The absence from Southampton’s opening training session that will unsettle Tonda Eckert

Southampton fans got the chance to watch their beloved team in the flesh at St. Mary's, before the official Championship season kicks off, with an opening training session on Tuesday afternoon.

To make the occasion even more special, Divin Mubama was announced as the Saints' fifth summer recruit just before the training session started, with the exciting Manchester City loanee taking part in the drills on his new home turf.

Away from Mubama's arrival boosting an already confident Saints group, there were other individuals pictured going through their paces who Southampton fans will be chomping at the bit to see in Championship action on the opening day at Watford.

The standout faces during the training session

Tonda Eckert will hope he call upon Cyle Larin from the start at Vicarage Road, after his experiment to start Ben Brereton Diaz in the Colchester United sunshine in the EFL Cup didn't work whatsoever.

The Canadian came on and scored within ten minutes of his introduction, but Larin still appears a little rusty, after his involvement in the World Cup with Jesse Marsch's Reds.

He was put through his paces at St. Mary's on Tuesday, so he could be in line for a start against the Hornets.

Of course, there is also Mubama, who will be wanting a debut goal as quickly as possible, having put away three pre-season goals for Manchester City.

Alongside Saints fans clamouring for a Larin start, they will be keeping their fingers crossed that Finn Azaz can slot back into the starting XI, after he classily assisted Eckert and Co's second of the day at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Much like Larin, he was likely not risked due to injury worries, but after the game had concluded, the German did reveal that Azaz's body was "there now" to start, with the ex-Middlesbrough playmaker also present during Tuesday's open session.

Will the second tier maestro be risked from the get-go against Watford?

Not every first team player was pictured during this sunsoaked exercise at St. Mary's, however, with one absentee unsettling Eckert slightly, when it comes to his Vicarage Road team selection.

One absentee will have unsettled Eckert

The absentee that hasn't been mentioned yet is Caspar Jander, with it being revealed that the ex-FC Nürnberg midfielder was nowhere to be seen, as he battles back from his own injury troubles.

Even Sam Edozie was out warming up, despite the fact he is being linked with a move away and has had injury difficulties, too, leaving many to wonder when Jander will next feature under Eckert.

If he was fit, he'd likely slot into the 33-year-old's first team plans against the Hornets, with another experiment of playing Kuryu Matsuki deeper in a Jander-style role an awkward selection choice against the U's.

With Jander not present on the green grass on Tuesday, you would anticipate he will be unavailable for the trip to Alessio Dionisi's hosts, with Cameron Bragg potentially handed a golden opportunity to impress.

Southampton supporters and Eckert combined will be praying this isn't a long-term issue, as there is a large gap to fill in the middle of the park, now, with Shea Charles no longer around.

If it is, the Saints could be prepared to dip their toes into the market, although one suggested Charles replacement in Jordan James looks set to join Southampton's promotion adversaries, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Jander not being present could also have sinister connotations attached to it, away from injuries, as he has been tipped to be a target for several Bundesliga clubs.

Hopefully, all of this worry about the 23-year-old's absence has been blown out of context and it's all precautionary, with Eckert just having to make do with what he's got against Watford on Sunday lunchtime.

After all, the team in its current guise should be too strong for Watford.