Skacel looks to QPR

Rudi Skacel is expected to continue in defence for Southampton as Queen’s Park Rangers visit St Mary’s on Saturday, and the 29-year-old will be looking to get one over his Czech mate!

Hoops’ goalkeeper Radek Cerny has gone head-to-head with Lee Camp for the no.1 jersey in recent weeks, and the former Spurs stopper is a familiar face to Saints’ left-back.

Speaking to the club’s official site in the build-up to the game, Skacel said, “I played alongside him for two years at Slavia Prague. We finished second in the league to Sparta before I went to Marseille. I hope to see Radek at the game on Saturday as he is a friend of mine but it is important to me that Southampton take three points from the match.”

Skacel is well aware of the quality that both Cerny and Camp possess, and he admits that Saints’ strikers are in for a difficult afternoon as Mark Wotte’s side attempt to get back to winning ways.

“It doesn’t matter who is in goal but Radek is a very good goalkeeper and it will take a team effort to beat Q.P.R,” Skacel stated.

The Hoops are currently on an eight game winless run in the Championship whilst Saints are unbeaten in their last three home games, but Skacel insists that the south coast club cannot take anything for granted.

“We will need to play well in order to get something on Saturday but it would be great to get another result in front of our own fans.

“Every game is important to us at the moment regardless of whether it is at home or not and we must prepare for each one accordingly.”

After another morning’s training at Staplewood, the entire Saints squad headed over to Eastleigh this afternoon to try out the newly opened AMF ten-pin bowling alley. Skacel believes that the team bonding session and relaxed atmosphere will prove to be decent preparation ahead of the weekend.

“It was a bit of fun for everybody and it is good that we have come together as a squad to prepare away from the football pitch so that we can keep our minds fresh and remain focused.

“It is important that we continue to look at things game by game for now, but we know what we have to do and another thee or four match run would help us, starting against QPR.”

Southampton are about to embark on a crucial few games that will see them face a number of their relegation rivals. The upcoming fixtures will go some way to deciding which division the Saints will be plying their trade in next season, and as Skacel says, there would be no better time than the present to go on an unbeaten run.

After Mark Wotte’s side host QPR on Saturday, the Saints will travel to Blackpool, with Phil Parkinson’s Charlton set to make the trip to St Mary’s the week after.

As if that wasn’t enough, the south coast club will play their re-arranged fixture with Watford at Vicarage Road on April 7th.

Saints’ remaining fixtures:

Saturday 14th March – QPR (H)
Saturday 21st March – Blackpool (A)
Saturday 4th April – Charlton (H)
Tuesday 7th April – Watford (A)
Friday 10th April – Wolves (A)
Monday 13th April – Crystal Palace (H)
Saturday 18th April – Sheffield Wednesday (A)
Saturday 25th April – Burnley (H)
Sunday 3rd May – Nottingham Forest (A)