WEST BROMWICH ALBION v SOUTHAMPTON
Barclays Premier League Monday 5th November 2012,
8pm The Hawthorns
MATCH
NOTES
Albion have lost their two previous Premier League matches
that took place on Bonfire Night - Arsenal away last season (0-3) and West Ham
United away in 2005/06 (0-1).
Southampton are currently the only team in the four
divisions to have not won a point away from home this season.
If selected, Graham Dorrans will make his 100th
start for Albion whilst keeper Ben Foster will make his 50th start.
TEAM
NEWS
Albion
Midfielder Chris Brunt and defender Billy Jones have
recovered from hamstring and knee injuries respectively and are in contention
for a place in the squad.
Argentinian midfielder Claudio Yacob faces a late
fitness test and Baggies’ boss Steve Clarke is also hoping Shane Long will
have shaken off the hamstring injury which led to his non-inclusion in the
Republic of Ireland squad
for the forthcoming friendly with
Greece.
Defender Steven Reid is once again ruled out.
Squad from:
Foster, Myhill, Daniels, Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Tamas,
Dawson, Jara Reyes, Popov,
Ridgewell, Mulumbu, Yacob, Brunt, Dorrans, Morrison, El Ghanassy, Gera, Fortune,
Odemwingie, Lukaku, Long, Rosenberg.
Southampton
Record signing, Uruguayan
playmaker Gaston Ramirez, looks set to return for the Saints after
being out for five weeks with a thigh injury whilst Jack Cork could also return
following his knee injury.
Frazer Richardson will miss out due to a groin problem.
Squad from:
K Davis, Gazzaniga, Boruc,
Cork, Butterfield, Stephens, Clyne, Fox, Shaw, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Fonte,
Seaborne, Ward-Prowse, Do Prado, Chaplow, De Ridder, Lallana, Ramirez,
Schneiderlin, Lee, Puncheon, S Davis, Lambert, Rodriguez, Mayuka.
QUOTES
Baggies' boss Steve Clarke:
"It's going to be something different for us. We are suddenly
in a situation we haven't found ourselves in before in having lost a couple of
games. People maybe are looking at us a little bit so there is a question to be
answered. But the lads have played well and that is the message we have tried to
give the players to take forward into the next game.
"We have told them that if they continue to play as they have
against two really good teams, and as long as the performance levels stays the
same, then the results will follow.
"Nigel (Adkins) has had two successive promotions and done a
great job for the club. Unfortunately the game now is a results-driven industry
and you don't get as long sometimes as you deserve to get. But
Southampton have had some good
performances. I've seen them on a number of occasions this season.
"They are a team we will treat with 100 per cent respect. We
expect a really difficult game. Nigel's teams always like to pass the ball. They
are dangerous, can create chances and score goals. It gets highlighted that they
have conceded a few as well and that's up to us to try and exploit but we have
to make sure we defend very well. If we do that, we have a chance of getting a
good result."
Saints' manager Nigel Adkins:
"West Brom have a good record at home - they are a solid side who are
very good on the counter attack. They have been in the Premier League before
having yo-yoed a little bit but they look a very well run, well-managed football
club. They have a way of playing which suits them, they have a good manager
there and some good football players.
"There is a great vision here at Southampton Football Club
and what we have got to do is concentrate on what we do - a lot of other clubs
can be highlighted but we need to focus on ourselves.
"The stability has been here and we need everyone to stick
together because we have been very successful over the past few years. We are
financially well-run, and you can see with all of the building work that is
going on all the time and the recruitment of players that investment coming in.
It's a challenge we will embrace. We have scored in all of our games bar one so
we are looking forward to it."
www.sportinglife.com
MATCH
ODDS
Result
Albion Win: 3/4, Southampton Win: 7/2, Draw: 11/4.
First Goalscorer Long 5/1,
Lukaku 11/2, Odemwingie 6/1, Lambert 7/1, Fortune 8/1, Rosenberg 8/1, Rodriguez
9/1, do Prado 10/1, Lallana 10/1, Lee 10/1, Mayuka 10/1, Dorrans 11/1, Morrison
11/1, Brunt 12/1, Gera 12/1, El Ghanassy 14/1, Puncheon 14/1, Davis 16/1, De
Ridder 16/1, Mulumbu 18/1, Ward-Prowse 18/1.
REFEREE
Mark Halsey (Lancashire) - Refereed three
Albion games last season - The 1-0 win at Norwich City in September, the 1-0
defeat at Spurs in January and the 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage in
February.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are currently on general sale to home fans.
Tickets will remain on sale to
Saints' fans via the St Mary's Ticket Office until midday on Monday.
WEATHER FORECAST
Clear, cold and dry, 3°C.
FIXTURE HISTORY
Albion first met Southampton in league
action during the 1927/28 season at second division level. The first game, which
took place at The Dell on April 9, saw the home side run out 3-2
winners. Jerry Mackie, Jimmy Bullock and Stan Cribb scored the Saints' goals
whilst Tommy Glidden and Joe Carter notched for the visitors. The Baggies didn't
have to wait long to gain revenge, the return game was played just 24 hours
later, Albion winning 2-1, Jimmy Cookson and Sammy Short scoring for the hosts.
Albion's biggest league win against
Southampton is 5-1, coming at The Hawthorns in May 1930, Jimmy Cookson
scoring four of the Baggies' goals. Albion, under the leadership of Ron
Atkinson, also recorded a 4-0 win in October 1979, John Deehan, Gary Owen,
Bryan Robson and Ally Brown the goalscorers.
Albion's heaviest league defeat against
Southampton came at The Dell in August 1967, the Baggies suffering a 4-0 defeat
with Ron Davies notching a brace for the home side. Albion also suffered a 4-1 defeat
at The Dell in December 1982 and lost a seven goal thriller in March 1985, again
at The Dell. Albion have a particularly poor record against the Saints away from
home, winning just three times in 34 league and cup games.
Southampton's last win at The Hawthorns
came in the last game of the 1983/84 season, Steve Moran and David Puckett
hitting the goals. Since that game Albion are undefeated at home against the
Saints although just
six games have been played, the Baggies winning two of them.
LAST LEAGUE MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS
Albion
1-1 Southampton Coca-Cola League Championship Monday 28th April 2008,
7:45pm
Albion: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Clement, Robinson,
Gera, Greening (Moore 81), Koren,
Morrison (Brunt 64), Miller (Bednar 69), Phillips. Subs not used: Danek,
Albrechtsen.
Goalscorer: Brunt 84.
Booked: Hoefkens 38 (foul), Clement 79 (foul).
Southampton:
Richard Wright, Jermaine Wright, Perry, Lucketti, Surman,
Viafara, Idiakez, Safri (Dyer 62), Euell, Saganowski (Lallana 74), John
(Wright-Phillips 74). Subs not used: Davis, Licka.
Goalscorer: Lallana 77.
Booked: Euell 42 (foul), Perry 49 (foul), Idiakez 74
(foul).
Attendance: 26,167
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Chris Brunt's late goal put
West Brom on the brink of
promotion to the Premier League for the third time in seven seasons. Adam
Lallana had stunned the home fans by putting Southampton ahead at The Hawthorns
with just 13 minutes of this Championship match to go - and temporarily taking
the relegation-threatened Saints out of the bottom three, But fellow substitute
Brunt drilled a low shot under the body of goalkeeper Richard Wright six minutes
later to spark off scenes of wild celebration amongst the Baggies fans. It meant
Tony Mowbray's side moved ahead of previous leaders Stoke on goal difference
with just one game remaining.
The Baggies would have to lose at QPR while
Hull, the only side who can deny
them promotion, would have to win at
Ipswich and manufacture a 12-goal swing. Therefore it is
understandable to see why
Albion's fans believe they are already promoted after invading the
pitch at the final whistle. Mowbray's side have gained their reward for sticking
to their manager's principles of playing open and free-flowing football in a
season which has produced more than 100 goals in all competitions. Ironically,
this was one of their least convincing performances - but no-one can deny them
their reward from a campaign rich in entertainment.
Southampton remain 22nd because
of an inferior goal difference to
Leicester and will have to hope their result against Sheffield United is better
than the Foxes' one at Stoke if they are to survive.
Richard Wright blocked a fierce drive from Kevin Phillips but
Albion's 24-goal leading
scorer had strayed marginally offside in collecting a pass from Ishmael Miller.
Phillips, who has still to resolve his future with the Baggies, created a yard
of space for himself with a neat turn just outside the Southampton box but
former Albion defender Chris Perry made a timely interception. A neat pass from
Zoltan Gera almost picked out a powerful run from Phillips but his first touch
let him down and the ball ran harmlessly out for a goal-kick. Albion skipper
Jonathan Greening went close with a stinging long-range attempt which was just
too high after Youssef Safri had only half-cleared. Phillips was guilty of an
embarrassing miss when he spooned the ball over from two yards out - but much to
his relief the flag was raised for offside.
Southampton looked to have strong claims for a penalty when Neil Clement appeared to
handle a cross from Jason Euell before Marek Saganowski fired over from close
range. West Brom
right-back Carl Hoefkens became the first player to be yellow carded for a
challenge on John and then Euell was cautioned for a foul on his former Charlton
team-mate Dean Kiely.
Perry suffered the same punishment four minutes into the
second period when hauling down Miller in full flight. Another darting run by
Miller ended with Richard Wright deflecting his low shot for a corner.
Albion looked more purposeful
and playing with a higher tempo as James Morrison dragged a shot wide after some
delightful one-touch football. Then Perry was relieved when a shot from Miller
deflected off him just past the post with Richard Wright wrong-footed. Richard
Wright blocked a Phillips header at point blank range before Lallana broke the
deadlock from a narrow angle after racing onto a pass from Jermaine Wright.
Clement came close to equalising when his downward header from Brunt's corner
bounced over the bar. But eventually
Albion's perseverance paid off as Brunt drilled a low shot under
the body of Richard Wright to put them within touching distance of the top
flight.
Sporting Life
CURRENT CONNECTIONS
Richard Chaplow spent three years at The
Hawthorns after joining Albion from Burnley in January 2005. He struggled to pin
down a first team place during his time with the Baggies and moved onto Preston
North End in January 2008. He would spend three years at Deepdale before joining
Southampton, initially on loan. The Accrington born midfielder also spent
three months on loan at the Saints in early 2006 whilst an Albion player.
PAST
CONNECTIONS
Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for
both clubs are: Jack Bowden, Tommy Broad, Harry Brown, David Burnside,
Mickey Evans, Sammy Farrington, Ricardo Fuller, Bruce Grobbelaar, Harry
Hadley, Ian Hamilton, Ivan Katalinic, Billy Light, Graham Lovett, Mike
McCartney, Roddy McLeod, Nigel Quashie, Carlton Palmer, Pedro Pele, Chris
Perry, Graham Potter, John Reynolds, Uwe Rosler, Terry Simpson, David
Speedie, Derek Statham, Andy Townsend and Stuart Williams.
Ex-Albion assistant manager Frank Burrows was formerly a coach
at Southampton; Mike Kelly was a coach at both clubs; Former
Albion defender Garry Pendrey was Saints' assistant manager under
Gordon Strachan.
ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS SOUTHAMPTON
VENUE |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Home |
32 |
17 |
10 |
5 |
44 |
26 |
Away |
34 |
3 |
12 |
19 |
34 |
61 |
Total |
66 |
20 |
22 |
24 |
78 |
87 |
LAST
TEN MATCHES AGAINST SOUTHAMPTON
DATE |
COMPETITION |
H/A |
F-A |
GOALSCORERS |
GATE |
Mon 28 Apr 2008 |
Championship |
H |
1-1 |
Brunt - Lallana |
26,167 |
Sat 06 Oct 2007 |
Championship |
A |
2-3 |
Koren 2 - John 2, Skacel |
21,967 |
Sat 10 Feb 2007 |
Championship |
H |
1-1 |
Phillips - Jones |
21,138 |
Sat 12 Aug 2006 |
Championship |
A |
0-0 |
|
24,233 |
Tue 22 Feb 2005 |
Premier League |
H |
0-0 |
|
25,865 |
Sat 06 Nov 2004 |
Premier League |
A |
2-2 |
Earnshaw 2 - Svensson 2 |
31,057 |
Sat 01 Mar 2003 |
Premier League |
A |
0-1 |
Beattie |
31,915 |
Sat 14 Sep 2002 |
Premier League |
H |
1-0 |
Gregan |
26,383 |
Sat 29 Mar 1986 |
First Division |
H |
1-0 |
A Thompson |
7,325 |
Wed 01 Jan 1986 |
First Division |
A |
1-3 |
Varadi - Armstrong, Cockerill, Wallace |
13,154 |
|