Southend United vs. Southampton - Preview

Darryl Flahavan faces his former side

The dismissal of forward Freddy Eastwood on Saturday only intensified the situation for Steve Tilson, who rightly berated his star striker in his notes on the club’s official website, www.southendunited.co.uk. “You just can’t raise your hands like that because you will always get sent off,” Tilson ranted. “If you’re going to shove someone like that then you might as well do the job properly.”

As a result of his actions, Eastwood should have missed this televised Monday night fixture, as well as the more important Coca-Cola League One clashes against Scunthorpe United on Friday and Colchester United three days later. Having appealed to the Football Association, the 22-year-old is now clear to start against the Saints.

Tilson may have been tempted to have rested Wayne Gray for those League encounters had Eastwood not seen red, and now he may be able to, with either a semi-fit Shaun Goater or third-year scholar James Lawson alongside the former West Ham United trainee. For the latter it would represent a first senior start on the biggest of stages, but the Bermudan may be better of sitting the match out, leaving his boss with no choice but to opt for youth or revert to a defensive 4-5-1 formation.

It is not just up front that United have severe difficulties. Duncan Jupp, the regular right-back since March, will sit out a fortnight with a hamstring injury sustained just ten minutes into the 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town at the weekend. That in itself is not a problem, with Lewis Hunt slotting in at full-back, but Tilson may have been tempted to give the 23-year-old a start alongside Adam Barrett in the middle had Jupp not succumbed. Andy Edwards, at 34, may not be capable of two fine performances in three days, and Spencer Prior is not fully fit to stand in.

At least the midfield poses few problems. Kevin Maher, who reacted wonderfully to unjust criticism of his tactics at the end of the Terriers tussle, is likely to play through the pain barrier as he continues to struggle but will not allow that to stop him leading the side. With Jay Smith and Mark Bentley still tentatively feeling their way back, Luke Guttridge looks set to partner his skipper in the centre.

Out wide, Tilson has a choice of two from three. There would be no better fillip for Mitchell Cole, the former West Ham United youngster, than a good display against Championship opposition on the left-hand side of midfield, and this may be the right time to rest Mark Gower, who still seems to be a shadow of his former self. Carl Pettefer should line-up on the right.

This will be yet another emotional occasion for Darryl Flahavan. The goalkeeper will line-up against one of his former clubs, with Southampton being the side that he joined as a youngster, being released to join Worthing in 1999. He still has a number of friends and retains a property in the area, whilst Saints are also the rivals of his late brother’s old club, Portsmouth. Flahavan, then, will be particularly eager to impress.

He may have a lot of impressing to do. United have won just three League Cup ties in the past fifteen years, and have not beaten Southampton for 48 years, since nearly 15,000 saw Sammy McCrory score in a 3-2 win at Roots Hall in September 1957. Indeed, the last five meetings have all been lost, the most recent being a 2-0 FA Cup third round reverse at the Dell in January 1995.

Claus Lundekvam is the major worry for the visitors after he was stretchered off with an Achilles tendon injury, and he will definitely miss the seaside clash. He joins Brett Ormerod (inner ear virus), Marian Pahars (stress fracture of the heel), Leon Best (broken foot), Neil McCann (Achilles) and Chris Baird (groin strain) on the sidelines as Redknapp prepares to name a slightly less experienced side.

Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com