Both managers, plus Tom Cairney, Tim Ream, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Stuart Armstrong and James Ward-Prowse, look ahead to Fulham versus Southampton.
Marco Silva
The last one was not the best result for them but they will want to react. In the Premier League, you cannot think that will be an easy game. Never. And if you think that, you are going to lose in that moment. We respect Southampton, like we would respect them if they were first in the table. The way we prepare is as if we were playing the team who is first in the table. We have to be really strong to play at our best level to win the football match, because they want to react. We want a reaction from ourselves from the good game we played, and of course we want to keep the same level, if we cannot do better.
Nathan Jones
They've got a good way of playing, they've had a lot of players who have been there regularly and been there for years, so they've got a lot of continuity. It's always a tough game. They have a goalscorer that scores, whatever league he plays in or international, and it'll be a tough game. It always is. We had two tough games against them last year [with Luton]. We were better at home and they were categorically better away. It’ll be a tough game. They've probably shedded a few players, added a little bit more quality and just kept that continuity. They were the best side in the Championship last year, which doesn't guarantee you anything in the Premier League but it means that having that year to work and to build and to do that means that you're better equipped when you go back into the Premier League. A lot of sides do that. When they come down and if they do it well, they can bounce back up and then they can handle it. They’re a good side and it’ll be a tough game.
Tim Ream
We’re looking forward to it. Obviously we had a little taster [of being back home] against West Ham, but to finally have a competitive game at home, on New Year’s Eve, with the fans, with the stadium packed again, there’s no better way to end the year.
James Ward-Prowse
This time of year gives you the opportunity to turn bad results around very quickly and it’s a definitive period of the season for us. There’s a lot of winnable games coming up but that’s down to us and it starts on the training pitch with the work we’re going to do with the manager.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid
I think you can’t look at the table too much. We all know it’s tight, from a lot of positions. We know they’re going to come with energy, they’ve got a young squad, but at the same time, we’re in a good position and we’ve just got to take that confidence into the game. I don’t think we take anyone lightly. First and foremost, we look after ourselves and concentrate on what we can do on the pitch, and go out there and put in a performance that we’re happy about and, ultimately, we want to get the three points. The lads are raring to go and, like I said, we’ve got a lot of confidence going into the game, so hopefully we can put in a good performance that everyone can enjoy.
Stuart Armstrong
The Premier League is the hardest league in the world and it’s definitely not easy, I’ve seen a lot of things now in my fifth season. I’ve seen ups and downs and to lose our belief and positivity is the worst thing we can do. We know we are a capable group and it’s all about gelling together, especially in the tough times. I think we still have 20 or so more games to go so it’s early days and we have to remain calm. It’s so early in the season and as I have said before, in the next fixtures we’re playing teams all around us and there is big points available. I think with a change of manager you always need time and things are not going to change overnight. We have a lot of time to work on things. We had the Cup game but the Premier League is a different pot altogether. It's not how we wanted to start back up our campaign and I think having games sooner rather than later after this poor performance is always better.
Tom Cairney
They’re big games in the fact that if we win them it can really shoot us up [the table]. Obviously our target is still the same target as before and we’re not getting carried away. Southampton are bottom of the league but they’re still capable of doing good things, so it’s a bit of both really, being optimistic but keeping our feet on the floor at the same time.
I’ve been at Fulham a long time so I’ve had a few conversations with [George Cohen]. What a man. He’s one of Fulham’s greatest ever players, a World Cup winner. I think he played every minute of the World Cup as well, and clubs don’t get that very often. He was an icon. He came to a lot of our games and, as I said, I got to have a lot of conversations with him. It was a sad day for Fulham, but it will be great if we can give him a good send off and the respect he deserves for what he did.
