With Ruben Selles set to continue as caretaker manager for the trip to Stamford Bridge, the question is will be bring back those who had seemingly been ostracised by former boss Nathan Jones.

The strangest thing about Nathan Jones tenure as Southampton manager, was the fact that he could never keep a settled side, just as he seemed to get a team that was competing, he had dismantled it within a couple of weeks.

Just as we had got some momentum with wind against Crystal Palace & Manchester City in the cups followed by his only Premier League win and indeed points at Everton, he chopped and changed and never really seemed to know his first choice side, formation and seemed to feel that he had to tinker.

That was illustrated by the fact that the team for his final game against Wolves contained only 4 players in the starting line up against Everton started the game against Wolves.

Of course there were injuries, one of them Kyle Walker Peters was one the fans saw happen when he had to come off in the first half up at Newcastle, but the second claimed injury was less evident.

Those who watched Duje Caleta-Car in the B team game against Sheffield United at AFC Totton's Snows Stadium saw no evidence in the first half that he had picked up an injury and when he failed to appear for the second half, most assumed that he had been taken off so he could go on the bench for the following days trip to Brentford.

That of course was not the case and the other three first team players in the B team t hat day Armando Bella Kotchap, Mislav Orsic & Moussa Djenepo, despite being seemingly fit and able to play most of that B team game, not only played no part in the squad at Brentford, but again were not in the matchday squad for the Wolves game.

So one can only assume that all four had fallen out with Nathan Jones, you can see to a degree why they played in the B team, but not why not even one of them could make even the bench for Wolves.

So the question is whether Ruben Selles will bring them back into the squad, all have had their merits why they should be in the squad, Caleta-Car perhaps the biggest as he had formed the central rock in the defence in those three wins.

Bella-Kotchap had returned to the squad from the World Cup, but Jones hinted he was not fit and likewise Orsic, who yes although was probably a little rusty after a couple of weeks break after the World Cup should have easily have been brought up to speed, it seems that there was friction between the manager and his new signing almost from day one.

Moussa Djeneppo had started the first leg semi final against Newcastle and been smashed by the keeper and had to go off with concussion, he had played a part in 4 out of 5 of the games up to and including this one, yet he too suddenly found himself out of the squad.

All four must have been livid to be dropped so drastically, especially when they saw who was replacing them, Jan Bednarek returning from Aston Villa must have irked some of the squad, yet he was straight back in, Theo Walcott may have been well liked by his fellow members of the squad, but not many of them would have put up a case for him to even be on the bench, but suddenly he was back from the cold and finally James Bree, clearly Jones's man and no experience at this level was straight into the side.

Bree must be wondering where his future lies now with his mentor gone from the club.

So it will interesting to see if and how many of these four are reinstated into the squad for the trip to Chelsea, as mentioned for the Wolves game it was very strange that at least one of them didn't get a place on the bench.

Photo: Action Images

ThereIn76 added 09:55 - Feb 17 Jones' team selections were baffling - five at the back against Forest who hadn't scored away from home sine August. Mara and Djenepo scored against Man City, then what? Caleta-Car starts three matches, we win them all, then Bednarek gets picked ahead of him. That as much as anything else will have persuaded the Board to own up to their folly. Bree looks a decent player but he's no KWP.

1

SaintNick added 10:09 - Feb 17 I havent seen a lot of him yet, but I think Bree is like Perraud, he is not of the standard you truly need to survive in the Premier League, but he could be a good squad player who can do a job from time to time
0

davidargyll added 10:30 - Feb 17 I think what you are trying to say is that, in any other walk of life, Jones’ actions would have been considered disorganised at best, downright charlatan at worst and his entire period of managership bordering on the fraudulent. Seles I would think and hope cannot possibly do any worse…
3

Farlow added 11:02 - Feb 17 Just keep Bednarek well away from the team.
4

SaintPaulVW added 11:11 - Feb 17 We know next to nothing about Selles really as he's only been here 6 months. Ralph seemed happier for short periods at the start of the season. Many of us assumed this was down to him having better support in reaching decisions, which we assumed Selles was now providing. We are about to find out if we were right. COYR
2

landsdownsaint added 11:41 - Feb 17 The main outcast that should be brought back in is Ralph .
0

underweststand added 09:19 - Feb 18 I think most of the points are been well-covered above. Bree is no match for a fit KWP, and Caleta-Car is a better CB than many give him credit for. Lyanco should never be out of the squad, he is "a wild-card " who can take care of himself. In a desperate situation NJ was persuaded to bring Bednarek back from Villa, and despite that Jan managed to worsen his F-A goal - yet again with his O.G. which turned the game in Wolves favour and they saw they might be able to win, as we hadn't score any more. Diallo was sad to see NJ leave - mainly because he was the only manager to give him a run of games, but he has never been a "stand-out" player in any game I've watched. Djenepo is a confidence player with a special personality. I don't see him as a regular 90 minute player, but he has the ability to turn a game on its head in certain situations. We must see Orsic given some real game time. A player with his experience needs real opportunities to play and be seen - even if he doesn't start every game. Both our new strikers must get regular game time - even if they are new to the Prem. their fees alone must justify their regular starts - even if they only last 70 minutes at first. Sadly Ché and Adam A. just can't find the net regularly enough despite their honest effort and energy. Selles may not be the worst choice, because at least he knows all the players - and their capabilities - and seems able to talk tactics and not bluff his way through interviews.

0

Blogs 31 bloggers

York City Polls