Tonda Eckert has named his side for the friendly with Eintracht Braunschweig, the first proper run-out of Southampton's German camp. Kick-off is 7pm BST at the Eintracht-Stadion. Daniel Peretz starts in goal, the shirt now his for good after a permanent move from Bayern Munich.
The back four has a settled look ahead of Friday's trip to Germany. Mads Roerslev takes the right, Welington the left, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis and captain Jack Stephens in the middle.
A settled spine and a fresh face up front
The midfield leans young. Flynn Downes anchors it. Cam Bragg lines up alongside him. The youngster took squad number 26 this summer and now earns proper minutes to reward the faith shown in him.
The eye-catcher sits further forward. Lewis Dobbin makes his second start since arriving from Aston Villa this month for a fee of around £9 million. Eckert has talked all week about the flexibility Dobbin brings across the front line. A goal on his debut against Eastleigh already hinted at what he offers. A start in Germany is the next step.
Saints Marching tracked which names had reported for pre-season training when the group first gathered. Plenty of those faces feature tonight.
Scienza and Downs carry the attack
Leo Scienza wears the number seven now, once the shirt of Matt Le Tissier and Rickie Lambert. His form last season earned it. FotMob rated him at 7.36 across the Championship, the best mark in the squad. He also shared the club's two player of the season awards.
Up top, Damion Downs leads the line. Cyle Larin is still away after his summer with Canada, and injuries kept a few others at Staplewood, so the young forward gets a clear chance to stake his claim. Saints Marching ran through the notable pre-season absentees earlier in the camp. That gap opens the door for Downs.
Ben Brereton Díaz completes the front line. His experience gives Eckert a senior option out wide while the summer's transfer business plays out around him.
None of this counts for points. It is pre-season, after all. Even so, the team sheet offers a first look at how Eckert wants to set up. The players who most need minutes are the ones getting them tonight.
Starting XI: Peretz, Roerslev, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens (c), Welington, Downes, Bragg, Brereton Díaz, Dobbin, Scienza, Downs.
Subs: Long, Bree, Wood, Quarshie, Kayi Sanda, Dobson-Ventura, Manning, Charles, O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Matsuki, Akachukwu, Fellows, Robinson, Archer, Oyekunle.
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