Nathan Wood, the forgotten Southampton option desperate to impress against Stoke | OneFootball

Southampton host Stoke in their second Championship game after the 2-1 loss at Watford. Tonda Eckert has selection calls, and Nathan Wood could benefit.

According to Sainstmarching.com, Eckert shoehorned Leo Scienza into the number 10 at Vicarage Road and he struggled under robust attention. Scienza may switch left, Lewis Dobbin could make way and Finn Azaz might step in, having scored in his last two against Stoke for Southampton and Middlesbrough.

Eckert must also decide whether to axe or stick by Jack Stephens after a shambolic afternoon. With Anel Ahmedhodzic seemingly Burnley-bound, the 32-year-old could start again despite his costly errors in the 2-1 defeat, though he was a promotion winner under Russell Martin. He also kept nine league clean sheets last season when regularly used by Eckert.

If Ahmedhodzic is indeed off the table, exploring alternatives makes sense, and Wood is the forgotten option. The number 15 has not been a regular under Eckert, whereas under Will Still he started eight of his 12 appearances.

Since then he has rarely begun games, with only seven starts in 2026. A rare start against the Potters could arrive and, with no immediate centre-back reinforcements, he would need to grasp it.

Wood appears stylistically aligned with the 33-year-old’s approach, posting 93% pass accuracy in last season’s Championship to underline his composure in build-up. Martin, who brought him from Swansea, has said he could reach the very top.

Should he excel Saturday, he could ease Ahmedhodzic disappointment and quieten calls for signings.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”