Sam Edozie’s West Brom goal gives Southampton a selection headache
Léo Scienza should start at Preston if his knock has cleared, and Sam Edozie should be the first name Eckert reaches for when the game needs changing. That is the call, and Edozie’s equaliser at the Hawthorns does not change anything.
The goal came in the 53rd minute, after a first half in which Southampton had no shot on goal. It made Edozie the club’s 15th different scorer of the season, as Saints Marching noted.
The left wing at Deepdale
Edozie said afterwards that the head coach always believes in him, and Eckert in turn gave the goal plenty of credit for what it could do for his confidence. Both were kind to a player who had been used from the bench three times in October before being asked to start.
Saints Marching’s five learnings from the night were less generous. They charted him winning five of 12 duels and failing all three dribbles. The finish counted. The rest of his evening counted for very little.
Scienza is the sharper wide player. Vital Football credits him with two goals and two assists in the league. He missed the West Brom game after playing through pain in the match before.
Eckert expects him back. Put him on the left, Kuryu Matsuki on the right and Finn Azaz between them, with Edozie waiting for an opportunity late in the game.
Edozie’s 7.4 at the Hawthorns is a rating derived almost entirely from the goal, scored in the only game of the four he started.
His job on Saturday will be different. Preston’s back line has been leaking goals all season. A fresh winger in the 60th minute should find more room than a starter in the tenth, against a home side already missing Leo Leroy.
The stats behind the call
| Player | Bolton (H) | West Ham (A) | QPR (H) | West Brom (A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Edozie | 6.2 (sub) | 6.3 (sub) | - (cameo) | 7.4 |
| Léo Scienza | 6.6 | 7.5 | 7.7 | - (inj) |
| Kuryu Matsuki | 6.4 (sub) | 7.7 | 8.0 | 7.3 |
| Finn Azaz | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 6.7 |
Léo Scienza's form had been improving before he picked up a knock that kept him out of Tuesday's match at the Hawthorns.
Azaz dipped at West Brom after a strong week, and Matsuki held steady across three games. Neither moves the argument on the left, because Scienza had the shirt when the attack was at its best.
Dobbin’s four games swing from a goal at West Ham to a one-on-one missed late at the Hawthorns. That belongs in a different article, about who leads the line.
The verdict is obvious. Scienza starts if he is fit; Edozie is the first change, and Eckert uses the goal to justify trusting him when the game opens up.
