Claude Puel salutes Oriol Romeu impact at Saints
Southampton manager Claude Puel played in the same position as Oriol Romeu - but admits the Spaniard is a better player than he ever was.
Romeu has emerged as one of Saints' key men this season, with the former Barcelona man excelling at the base of Puel's midfield.
Puel was himself a tough-tackling defensive midfielder during a 19-year career with Monaco, but he says the Spaniard is superior on the ball.
"He's more technical," Puel said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's game against Chelsea, another of Romeu's former clubs.
"I was a different generation. I played in front of the defence and I had a good recovery of the ball, but now it's important in modern football to have a player in this position who is very technical.
"To play in this position, it's important the player can have a good ability to work the ball and to change and to switch it wide while anticipating the situation.
"It's important because it's a part of the team and all the opponents try to make a good pressing, because every ball recovery on this play is dangerous for the team.
"It is important for this player to be a good technical player, to not lose the ball and to start the action with quality."
Another former Stamford Bridge player, full-back Ryan Bertrand, could return against his old side after recovering from a hamstring injury.
But Jay Rodriguez is a doubt after going off against Sunderland in the EFL Cup in midweek after a clash of heads, while Cedric Soares, Matt Targett and Shane Long are still out.
Back-up goalkeeper Alex McCarthy will be missing from the bench after picking up a hamstring problem against the Black Cats which will sideline him for two to three weeks.
Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte, meanwhile, will continue with his 3-4-3 formation, which could be ominous for captain John Terry.
After three successive Premier League wins with nine goals scored without reply, Chelsea lost 2-1 in the EFL Cup at West Ham on Wednesday.
Terry was making his first appearance in more than six weeks following an ankle injury and in a three-man defence which has been alien to him for much of his career.
The defender appeared rusty, was beaten in the air by Cheikhou Kouyate and was switched from the central position to the left of the three-man defence at half-time.
Conte looks set to continue with his favoured system, with Terry facing a likely return to the bench.
Conte said: "I don't like to talk about individual players. We win together and we lose together in every circumstance.
"It's logical that John came back from injury and it's not easy to restart and to find quickly the right shape. I'm satisfied (with) him, (with) the team.
"John is an important player for us, if he plays, if he doesn't play, for the changing room, for his team-mates, for the club.
"I repeat: in this case always it's important the team and not to think or to speak about an individual player.
"I have always to take the best decision for the team, never for an individual player."
Defender Branislav Ivanovic is available, while Kurt Zouma is nearing a return from his long-term knee injury. Cesc Fabregas (thigh) remains out.
Source: PAR
