GARY O’Neil says he felt Chris Mepham would be able to “cope well” alongside Illia Zabarnyi at Crystal Palace on Saturday, as he explained his decision to start the Wales international at right-back.
Traditionally a centre-back who has impressed this season, Mepham lined up in a back four at Selhurst Park, but in an unfamiliar right-back role, up against tricky Palace winger Wilfried Zaha.
It is a position Mepham has played before, but it raised a few eyebrows given recognised full-backs Adam Smith and Jack Stacey were among the substitutes.
Zabarnyi made his first Premier League start, as the right-sided centre-half, but as a team Cherries struggled, losing 2-0 with Eberechi Eze scoring twice.
Just after Eze had struck his second, O’Neil introduced Smith on the hour mark, in place of Matias Vina, with Lloyd Kelly shifting across to the left and allowing Mepham to partner Zabarnyi in the centre.
Asked for his thinking behind starting Mepham at right-back over Smith or Stacey, boss O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “He played there at Southampton.
“It was something with Zabarnyi playing on that side and Zaha, I thought Meps might cope well on that side.
“None of that was the reason we lost the game.
“We just didn’t manage to reach our normal level and didn’t manage to cause Crystal Palace any real problems.
“It wasn’t because Meps was playing right-back or Zaba was in at centre-half.
It was just a team that fell short of where it needs to be.”
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