Saints (a); The Preview

Andy – A disappointing start to the season, but an important win last time out, what’s the mood like at St Mary’s?

Carl – In general the mood has been pretty poor. Until Saturday Southampton hadn’t won at home since 13^th April and over the past 3 years, they average only 5 home wins a season.

Saturday hopefully marked the start of something new, where Saints can play more on the front foot at home and take the game to opponents.

The overwhelming feeling going into this game, as it was the Watford game is; can Southampton play with a modicum of confidence?

They were very much the model club for everyone below the top flight and Ralph Hasenhuttl came having done superbly in Germany, so what’s gone wrong?

The thing about being the model for everyone outside the Top Six is it only takes a few mistakes for everything to go wrong; bad managerial appointments, bad transfer moves and all the while the ‘Best of the Rest’ catch up.

Wolves and Leicester are two teams that are good at what Southampton used to be good at in 2016.

They’re righting the ship now with Hasenhuttl and new Director of Football Operations Matt Crocker, but these things take time.

Do you think Hassenhuttl will be backed then regardless of how Wednesday and the season go?

Yes, he’s in the job for the season.

Hasenhuttl has a history of walking rather than being sacked from his jobs, and I don’t see him leaving unless something huge happens or the club fails to deliver on a big promise.

On to Norwich, what have you made of our start?

The Pukki Party was fun. Then you had an injury crisis. Now you look a bit doomed, which is sad.

But it also looks as if you’re sticking with Farke – the right thing to do – and will yo-yo, which is good.

You’re right the injuries absolutely crippled us, but now we have enough CBs fit to have our DMs playing there, we look much better. On to Wednesday, where do you see the game being won and lost?

Central midfield and wide. Whoever can get the most turnovers in central midfield will control the game and whoever wins the 1v1 in wide areas is likely to score.

Ward-Prowse and Ings got the goals on Saturday, but who else should we be wary of? Nathan Redmond is held in high regards in these parts still…

MOUSSA, MOUSSA, OH BABY HE JUST WANTS TO CHEW GUM AND DRIBBLE PAST FULL BACKS, AND HE’S ALL OUT OF GUM.

We’ll bring gum. What about weaknesses? I see another favourite in the parts, Angus, hasn’t been seen since ‘that game’?

Yes, that’s a bit sad isn’t it?

I would say yes, but I’m not sure he’s been as good for you as he was for us…

Let’s finish on a specific prediction, score, scorers, minutes, even methods?

Haha, I never do that sort of thing.

I expect both teams to score, Norwich to surprise everyone by not playing like a team battling relegation and it could easily be a 3-3. It’ll be open for sure.

I think you’re right in that, we’ll turn up full of confidence and play an open and expansive style. I’ll go for a 2-1 City win, snatching it with a set-piece late on.