Even before a ball had been kicked in Southampton’s clash with Aston Villa on Saturday, Ralph Hasenhuttl had made his feelings towards two players crystal clear.
The former RB Leipzig boss had confirmed on Thursday that January signing Kyle Walker-Peters would be missing at right-back due to injury, so naturally, one would’ve presumed that his other option in that department – Yan Valery – would be handed a start.
However, when the lineups were revealed at 2pm on Saturday, it was James Ward-Prowse who had been chosen to start at right-back, with Valery on the bench.
As it happens, the academy graduate has made just two Premier League appearances since that 9-0 defeat to Leicester, mainly due to a viral illness – however, the fact that he was still overlooked, in preference of a centre-midfielder, despite returning to full fitness is telling.
Additionally, Hasenhuttl’s feelings on a second Southampton man were also made clear with his starting XI.
As a result of starting Ward-Prowse at right-back, the Austrian needed a centre-midfield option to partner Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with Oriol Romeu – a man with 13 Premier League starts to his name this term – the obvious choice.
However, the former Chelsea man joined Valery on the bench, with Hasenhuttl preferring to hand Will Smallbone – an academy graduate – his Premier League debut as opposed to giving the Spaniard another start.
There would usually be nothing too major about a manager placing two of his players on the bench.
However, in these circumstances, Hasenhuttl was forced to move things around as a result of Walker-Peters’ injury.
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He had two natural, first-team options for the roles he needed covering, but instead opted to play a midfielder who has never before appeared in the Premier League, while also playing a centre-midfielder at right-back over a ready-made option for that position, which is especially telling and also damning for Valery and Romeu given the unorthodox nature of his decisions.
In other news, Carl Anka has revealed which Southampton loanees he thinks will be sold…