Plenty of Southampton fans have urged Ralph Hasenhuttl to keep things simple when he takes his side to Fratton Park on Tuesday night.
The boss spoke to the media ahead of his team’s trip to Portsmouth in the Carabao Cup third round and confirmed that he would play the strongest possible line-up.
Twitter: #SaintsFC boss Ralph Hasenhüttl says he will pick his strongest possible XI for the south coast derby against… https://t.co/hcITwxgPHX (@SouthamptonFC)
This prompted plenty of responses from Saints fans, and many rather ironically called for him to simply deploy his players in their orthodox positions after the 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Friday night…
Twitter: @SouthamptonFC Controversial idea: play them in their right positions too… (@EdBazza)
Twitter: Looking forward to showing the difference in class when we face pompey tomorrow. Just make sure you put players in… https://t.co/v9XOqZXSxj (@jack_sharpe98)
Twitter: @SouthamptonFC Can we play them in the correct positions too please? Just a thought… (@DTagg64)
Twitter: @SouthamptonFC strongest possible XI? so with a right back at right back and a left back at left back then? (@SaintProwsey)
Twitter: @SouthamptonFC All in their right positions we hope. (@lazygit49)
Read Southampton’s verdict
Hasenhuttl’s approach against Bournemouth was bizarre, to say the very least. His decision to drop Maya Yoshida, play Kevin Danso at right-back and Cedric Soares at left-back cost Saints in the first half.
The team looked toothless going forward and, in brutally honest terms, totally dreadful at the back, and Bournemouth made them pay.
It seems Hasenhuttl is, thankfully, taking the trip to Fratton seriously, but as the above fans have quite rightly pointed out, it would be helpful if players are utilised in their preferred roles…
