This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Southampton welcome fellow strugglers Watford to St Mary’s this Saturday for the Premier League’s late kick-off, and there is plenty on the line for both sides.

The Saints and the Hornets currently occupy 19th and 20th place in the Premier League respectively, with just a single point separating the pair – both teams have an unflattering goal difference of -18.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have conceded the most goals in the Premier League this term with 31, whereas Watford have scored the least goals with just eight strikes to their name – this Saturday’s game will be a basement slug-out in every sense.

However, the Hornets do have some quality players – let’s take a look at two who could hurt the Saints..

Abdoulaye Doucoure

In midfield, Watford have a true powerhouse with the stamina to run all day long, while also possessing the quality to make opponents pay for their inability to deal with him – Abdoulaye Doucoure.

The Frenchman – who scored five goals and recorded six assists last term – has netted just once this season, although his presence at both ends of the pitch is undoubted.

Doucoure records an impressive 2.4 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, as well as 1.2 interceptions.

At the other end of the field, the 26-year-old makes 1.2 key passes, takes 1.8 shots and registers 1.5 dribbles per game.

Get French Football News once described the former Rennes man as a “midfield dynamo” and you can certainly see why.

Hasenhuttl’s midfield options in Stuart Armstrong, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oriol Romeu and James Ward-Prowse need to produce an effective showing collectively to contain Doucoure.

Gerard Deulofeu 

The tricky Spaniard can often blow hot and cold, but he is steadily finding a way to consistently pose the opponent some difficulty.

Deulofeu registered an impressive 15 Premier League goal involvements last term, and has already scored twice and assisted twice this term.

Furthermore, the 25-year-old take a significant 2.5 shots per game, while also completing 2.2 dribbles – the former Barcelona prospect also makes 1.8 key passes per 90 minutes.

Former Hornets boss Javi Gracia stated that the Spaniard had a “high quality” when discussing the forward back in May, and it’s hard to argue with that sentiment.

“But the most important thing is the quality of the player. Deulofeu, you know, has a high quality.”

His versatility is also a key feature. Deulofeu pops up all over the frontline, making six appearances as a centre-forward this term as well as two on the left and one on the right.

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Southampton must ensure that their leaky backline – the worst in the league – is switched on against these two stars.

In other news, this Southampton man is taking full advantage of his ‘last chance’…