Saints are looking to make it two games unbeaten in the Premier League for the first time this season, but just as they look to build on their first away point of the season, the squad is hit with injury & suspensions.

Russell Martin must be quoting the catchphrase of a one of his predecessors this week as he finds himself "down to the bare bones" after injury & suspensions have decimated his squad for the visit of Chelsea to St Mary's.

Definitely out are the 3 players that picked up their 5th booking of the season at Brighton on Friday night, Tyler Dibling, Flynn Downes & Taylor Harwood-Bellis, arguably the 3 most consistent performers in the team this season.

Also missing will be loanee Lesley Ugochukwu who is unable to play against his parent club.

The injury list is also large and Saints will be without goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale & Gavin Bazunu plus midfielders Will Smallbone & Adam Lallana who will all definitely miss the game as will longer term casualties, Juan Larios & Ross Stewart.

That is 10 players who will all definitely be missing on Wednesday evening, but it could yet be worse.

Jan Bednarek has been out for several weeks after returning injured from International duty with Poland and likewise Tall Paul Onuachu who missed the game at Brighton after getting injured in the Liverpool game.

Russell Martin has been saying positive words about their return for this game, but this could just be psychological games, in the past he has often said that players were on the verge of a return when the truth is they are far from it, indeed Tall Paul was supposedly in contention for the trip to Brighton.

So it could be 12 down on Wednesday evening and these are just the injuries that we know about, there could well be players in the squad who have picked up niggling injuries that have not been disclosed or have fallen out with the manager.

Charlie Taylor for instance hasn't played in the Premier League since the defeat to Leicester on the 19th October and in that time has only been an unused sub once, that in the Carabao Cup win over Stoke City, this seems to indicate a rift in the camp between player and manager.

Likewise Armel Bella Kotchap who has appeared just once, that being back in August also in the Carabao Cup at Cardiff, both are experienced players that we could well do with now.

So the final roll call of missing players for Wednesday evening could be as many as 14 players missing from the squad to face Chelsea and this does not bode well, but sometimes football teams under the cosh find a fighting spirit and that is the straw we will need to clutch at St Mary's this week.

All Photos Via Reuters

Block8 added 10:03 - Dec 3 The difficulty is replacing Downes & Dibling, we have plenty of defenders of similar ability but nothing to match these two! Fraser and Sulemana have pace but don't actually to round anyone, so maybe give Amo-Ayew a free role? Although I can't see that happening. With the defensive midfielder we are completely reliant on Downes and it's hard to see anyone else but Aribo filling that role, from who is available. Unless he uses 3 CB 's with Jack in his hybrid role? It will be interesting to see what weird and wonderful formation Russel concocts for this one!

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Peterx added 11:02 - Dec 3 We should get pasted, but I just have this weird feeling we are going to pull a hat out the rabbit on this one...would like to see Sam Amo, Bree and Kamaldeen get some game time.
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Bowlercow added 11:10 - Dec 3 Never mind missing players what will the "jobs fir the boys" system known as VAR hit us with this time? The shirt pull against Leicester The non penalty v Liverpoo Arsenal's 2nd goal was off side if you apply the same criteria as in the Brighton game Bournemouth's first goal should have been ruled out because the quick free kick was taken from the wrong place Mannings dialled goal v Wolves Wolves second goal after the fowl on Archer The list is endless VAR have turned off side into a subjective decision Let's keep goal line technology and once perfected auto off side and get rid of the rest

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codge added 14:10 - Dec 3 Honestly if we had all the 10 players out that you talked about plus the 11 players on the pitch together l still think we would get beaten.
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A1079 added 14:37 - Dec 3 There have been a few occasions when teams have come to us supposedly down to the bare bones and they have ended up winning 1-0 or similar. What chance us doing the same?
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