Southampton were hoping to have Armando Broja back in the squad for the game against Aston Villa on Friday evening, but if the latest pictures from training are anything to go by, then the Albanian from Slough will not feature in this game.
Saints published pictures from their Tuesday training session at Staplewood on their website with 69 pictures showing virtually all the members of the squad, however one absentee was Armando Broja and it looks like he will miss the game against Villa on Friday.
Broja limped off against Burnley and it seems is yet to return to training with the squad, that does not mean that he is not doing fitness work as well as receiving treatment with the physios, but he isn't taking part in the full work.
Given that the pictures are taken from the Tuesday session and that there were still 3 full days before the game on Friday evening it doesn't rule him out quite yet, but with an ankle injury it is a difficult one as the joint is at the heart of all of the physical work on a football pitch, running, twisting and turning as well as the impact from tackles, it is the ankle that takes the most battering in a game of football.
There is still time for him to return to the squad and feature against Villa, but it is looking more likely that even if he does pass muster, he will start from the bench, with a two week break after the game on Friday, Saints will probably prefer to hold him back to ensure he is fit for the game against Norwich City after the international break.
But in his absence at both Chelsea and Watford, Che Adams and Adam Armstrong showed they are forming a good partnership that is complimentary to their styles of place, up at Vicarage Road the Armstrong with an A had a lively game and worked well off the ball and also in getting it and creating chances for himself and others including Adams.
Ralph Hasenhuttl like everyone else knows that Armstrong needs a goal, but he wasn't far away at Watford and when it comes it could open the floodgates, for Saints fans if he can do that against Aston Villa in the presence of his predecessor Danny Ings then it would be a great moment to show the fans that he is the man to take over our former local hero's mantle.