West Ham v Southampton | Potter’s starting XI is a no brainer

There’s a limited amount of information available from West Ham’s video ‘inside Rush Green’ but that doesn’t stop us all pouncing on it when released to look for the ‘tell tale signs of strategic coaching, player drills and fitness levels.

This week’s release offers much coach shouting and the usual attempts by the staff to speed up play: judging by the video evidence it’ll take more that a couple of sessions being shouted at to speed this West Ham side towards faster transitions and one touch, pacy football.

However the one standout – abundantly clear from the video – is that Hammers striker Niclas Fullkrug is indeed a powerhouse old fashioned number nine and is feeling strong and raring to go: whether his endurance fitness is upto playing more than 45 minutes is another issue but his shooting prowess is beyond doubt.

Fullkrug’s name being announced as a starter against Southampton would give the 60,000 Hammers fans who have endured all kinds of average this season something to cheer about and the prospect of West Ham starting on the front foot which they simply must against bottom side Southampton who have a paltry five points on the road this season.

Even if Fullkrug just lasts 45 minutes it sets West Ham’s stall out to take the game to Southampton. Unthinkable that the Hammers would do anything else – the idea of starting without a central striker against the already relegated Saints would be a little insulting to thousands of fans who have come in search of some entertainment: They deserve to be rewarded for that loyalty instead of sent to sleep again.

Otherwise the Manager’s nickname might just get used rather more vigorously tomorrow – sections of the fans have christened him ‘Graham Lopetegui’ in reference to his indecipherable tactical mess-ups which we expected from his predecessor.