 Friday, 28th Oct 2011 10:15 Time for Saints to kick on The visit of Middlesbrough marks the start of a six game run where four of them are at home, but in the short term the job in hand is to make sure that Boro are six points behind us by 5pm on Saturday. It wont be an easy task, the Teeside club have built their promotion push on their away form, winning four, drawing one and losing only once, meaning that 13 of their 24 points have come on the road. That solitary away defeat is also the only time they have been beaten this season, which makes them officially the hardest team to beat in the division, a look at the league tables tells us why, in their 13 games they have conceded only 8 goals, a mere 3 of them away from home, but this comes at a price, they have scored only 16. As mentioned away from home in six games they have let in 3, but up top 7 goals for isnt setting the world alight in any way shape or form, the most likely result for Boro on the road is a 1-0 win and we have to make sure that doesnt happen. So what we have head to head is the divisions highest scorers taking on its meanest defence, perhaps our biggest danger here is getting caught on the break or from a set piece. What Nigel Adkins needs on Saturday is options, Boro obvioulsy will come down and baton down the hatches, our problem is that without Adam Lallana we dont have a lot of guile going forward. This being the case and assuming that Lallana is still not fit, the key players will be Guly and David Connolly, these two truly have the skill to do something different when a team has parked the bus across the penalty area as was shown late last season when both scored late goals that changed games and indeed the course of Saints history. Perhaps the key will be who is on the bench, I dont expect Adam Lallana to start, however he could make an appearance on the bench that would be a big boost and also offer something late on, likewise Steve De Ridder and Lee Barnard, both can make impacts coming on as sub. But Nigel Adkins also have a decision to make both at the back and midfield, at centre half is perhaps his biggest problem, does he keep faith with Jose Fonte or does he throw in Arron Martin, to be blunt if it was anybody else but Fonte in this kind of form then the decision would be an easy one, certainly both Martin and Seaborne have been dropped when in better form that Fonte is now, however against that Fonte is a class player and as they say form is temporary, class is permanent, the big question is does Adkins keep him in and hope he can rediscover his form, or does he drop him. In midfield its another conundrum in the centre, all four players are fit and available so which two play, the decision might be made a little easier with the doubts on Lallana, Chaplow could be pushed wide left where he has played well when called upon, that being the case I would expect Cork to play, and my vote woould be for Schneiderlin alongside, playing Boro who are a defensive side, we need someone in the centre who can keep the ball and pass it. A vital vital game for Saints, a win pushes them forwards again, anything less and the chasing pack will be breathing right down our necks. Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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