consider how he integrates Shane Long into the side and it could be that a man is sacrificed in the centre of the park to do just that and give Saints a more attacking look abaout them.

Up front Pelle having broken his duck will be looking to smash in a few more goals.

Whatever the team selected to start there will be options off the bench and that has to be good as last season there were all too few and they were always like for like, now we can change the game a bit and that has to be a bonus, perhaps not yet quite as much choice as we would like, but that will come in time, but for now there is enough.

Saints need a win at Upton Park, we need to show that we can win and once we have our first three point haul of the season it will take pressure off the team from our own supporters, if we can do it this Saturday it will make for a good start for the season.

Photo: Action Images

schatfield added 17:37 - Aug 29 do u think they will sell away tickets on the day if I stroll up? I only live 3 tube stops away from their ground and didn't get a chance to get them through our ticket line
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