Saints take on Sheffield Wednesday on a Tuesday evening in the Capital One Cup, with the added bonus of a few familiar faces in the Owls ranks.
Perhaps the most dourest manager in our entire history, and we have had a few, returns to Southampton this evening when Dave Jones brings his Sheffield Wednesday side to St Mary's, but Jones isnt the only familiar face, ex Saints loanee Michail Antonio could be lining up against us after joining the Hillsborough club on a free transfer in the summer from Reading, a regular in the starting line up so far he scored on his debut as thr Owls won at Oldham in the 1st round of the Capital One Cup.
Wednesday have since made a poor start to the season and have lost four straight league games on the bounce since beating Fulham in the last round of the competition and arrive hoping to get themselves back to winning ways against what is sure to be a virtual Saints reserve side.
With 11 changes likely to the side that started on Saturday, Wednesday might well fancy their chances, but the truth of the matter is that Saints second XI is still good by Championship standards and indeed will contain a fair few players who got Saints promoted last season alongside several of our new signings since then.
Although there is some doubt who might play due to injuries, the fact is that its likely that not only will new keeper Artur Boruc be in the frame, but also players like Jay Rodrigues and Mayuka, not to mention the likes of Richard Chaplow and Jamie Ward Prowse as well as Luke Shaw..
We will find out tonight if the likes of Luke Shaw are now ready to step up a notch, the Owls will provide good competition and shouldnt be underestimated and the game in general gives our players a chance to show to Nigel Adkins that they are ready to step into the breach when required, for that reason hopefully we will have enough in our locker to overcome the Yorkshire side and send Dave Jones home with his usual dour expression.
Without being seen as arrogant, if we want to stay up this season in the Premier most of the players we will put out will have to play some part, if they arent good enough to put away Sheffield Wednesday then what hope will they have if called upon to battle it out against the big guns and for that matter the not so big guns in the Premier League.