GRAEME Souness has hit back at criticism surrounding the side he picked for last Saturday's Premiership curtain raiser against West Brom.

The Blackburn Rovers boss insists he was trying to make his team hard to break down by including the defence-minded Dominic Matteo and Vratislav Gresko in the same midfield.

But irate fans, many of whom bombarded the Telegraph letters page yesterday, slammed the selection and booed the players off at half-time when Rovers were trailing 1-0.

Although he ditched the system for a more attacking formation, Souness has revealed that his side's wretched home form last season prompted him to be more cautious.

He said: "The smart people who offer comments on team selection have to understand that for the first half it was based on last season, when we were miserable at home - we kept getting mugged.

"Last week we were trying to find a formation that makes us harder to beat at home so we don't get mugged again."

However, encouraged by Rovers' second half performance when they fought back to earn a draw, Souness is unlikely to revert back to the side that started last week's opener when Blackburn go to Southampton tomorrow.

The visit to St Mary's is followed by Arsenal away on Wednesday and Manchester United at home the following Saturday, so the Rovers manager is keen to get his team's first three points on the board.

"The team will be different from last week," said Souness. "We've been handed a very, very difficult start to the season so it's important to get something from tomorrow's game given the ones we've got coming up.

"We are expecting a very, very tough game against Southampton because they got beat last week and will be looking to get some points on the board."

Meanwhile, Souness has dismissed midweek speculation that his interest in Nigerian whizz kid Peter Odemwingie could spell the end for Dwight Yorke.

Although difficulty in obtaining a work permit for the 23-year-old Nigerian star of this year's African Cup of Nations could scupper the deal, Souness is adamant that he isn't looking to replace Yorke with anyone.

"I don't know where that's come from," he said. "The lad isn't a striker anyway, he's a wide player who can play left or right so is more of a winger type than an out and out forward like Dwight."

Steven Reid remains Rovers' only long term injury absentee, after Lucas Neill and David Thompson came through a full reserve game at Sunderland on Wednesday.

Thompson made a bid to be considered for inclusion in tomorrow's squad with a man of the match performance and a goal in the 1-1 draw, while Neill suffered no recurrence of last week's ankle injury.

Captain Barry Ferguson came through Scotland's friendly with Hungary unscathed after Berti Vogts stuck to his agreement with Souness to withdraw the player after 70 minutes.

Paul Dickov missed the game but should have recovered from his niggling Achilles injury in time for tomorrow and fellow striker Jonathan Stead is also fit after his first half appearance for England Under 21s on Tuesday.

Gresko will also face a fitness test after his excursions for Slovakia, scoring one of their goals in a 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Luxembourg.