This week’s team are all current Premier League players, lined up in a 4-4-2. Can you work out what the connection is between them, and who the misfit is and why?
SPOILER ALERT - DON'T SCROLL DOWN TOO QUICKLY IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THE ANSWER
The team (4-2-3-1): Asmir Begovic; Seamus Coleman, Phil Bardsley, John Terry, Fabian Delph; Jay Rodriguez, Yoan Gouffran, Santi Cazorla, Nathan Redmond; Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie.
So, did you work out the answer? If you need a clue then this is an attacking line-up for a very good reason – if this side falls behind then there are goals all over the team.
SPOILER ALERT - THE ANSWER IS JUST BELOW THIS PICTURE
Reliant on Robin: Manchester United talisman Robin van Persie celebrates his goal against Stoke on Saturday
All the players in this team have scored a goal against Southampton this season, including goalkeeper Asmir Begovic - who will be reminded of his wind assisted effort at the Britannia Stadium when Stoke play at St Mary’s this weekend.
The Odd Man Out, of course, is Jay Rodriguez who hasn’t scored against the Saints – but is their top scorer with 12 in all competitions so far.
THE LINE UP IN FULL
Asmir Begovic (Stoke City)
Stoke’s efforts to play more expansive football have taken time to produce an end product – and when Bosnia’s World Cup goalkeeper Begovic saw his wind assisted clearance bounce over Artur Boruc into the opposite net it made him for a while the joint leading scorer for Mark Hughes’s side. Boruc will be hoping the gales aren’t blowing at St Mary’s on Saturday for a repeat performance!
Gone with the wind: Asmir Begovic reluctantly celebrates his weather-assisted first-minute goal that sailed over Artur Boruc
Seamus Coleman (Everton)
The Republic of Ireland full back has enjoyed the best season of his career under the guidance of Roberto Martinez, with encouragement to get forward whenever he can. One of the six goals he’s scored so far came against Southampton on December 29 to put Everton on the way to a 2-1 win.
Coleman the goal man: Seamus Coleman (second
left) watches as his strike fizzes past Saints keeper Kelvin Davis at
the end of December
Phil Bardsley (Sunderland)
One of the players who fell out of favour under Paolo Di Canio, 28-year-old Bardsley has revived his career since Gus Poyet took charge. The former Manchester United defender, 28, helped set the Black Cats on their way to the Capital One Cup final with one of the goals that knocked out Saints at The Stadium of Light back in November.
Philling his boots: Phil Bardsley (centre)
scrambles home Sunderland's first goal against Southampton in the
Capital One Cup in November
John Terry (Chelsea)
Chelsea’s captain has shown vintage form under Jose Mourinho’s guidance this season. No defender has scored more Premier League goals in open play in the competition’s history than Terry’s 34. He added another to that tally in the 3-1 win over Saints in December.
Head and shoulders above the rest: John Terry
leaps to score yet another goal, nodding in during Chelsea's 3-1 win
over Southampton in December
Fabian Delph (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa’s tough tackling midfielder plays left back in our team – a position he has often been asked to fill in to cover injuries. He has suffered terrible luck himself with injuries since his £8million move from Leeds back in August 2009, but this season has been a regular in Paul Lambert’s line up. The 24-year-old has got three goals including a wonder strike that sealed a 3-2 win at St Mary’s at the start of December.
Wonder strike: Fabian Delph (left) lines up his belter in Aston Villa's victory at St Mary's
Jay Rodriguez (Southampton) - THE ODD MAN OUT
Brought up at Burnley where his Spanish dad had been on the books in 1983, Southampton bought him for around £7million in the summer of 2012. It proved money well spent – the 24-year-old has gone on to win an England cap and his performances for Saints this season look like forcing him into Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad. A dozen goals so far – none of them in his own net so he qualifies as the Odd Man Out!
Saintly figure: Jay Rodriguez (right) celebrates with Steven Davis after scoring for Southampton against Fulham on Saturday
Yoan Gouffran (Spurs)
The French winger will have to do a job in central midfield for our team – but his performances suggest he can handle that. His £1million move from Bordeaux a year ago was one of the best bargain signings that Newcastle have made. Seven goals for the Toon this season include one against Southampton in the 1-1 home draw in December.
French connection: Yoan Gouffran (left) was a bargain buy for Newcastle and netted against Saints at St James' Park
Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)
Arsenal’s 28-year-old Spanish star is currently in a rich vein of five goals in six games as the Gunners fight to hold on to top spot in the Barclays Premier League. Overshadowed by the arrival of Mesut Ozil earlier in the season, as well as dealing with niggling injuries, now would be the perfect time for him to hit his best form. One of his goals was in last month’s 2-2 draw at St Mary’s.
Santi firing for the Gunners: Santi Cazorla (centre) roars with delight after scoring at St Mary's last month
Nathan Redmond (Norwich City)
Teenage winger Redmond cost £3.2million from Norwich manager Chris Hughton’s old club Birmingham, and has looked value so far. Used sparingly with 14 starts and seven appearances off the bench as Hughton nurses him into the top flight, his one goal was the winner against Saints at Carrow Road back in August.
Up and away: Nathan Redmond (left) salutes his first Premier League goal, against Southampton back in August
Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham)
When Tim Sherwood took over Tottenham the first thing he did was to reprieve Togo striker Adebayor and put him straight into his own first team plans. A flurry of six goals in 10 games has followed as the 29-year-old enjoys being the main man again. Two of them came in a 3-2 win at Southampton in December.
Volley good show: Emmanuel Adebayor (second
left) stretches to score against the Saints and confirm his resurgence
since being reinstated by Tim Sherwood
Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
It’s been a season of struggle for Manchester United – and Southampton are among the clubs who have taken points away from Old Trafford. At least last season’s Golden Boot winner Van Persie has been prolific when he has not been injured, with 18 goals from 22 appearances for club and country. He thought his strike against Saints in October would be the winner until Adam Lallana rescued a point in the last minute.
Dutch of class: Van Persie (left) scores United's goal against Southampton at Old Trafford but the visitors came back for a draw
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