Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl sets challenge for James Ward-Prowse
Sunday 30 December 2018 21:03, UK
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has challenged midfielder James Ward-Prowse to take advantage of his first-team opportunity in light of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's suspension.
Ward-Prowse, 24, has been in and out of the Saints side all season and made his first start under Hasenhuttl, who was appointed at the start of December, in Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.
Hojbjerg, who has captained Southampton under Hasenhuttl, was sent off late in the game and will now be suspended for Wednesday's trip to Chelsea and possibly beyond.
"It can be (an opportunity), absolutely," Hasenhuttl said. "Because he's a flexible player - he can play a lot of positions in the game.
"So I'm looking forward - he's now got a big opportunity for us.
"I had a face-to-face meeting with him and told him what I think are his strengths and what are his weaknesses. I think sometimes he wasn't hard enough and not aggressive enough in winning the ball and getting into duels and I think we saw (against City) a step forward in this manner."
Ward-Prowse was one of six changes Hasenhuttl made as Southampton returned to action less than 70 hours after a defeat to West Ham.
They will have to cope with another three-day turnaround for their visit to Stamford Bridge, but the Austrian is hoping the rotation of his squad will pay dividends.
"That was the goal absolutely, to get fresh players back when you play Chelsea," Hasenhuttl said.
"So Ingsy (Danny Ings) and Reddy (Nathan Redmond) and Stuey (Stuart Armstrong) will come back and also for Maya (Yoshida) and Jannik (Vestergaard) - they worked a lot against West Ham and that was the reason why I left them out against Man City and they get a chance back.
"So more the formation that we have played until now and less new players and less young players, maybe."
The defeat to Manchester City allowed fellow Premier League strugglers Burnley and Fulham to make ground on Southampton over the weekend, but Hasenhuttl's side remain above the drop zone on goal difference.
