A look at tonights 4th round FA Cup replay against Millwall at St Mary's, when Saints have a great chance of progressing forward in the competition.

Strangely enough perhaps the biggest danger to Saints moving forward in the FA Cup is their own team selection and whilst i concede that this game is a great opportunity to not only give a few of the fringe players a game but blood a few youngsters, we shouldnt lose sight of what a great opportunity we have in this competition for a bit of glory.

The good thing about tonights game is that Saints do have a large squad and as they showed at both Coventry and Millwall, they have enough quality about them to change the side around and still get a result, however we have to be careful that we get the balance right and dont try to over complicate things.

Its great to see a few youngsters given a chance, but tonights game possibly could have more downsides to their developement than potential benefits if we are not careful, yes its good to give them a first team game, but if too many are put in and in the wrong positions then it could harm their developement and give the crowd a false impression of their true talent, many promising Saints youngsters were never really taken to heart by Saints fans because they were thrown in the deep end and didnt play to their potential in situations were even experienced pros were struggling to cope, when you look at how well the likes of Nathan Dyer, Leon Best etc are doing in the prem and how they were treated here, it does ring a few warning bells about settting up youngsters as the next big thing and then throwing them into a side that is below standard.

So Nigel Adkins job is to get tonights team selection just right, get a good balance of not only experienced pros, and in that respect i mean both current first team regulars and more fringe type players, but in blooding a few youngsters.

Adkins has to sent out the right signals to some members of our squad who arent getting a game, the likes of Danny Butterfield and Lee Holmes for example, they have to feel that if they play well they will get a chance at a game, at the moment they are probably very disalussioned in that it seems no matter what they do or how well they play they arent in the managers plans, thats not good for team spirit and its not good should they actually be needed to be called on later in the league campaign for games when experience is neccessary and not youth, I guess the message here is that showing off our rich vein of talent in the youth team is fine, but lets not lose sight of what we are trying to do this season and thats win football games, not be consoling ourselves after a defeat that we have a few good youngsters.

So I want to see Nigel Adkins put out a strong side tonight and strong doesnt neccessarily mean first team, but a well balanced line up to win the game.

So I would like to see something like this

Bialkowski

Butterfield, Fonte, Martin, Reeves.

De Ridder, Chaplow, Hammond, Holmes

Lee, Guly

Subs. Davis, Lambert, Lallana, Cork, Harding, Ward Prowse, Stephens.

I feel that would be a good balance between a strong spine of the team with first team regulars, good width with a few of the fringe players and a good balance on the bench where we have the firepower to come off if needed but also some young talent who we can bring on if we are winning comfortably, I think this is as good a side as we could put out, however I would say that the chances of Harding not playing left back are remote, but if we want to look to the future lets find out if our young left back ben Reeves is up to it rather than playing him out of position.

I do hope Saints take this seriously, if we do and win tonight then we have a great home draw with Bolton that gives us a good chance of a last eight place and then we are only one game away from a semi final at Wembley and that cant be bad.

Photo: Action Images

StSaint added 10:44 - Feb 7 As Ben Reeves has been playing in midfield I would rather he wasn't used out of position at left back. Let's put him in the hole instead of Guly and try Luke Shaw at LB. I would like to see Jack Stephens at RB as realistically, Butterfield isn't in the long term plans. Looking forward to seeing Lee play the 90 mins as I think he could be a cracking signing. COYR
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SaintNick added 11:04 - Feb 7 Ben Reeves position is actually a left back, its just that he has been moved to midfield in the games he has been played Long term Jack Stephens is the right back, however all we should be thinking about is the next three months and Butterfield has the experience etc for that
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saintstowin added 12:22 - Feb 7 it's by the by but you mentioned it so i will too....one reason i don't remember leon best very fondly is he actually played in a decent play off team and looked the part at the end of the season, although his final act was to score a terrible og and miss a shootout penalty before leaving for coventry. great way to sign off that was! i'm unconvinced about his long term ability in the PL and wouldn't swap him for what we've got now. can't see anything but progress tonight.

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Sanguin added 12:24 - Feb 7 I thought Reeves was great in central midfield against Millwall, I'd use him there again ahead of Hammond. Can Falque play or is he cup tied?
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Scummer added 12:47 - Feb 7 Looking past Millwall to Saturday's league fixture, I saw the following quote from Reading's Brian McDermott today: "Southampton and West Ham are coming back towards the pack, which is good for everyone involved and for where we want to get to. "The table has condensed. We were 17 points behind Southampton at one stage, now it's six points which is a lot better." With the additions and the returnees, the squad looks much healthier. Time to get back into our stride and go on another little run...

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bstokesaint added 13:29 - Feb 7 I'd have to question whether Best and Dyer were actually any good in the first place. As Saintstowin posted Best signed off in awful fashion for us (to save face perhaps) and Dyer was far too lightweight and indecisive. I personally would like to see some of the youngsters get a game, including Luke Shaw. I've heard good things about him. I would also like to see De Ridder get his chance to give Adkins something to think about and I'm really looking forward to the Tadanari Lee full debut. If he looks good and scores a goal then we really will have a selection conundrum upfront. For me Connolly has really looked off the pace recently.

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SaintNick added 13:47 - Feb 7 Harsh on Best who came back from loan at the end of the season and scored some vital goals, the one at Norwich springs to mind that dragged us back into a play off spot. Yes Dyer was too lightweight, but clearly we did nothing to improve him as a player back then and that was my point. With regards to De Ridder, I think he has had plenty of chances the key word is "Take" I would like to see him grasp his opportunities and show us he is a good player, sadly in the majority of games he has one or two good runs but does little else

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Olley added 15:34 - Feb 7 I agree playing the team in the players true position, so to give balance with both experience & young talent is the key & based on NA already stating this is playing second to the league. I also agree that Connolly has been off the boil but you cannot fault his commitment. I would like to see Guly play, as before he was injured he was not at his best either, therefore he needs a good run to gain his confidence. Let's hope Chapers gets through the game, whatever the real mins with no bad reaction, COYRS

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tiptop added 19:22 - Feb 7 Falque is cup tied. I made that mistake already. Butterfield? He hasnt even had a sniff for ages. cant see it tonight although NA can pull suprises. de Ridder has, as Nick says, failed to take his chances. He def has potential. lets hope the extra pressure gives him what needed. His pace with braqin and end product would be hard to keep out of the starting 11 Most of all I want we all want to see Lee, an international player with by the looks pace, brains and finishing at that 'highest' level..OK not at the 'HIGHEST'.. give NA a real selection headache. If his eneral play is good he will leapfrog Connolly. Nothing against Connolly because he is quality. Just as long as who ever is in the front of the line for the shirt is on form I dont care.

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