Image Credit: PA Media
SOUTHAMPTON boss Tonda Eckert believes his side can take lessons from their Carabao cup loss against West Ham earlier this season into Saturday’s trip to the London Stadium.
The Saints surrendered a 1-0 lead before crumbling to a 4-1 defeat to the Hammers in the second round of the Carabao Cup in late August.
When asked how relevant he believes the League Cup game is to tomorrow’s fixture, Eckert stated that, despite cup games being notoriously different to those in the league, the opposition will provide a similar test.
He said: “Obviously in the cup there’s a couple of different players on the pitch for both sides.
“But structure-wise, I think there’s quite a lot that West Ham is very consistent in with the way they do things.
“A common theme with West Ham this season is that they make their way back into games through set pieces.
“We need to become a threat from the set pieces that we have down the offensive end and make sure that we are solid down the other.
“It’s not the only game that we’ve looked at but there are some things to take away from that game in particular.”
During his press conference, Eckert also confirmed that injury doubts for the match Flynn Downes and Cyle Larin were working towards being fit in time to face the Hammers.
Downes came off with an ankle injury during the away trip to Norwich whilst Larin was forced of with a hamstring injury before half-time during last Saturday’s hosting of Bolton.
Eckert refused to rule either player out of action.
He said: “He (Downes) is getting better day after day, will assess him today, he’s doing everything to be involved tomorrow.
“(For Larin) it is part of the hamstring towards the tendon, the bottom part, but it’s the same for him. He’s trying everything to make it for tomorrow.”
In more positive news for fans of the Saints, the German coach stated that midfielder Casper Jander would be involved against West Ham.
He said: “We took him on the bench against Bolton and that was more for an emergency so he got a break on Saturday.
“He’s had a very good week so he’ll be involved tomorrow.”
