A difficult preview to write, with the transfer window entering it's last day, there could be a new signing or two in contention for this game if they are signed quickly Saints supporters will be hoping that one is a goalkeeper.

So the one thing that most Southampton supporters seem to agree on is that whatever happens on Friday, Russell martin is surely not going to pick the same team that faced and lost to both Newcastle & Nottingham Forest.

Those two games were disappointing for differing reasons, but they both also had their plus points and it is those plus points that we have to build on, as long as taking into account those that shone at Cardiff on Wednesday.

Who will play in goal is the big question and I feel sorry for Alex McCarthy here, we all know he is not up to the task ahead, but he is a loyal servant and deserves respect for that, it must be frustrating knowing that you are going to lose your place, the only question is whether it is at Brentford or next week against Manchester United.

Of course if Aaron Ramsdale is signed in time then he plays, there should be no question of that.

If it is McCarthy though, you would hope that Russell martin would adapt his tactics to reflect that, we know that McCarthy can't play with his feet, so we should not put him in tricky positions and if he is then he should have licence to go long.

The next question is whether the manager persists in playing Jack Stephens at any cost, again it pains me to highlight this, Jack is a loyal club servant, but to be blunt he is not the best choice in any of the positions available, he should not start this game.

For me the back four should be Yuri Saguwara at right back, Taylor Harwood-Bellis & Jan Bednarek in the centre and then Kyle Walker Peter's at left back, a simple flat back four that the players understand and none of this floating defender/central midfielder role.

In the centre of midfield I would have Flynn Downes and Big Les Ugochukwu holding the centre and Matteus Fernandes in front of them.

Up front, Cameron Archer in the middle, flanked by Ben Brereton Diaz and Adam Armstrong.

That is harsh on Tyler Dibling who was outstanding on Wednesday, but I think in this game he will be better employed coming on to the pitch.

I would also have Armel Bella-Kotchap on the bench if he is not going anywhere in this transfer window, his time here hasn't been great due to injury, but he still is a class act.

With my starting XI I don't think in any of the positions that you can really argue the point too greatly about someone else playing in any given position.

As mentioned Dibling & Bella - Kotchap put a case forward at Cardiff as did Charlie Taylor, who I toyed with in the back four.

Truth is even without any potential new signings we now have a squad that can take us clear of the relegation zone, with the return of Adam Lallana it is giving us options, to be blunt with Jack Stephens, if he starts the game I would not only be surprised but exasperated, if he got on the field as a sub I would feel the same way, Dibling, Bella-Kotchap, Taylor, Lallana even Aribo & Smallbone are all better options in the positions he could be employed in and this game will tell us something about the manager and lessons he has either learned or otherwise.

At Griffin Park we had a good record, in two League one outings a decade or so ago, we drew one and won the other, in two cup meetings, the League cup in 1997/98 & the FA Cup in 2004/05 we won both.

Before that you had to go back to the 1950's when we last played them there and indeed lost a game, but their move the new ground changed their luck and in our two visits we have suffered not only two 3-0 defeats, but both in an appalling way.

Hopefully we can make this 3rd time lucky against a Brentford side who started the season with a 2-1 home win against Crystal Palace, that saw the Eagles with the better stats aside from the goals column and a 2-0 defeat at Anfield, but in truth the scoreline did not reflect a game where Liverpool dominated.

So we should go there without fear, we are still a work in progress, but we can compete and we do have a balance of experience and youngsters, yes whatever happens today after I have written this article could well set the tone for the remainder of the season, but I am still confident that we can compete if the only signing that comes in is a keeper.

Photo: imago via reuters

saintpete01 added 13:16 - Aug 30 An absolute Stella sighing welcome Aaron This will uplift the whole squad Maybe Mr Brooks had word in his Ear
2

saintmark1976 added 15:11 - Aug 30 Amazing Nick, you are never backwards at coming forward in condemnation when others have a go at individual Saints players but with Stephens it’s no holds barred for you. It’s an almost pathological dislike much akin to when you were saying the same about Yoshida.
-1

Blogs 31 bloggers

Sunderland Polls