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Puel Forced To Put Out Youngsters For Sunderland Game
Tuesday, 25th Oct 2016 18:04

Claude Puel has had his hand forced by injury when he puts out his team against Sunderland in the League Cup on Wednesday night.

Claude Pule has admitted that he has no choice but to play a few of the youngsters in the cup tie against Sunderland tomorrow night.

With long term injuries to the likes of Jeremy Pied plus Ryan Bertrand and Cedric Soares out for a few weeks, it has not helped him that Matt Targett joins them and Shane Long is also struggling.

That means chances for not only the more experienced fringe players but some of the youngsters on the fringes of the team, however sadly one of those who will be missing is Jake Hesketh who is another out on the injury list.

"We have injuries to Ryan Bertrand, Targett, Soares, Jérémy Pied and, after that, all the squad is available, but some players will stay at the training ground to recover and to give chances for other players and younger players to start in the team,”

“Playing every three days is very hard, of course, for the squad, but it will be interesting, because it can develop the players and we can take pleasure to play all these games.”

Under-23s regular Jake Hesketh, who started and scored in the third-round win over Crystal Palace will not be able to play, though, as he is injured.

"Jake Hesketh also is for the moment injured,” said Puel. “It will not be possible for him to stay with the group for this game."

Such is the depth of the squad these days, Saints can still put out a decent side for cup games as has been shown both in the earlier round of the League cup against Palace but also in the Europa League.

However Puel will hopefully be aware that beating Sunderland will put his side into the last 8 and with a very good chance of winning the competition and therefore qualifying for Europe again.

Photo: Action Images



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halftimeorange added 19:13 - Oct 25
Sorry but this article doesn't tell us anything. I guess we'll have to wait for the team sheet.
2

vanmans added 23:15 - Oct 25
Should have bought more players in the transfer window. To much penny pinching.
-1

SaintBrock added 10:29 - Oct 26
Vanman we are only allowed 20-odd players in our squad so adding more in the transfer window would not have helped us now. You cannot draft in more because several are injured, if you lose six with injury then of course your options are reduced.

Puel is not a risk taker and will put out the strongest team he can muster. It's no good putting kids on at the start and then finding yourself two down in twenty minutes, it would then be too late to salvage the match if three experienced first teamers came on.

Rather it will be the other way around, he'll start with a strong team hoping to score a couple early on and then draft in the youngsters to save legs. Expect a near normal team especially if there are hopes of a few injured players coming back in for Sunday.
0

SanMarco added 10:41 - Oct 26
This is, realistically, our best chance of winning something so as strong as possible please...
0


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