Caceres Likely To Make Debut Against The Cherries Tuesday, 28th Mar 2017 10:13 Martin Caceres could finally make his first team debut for the club when they take on Bournemouth at St Mary's on Saturday. Martin Caceres looks set to make his first team debut six weeks after arriving on a short term deal to the end of the season, in that time he has built up his fitness and played two full games for the U23 squad and now looks ready to play his first competitive game in over a year. Claude Puel stated that Caceres was in contention to play at White Hart Lane in the last game, but probably decided to stick with Yoshida and jack Stephens for a couple of reasons. Firstly it was a tough game to throw Caceres into with so little match sharpness and secondly he might have felt that the pair deserved the chance to keep their places and play for the shirt. The reality is that both have given 100% for the club over the past two months or so since Virgil Van Dijk was injured by Albert Steptoe in the game against Leicester City in January, but the fact is we have conceded too many soft goals in that time. Since they first played as a pair at Swansea they have played 5 games together, in that time we have kept only one clean sheet and conceded 10 goals in the other four games. Some say I am hard on Yoshida and Stephens, that they are playing well, yes they do play well for 88% of games, but there are two many lapses in concentration in that other 2% of games that have cost us dearly, the stats speak for themselves an average of 2 goals shipped in 5 league games is just not good enough, a look at the league table shows that only Hull City have a worse ratio than that over the season. Add to that the three goals let in at Wembley and the stats are not acceptable, changes need to be made. Something has to change and it is likely to be this Saturday that it happens, Puel will obviously feel that Bournemouth will be an easier game than Spurs to ease Caceres in, then there is the matter of three games in seven days and to add to that Yoshida is returning from playing for Japan in Thailand and is not scheduled to arrive back in England until late Wednesday. All of this adds up to a debut for Caceres, the only real question being who will he come in for. Yoshida would normally be the obvious partner for him, the Japanese International is a good squad player, but is not a leader of men, he needs to be lead in a back four and not to do the organising, nothing wrong with that, just that it doesn't help when you have an inexperienced youngster alongside you. But will he be tired from his trip across the World it is a 12 hour flight from Thailand, he will need Thursday off and then Puel will have to see how he is on Friday. Usually Yoshida has not played after returning from International duty, but usually he does not start this many games for Saints. So it could see Caceres partner Jack Stephens in the centre of defence, Stephens has impressed some with his displays, but he has not been outstanding, but put him alongside a truly quality defender and it could bring out the best of him and that is something that Saints and Claude Puel need to find out. Stephens career at St Marys has stalled and up to this injury crisis it looked like that at 23 he would soon leave the club for a career at best in the Championship, he has grasped this opportunity well, but like Yoshida seems to have lapses in concentration, till we see him alongside the likes of Caceres or Van Dijk the jury must be out. Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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