11:00am Tuesday 10th November 2009
By Andy Naylor
Whether it is caretaker Martin Hinshelwood or Russell Slade's permanent successor, the man in charge at Southampton on Sunday must try to find a solution to Albion's defensive problems.
That quest takes an interesting twist tonight, when the reserves face Millwall in a rearranged fixture at Lancing (7pm).
The match marks the return from injury of both Andrew Whing and Jake Wright in a back four which also includes James Tunnicliffe and David Livermore.
They all have a chance to stake a claim for the south coast derby at St Mary's following another woeful defensive display in Saturday's 4-4 FA Cup draw at Wycombe Wanderers.
Whing is, at first glance, an obvious choice to replace the suspended Gavin Hoyte at right-back.
He was due to make his comeback in the reserves two weeks ago, when the Millwall match was fogged off.
The problem is Whing's lack of competitive action since hernia surgery. The former Coventry defender has not played since limping off with a dead leg halfway through the home league win against Wycombe at the start of September.
He has also been troubled by tendonitis in the left knee and it will be a big ask for him after more than two months out against an in-form and free-scoring Southampton.
There are other options, which is where Wright, Tunnicliffe and, to a lesser extent, Livermore could come into the picture.
Wright has been ruled out of the last three games by ankle trouble. Albion have mainly used him at left-back since his summer move from Crawley but his best and preferred position is centre half.
He impressed in that role at Leyton Orient in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and that is where he plays tonight, alongside Tunnicliffe.
The former Stockport youngster can count himself unlucky in recent weeks. Tunnicliffe has made fewer mistakes than centre half rivals Tommy Elphick and Adam Virgo, yet has twice been the fall guy since breaking into the side.
Livermore, well out of favour under Slade, has an opportunity to push for the problem left-back berth, currently occupied by Adam El-Abd in the absence once more of first choice Jimmy McNulty.
The manager against Southampton also has a decision to make in goal. Is conceding 17 goals in three-and-a-half league appearances reason enough alone to leave out Graeme Smith and recall Michel Kuipers, or are those figures an unfair reflection on the largely blameless Glaswegian?
First year scholar Tom Godfrey is between the posts tonight, with John Pelling ill.
A strong line-up also marks the return of Liam Dickinson, dropped from the squad for the Wycombe game for disciplinary reasons.
He partners Craig Davies, who made an eventful second substitute appearance of the season in the closing stages on Saturday.
Alan Navarro and Kevin McLeod, who were on the bench with Davies, also feature, together with Gary Hart and Matt Thornhill, neither of whom made the 16-man squad at Wycombe.
The real puzzle though for Hinshelwood or Mister X is how Albion, after leaking 11 goals in four games, stop a Southampton side which has scored 11 goals over the same period.
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