West Ham v Southampton preview
Last Updated: October 20, 2012 2:16pm
Guy Demel: West Ham full-back is an injury worry for the game against Southampton
It may only be October, but Sam Allardyce has already billed West Ham United's home date with Southampton on Saturday as a 'six-pointer'.
The Hammers have made a bright start to life back in the Premier League, and occupy a top-half standing at present, but they are taking nothing for granted.
Allardyce has been around long enough to know that fortunes can change in an instant, making it all the more important to life live in the present.
That means taking as many points as possible off those sides in and around you, and those who were promoted alongside you if you are new to the top-flight.
Southampton will feel exactly the same as they prepare to head for the East End, with Nigel Adkins' side yet to accumulate the points tally their performances have deserved.
A leaky defence has been the root cause of their troubles so far, with a division-high 20 goals conceded in just seven fixtures.
The Saints will be aware that they need to plug those gaps if they are to stop undermining all of the good work they continue to carry out at the opposite end of the field - with there only seven sides to have scored more goals than Adkins' men so far this term.
West Ham
Defenders Winston Reid and Guy Demel are West Ham's main injury concerns heading into the weekend.
Reid (back) and Demel (thigh) will have to prove their fitness ahead of the match, while the Hammers will also be without Ricardo Vaz Te who has had surgery on his dislocated shoulder.
Andy Carroll came through England duty unscathed and is expected to start up front, while Raphael Spiegel will back up Jussi Jaaskelainen in goal, with Stephen Henderson beginning his three-month loan with Ipswich.
Southampton
Southampton will be missing record signing Gaston Ramirez on Saturday, and for the foreseeable future.
The 21-year-old faces another four weeks out after problems related to a dead leg picked up before the international break and will be joined on the sidelines by Frazer Richardson (thigh).
Jack Cork, Danny Butterfield (both knee) and Tadanari Lee (elbow) are also out, but Nathaniel Clyne is set to return. Artur Boruc could be involved with Southampton for the first time.
Opta stats
- Southampton have trailed in all seven Premier League games at some point, the only team to be behind in all of their league games.
- Saints have dropped the most points from winning positions in the Premier League (11). With those points, Southampton would be second in the table.
- West Ham have scored a divisional high 88% of their goals in the first half this season.
Previous game's starting line-ups
4-3-3
-
22
Jaaskelainen
-
20
Demel
-
19
Collins
-
2
Reid
-
17
O'Brien
-
21
Diame
-
16
Noble
-
4
Nolan
-
12
Vaz Te
-
8
Carroll
-
26
Cole J
Team taken from West Ham vs Reading (Barclays Premier League) on Sunday 19th May 2013
4-4-2
-
1
Davis K
-
2
Clyne
-
6
Fonte
-
5
Hooiveld
-
23
Shaw
-
8
Davis S
-
4
Schneiderlin
-
18
Cork
-
20
Lallana
-
9
Rodriguez
-
7
Lambert
Team taken from Southampton vs Stoke City (Barclays Premier League) on Sunday 19th May 2013
Latest Poll
Matches
-
Barclays Premier League
Table
Barclays Premier League
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United | 38 | 89 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 38 | 78 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 38 | 75 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 38 | 73 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 72 |
| 6 | Everton | 38 | 63 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 38 | 61 |
| 8 | West Bromwich Albion | 38 | 49 |
| 9 | Swansea City | 38 | 46 |
| 10 | West Ham United | 38 | 46 |
| 11 | Norwich City | 38 | 44 |
| 12 | Fulham | 38 | 43 |
| 13 | Stoke City | 38 | 42 |
| 14 | Southampton | 38 | 41 |
| 15 | Aston Villa | 38 | 41 |
| 16 | Newcastle United | 38 | 41 |
| 17 | Sunderland | 38 | 39 |
| 18 | Wigan Athletic | 38 | 36 |
| 19 | Reading | 38 | 28 |
| 20 | Queens Park Rangers | 38 | 25 |
Related
Also See
West Ham v Southampton
West Brom v Saints preview
Southampton must address their porous defence when they tackle West Brom at The Hawthorns on Monday night.
Adkins frustrated by defeat
Nigel Adkins says Southampton's latest defeat was hard to take after they had frustrated West Ham before half-time.
Adkins upbeat despite defeat
Nigel Adkins remained upbeat despite seeing Southampton lose 4-1 at West Ham.
