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.  

Photo: Action Images

slynch added 16:39 - Sep 25 Artur Boruc's international clearance may not be through in time, I've heard.
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schatfield added 17:23 - Sep 25 Dave Jones was a great manager for us. I hope the crowd remember that and treat him accordingly.
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SaintNick added 17:54 - Sep 25 Im afraid i disagree with that statement that Dave Jones was a great manager for us, a purple patch in the middle of his first season glossed over the fact we were appalling at the start of that year and at the end, his second season saw us being drubbed left right and centre and only saving ourselves in the final three games and whilst i appreciate the strain he was under in the third season, when he was removed a decent side was dropping like a stone and would have been relegated having barely won a league game in a year apart from that great escape trio of matches.

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A1079 added 18:07 - Sep 25 Saintnick. In many respects I share your view and I would certainly not say he was great, though equally, I think we have had worse (Branfoot to name as one). He was though and probably still is, a decent man and whilst he may come across as dour, I hope he is shown respect by us as fans and as a club. He has not been too kind about us at times, but then he is probably understandably a bit bitter about what went on at a crucial time in his life, but I think it would show us as a mature decent club if we behave with some humility. I hope though, we beat them convincingly. It won't be easy.

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schatfield added 18:26 - Sep 25 We treated Dave Jones in an awful manner, letting him go but by saying it was so he could have some gardening leave cos of the child abuse allegations (which were totally false) and then bringing in Glen Hoddle. It was the only time I have been ashamed to be a Saints fan....
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SanMarco added 19:39 - Sep 25 "most dourest" - how wonderful. I always thought that Jones did alright with us - it wasn't an easy time at the 15000 Dell and he left a decent side to Hoddle. There is no doubt that he was treated badly by Lowe - but so I suppose was the whole of the club...
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