Saints V Watford The Preview Saturday, 10th Nov 2018 10:15 Change is in the air at St Mary's and Saints fans are hoping that will mean only a second Premier League win at the stadium in virtually a year. Saints hierarchy knew that something had to change and although Les Reed would not have had a direct affect on today's game against Watford had he stayed, his departure will take some of the sting out of the crowd's venom towards the club, show them that the club is not just sitting back thinking all things are rosy and help create an atmosphere in which the team can win a game. The last home game against Newcastle had as flat an atmosphere at St Mary's since the dark days of the mid 00's and Reed's departure rightly or wrongly will give Saints supporters hope . We have to forget the City game and take the good points from the Bournemouth and Newcastle games and build on those foundations. The one plus point from City was we scored and even though it was a penalty it does take one monkey off our back, we have to now build on it. Saints seem to have injury issues with both Hoedt and Lemina, some seem to be glad that Hoedt will be out, I dont agree with them, at Bournemouth he was outstanding and a big part of us keeping it solid at the back, but some just cant seem to forgive his mistake at the same ground a year earlier, perhaps he is not up to the standard of his predecessor and fellow Dutchman Van Dyke, but he is the best of a bad bunch we have in central defence at the moment. If he is out then who replaces him will be crucial, will Hughes opt for Yoshida or restore Vestergaard to the team, I suspect it may be the latter, in the early games Vestergaard looked a good prospect but then he seemed to struggle, this week he has said the right words, he now needs to step up and show why we bought him. Lemina would be a loss, but we have several options to replace him including Romeu. I also have a nagging feeling that there could be a shock change in goal, I have always said that Saints haven't paid £12 million for Angus Gunn to keep him on the bench for too long, Alex McCarthy has not been up to last season's standards this season, at Manchester City although he did not make any mistakes as such I elt that he should have done better with virtually all the goals and had it been Fraser Forster letting them in the fans would have blamed him. That being the case could this be the game to bring in Gunn who has looked solid in the League cup games, I am not sure but I think it is going to happen sooner or later. Saints fans need to see things done differently and another hope is Michael Obafemi who has jumped above Manolo Gabbiadini in the pecking order, he could be key on a day when a hero needs to emerge. Assuming that neither injury doubt makes the cut I would like to see the following team McCarthy /Gunn Cedric, Stephens, Vestergaard, Bertrand JWP Hojbjerg, Romeu, Redmond Long, Ings Bench Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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