Since James Ward Prowse last missed a minute of Premier League football for Saints a lot of things have happened in the World, so Saints playing without him is almost unimaginable, but football these days is a squad game and we can cope.

James Ward Prowse looks likely to be voted Saints player of the year this season, his main contenders, Danny Ings, Jannik Vestergaard & Oriol Romeu have all suffered from long injury lay offs whilst JWP has just got on with doing what he does best.

The news that he might miss the game against Burnley is therefore bad news, but it isn't a disaster and with most of the squad other than the long term injured available, Saints can cope.

The obvious option would be to move Stuart Armstrong into the centre of midfield to partner Ibranhima Diallo, the Scot is in fine form and would make the transition from out wide to the centre easily.

Indeed Ralph Hasenhuttl has plenty of options out wide with the return of Theo Walcott, he also has to decide whether Danny Ings is fit to start up front and who would be dropped to accommodate him, that could mean Nathan Redmond dropping back if Armstrong was to move into the centre.

But there could be a surprise move from the Austrian, he could fill the void with Alexandre Jankewitz, the Swiss midfielder has so far managed just 2 minutes Premier League action, the first as a sub against Aston Villa at St Mary's and the second on his full debut at Manchester United.

But he is highly rated and Saints are keen to get him some Premier League action and show him he has a future at St Mary's and at 19 he would be better being patient at Southampton than going to a European club for immediate first team football.

Jankewitz is a competitive player and that could be of use against Burnley, although for some the worry is there that he will have another rush of blood as he did at Old Trafford, hopefully though he has learned his lesson.

If James Ward Prowse isn't fit to play it will be a big blow, but it is in a position we can cover and with the injured now having returned we should realise it is a squad game these days and one player doesn't make a team, he may enhance it but it is the sum total of all parts that matters.

Photo: Action Images

Fordy added 12:49 - Apr 3 Surely KWP has to be a contender for player of the year? He's been injured a fair bit, but every time he is injured it just underlines how important he is to the team. Armstrong deserves to be there or thereabouts too.
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SanMarco added 14:09 - Apr 3 Still a chance for anyone to become player of the year. Imagine if Tella scores the winner in SF and final!!!
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underweststand added 19:26 - Apr 3 Logically, B team players only get the chance of Prem. time if the incumbent is injured, and so far this season practically everyone has missed some game time, and so if JWP does miss a game or two - it's a chance for a "newcomer" to prove himself. "Everyone" keeps saying that Jankewitz has talent, but his name with forever be linked with the catastrophic result at Old Trafford, and so now is the chance for him to start getting some good headlines - instead of the other sort. Obviously the captain is the first name on the team sheet, but if anyone deserved a rest (injured or not) then it has to be Prowsey, who hasn't missed a minute in the last 70 odd games, AND has clocked more miles than any other Prem. player. A hard act to follow. Chances like this come rarely to young players and so it's up to the lad to show his best side and banish the bad history attached to his debut game.

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