The poor Southampton star who must be dropped after West Ham and it's not Jack Stephens
When the Southampton and West Ham United lineups filtered through before kick-off, it was obvious that Tonda Eckert had stuck to his word of playing a strong, but slightly changed team in the EFL Cup second round.
Indeed, the likes of Daniel Peretz, Leo Scienza, and Lewis Dobbin were all present, while Nuno Espirito Santo named a very youthful Hammers starting XI, which included the likes of Airidas Golambeckis lining up for his first-team debut in defence.
On paper, the South Coast side should have comfortably progressed through to the next round of the EFL Cup, but it didn't play out like that whatsoever, as the young away side humbled Eckert's hosts 4-1.
Joshua Ajala would grab two goals as a standout performer for Nuno's side, having been the U21's top goalscorer last campaign.
While a lot of West Ham players would come away from this game with their heads held high, there were so many alarming under performers from the perspective of the shellshocked home team, as Jack Stephens put in yet another rusty display.
Stephens must now be dropped
After putting in a disasterclass of a performance on the opening day of the Championship season against Watford, Saints fans would have been happy that Stephens wasn't awful against Stoke City last time out in league action.
Unfortunately, though, they couldn't excuse another dire day at the office from the declining captain against West Ham.
Stephens would win just one duel all match as the inexperienced West Ham attackers wreaked havoc, with Ajala not scared by the prospect of coming up against the veteran defender, despite this being one of his first ever senior runouts.
If the likes of the 18-year-old are unbothered by Stephens' attempts to close them down, it really does speak to the fact that the loyal St. Mary's servant isn't at the required standard anymore to be playing week in week out in a side expected to be in the promotion conversation.
During the 4-1 defeat, he wasn't the only abject performer at the back, with James Bree putting in an equally grim performance, while the previously mentioned Peretz wasn't his usually reliable self in between the sticks.
It will be interesting to see what defensive lineup Eckert goes with against Millwall on Saturday, with Stephens likely to be dropped, as if he played like that against the Lions, another bruising defeat would be forthcoming.
In attack, Eckert will also be scratching his head as to why this forward presence put in a below-par display to be at risk for the axe.
He isn't the only player in danger of the axe
Sometimes, a big price tag can work against a player.
In the aforementioned Dobbin's case, he seems to be weighed down by the bumper £9m valuation above his head, as he has been way off the pace so far in Saints red and white when it comes to competitive action.
He scored goals galore in pre-season, but when it's mattered so far in the nitty gritty of the EFL Cup and Championship, he hasn't been anywhere close to his Preston North End best, with the 11-goal ace from last campaign nowhere to be found on Tuesday night.
Dobbin would fail to hit a single shot at the West Ham net, as stand-in goalkeeper Finlay Herrick was largely untested, apart from Leo Scienza's opener.
Losing possession a costly ten times from only 33 touches of the ball, too, he could be in real danger of being dropped down to the bench, again, having been made to sit among the substitutes against the Potters.
It has been a hit-and-miss start to the campaign for Eckert and Co. with two wins and two losses in the EFL Cup and the Championship.
This loss will be the worst of the lot so far, with Daily Echo journalist Dan Hargraves aptly noting that it was "worryingly passive".
Hopefully, a reaction is evident when Millwall come to town, with both Stephens and Dobbin in grave danger of being pushed to one side, as the Saints try to gain a morale-boosting win against the Hammers' arch nemesis.
