Southampton (A) | Pre-Match Thread

Result Prediction

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SamBlue said:
We need players and the formation to start scoring goals and not to get a certain player back to form. Hopefully Aguero can get some 20-30 minutes at the end in some of easier games, if there any like that. Bernardo...he doesn't deserve to be in 16, he's been horrible for 18 months now.
I would really like him abandoning 4-3-3 with a false 9, it just doesn't work. The more he stretches the pitch, the more other teams play compact defence and we end up bombing all those futile semi-long box to nobody. I would like to see him going back to 4-1-4-1 with Raheem at the top and Jesus and Foden just behind and then Gundo and KdB behind them. And then we depend more on one of our CBs coming out with some through balls, Otamendi was excellent in our first title winning season under Pep, Laporte as well. One of those blokes sitting behind Pep need to tell him stretching the pitch doesn't work any more.
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We don’t stretch the pitch like we did because our wide players play narrow. Ok the fullbacks end up wide but obviously that doesn’t work because unlike Liverpool’s ours are crap going forwards. Not sure what the solution is but the idea of the centre backs trying to bring the ball out to open up parked busses is pretty desperate to say the least.

Maybe play Sterling wide right for a while and get him wide attacking fullbacks again with Jesus left and attacking the back post. To effectively give us 2 strikers in the box when we’re attacking. That would certainly be a start and would probably help Jesus to score more as he’d be less tightly marked than currently on his own in there. Be good to get a goal scoring midfielder centrally against the shite teams instead of sticking him out left too.
 
blue for life said:
Not Sterling. Put Bernardo in. Sick of seeing Sterling losing the ball and missing sitters.
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Agreed,hopefully Pep opens his eyes for this selection and realises that his contribution is a huge part of our ineffectiveness.

We need energy and enthusiasm in this game as its going to be a battle,we also need square pegs in square holes.Keep the game simple and play our best players,thats all i ask.
 
Covid must be getting to us all, yes it isn't what it was but we are dominating games and all teams are struggling including dippers.
Average points after 13 games only a touch over 2 for dippers everyone else just under so if it continues that's 76 points to win the league.
As some have said, put a string of wins together and it will change the look of things.
United win game in hand and will be 2nd, they have been terrible in games I have seen and they want to sack the manager.
Get behind city and take it for what it is - strange time's indeed.
 
I have not watched our games since the lockdown happened back in March. However on Tuesday I decided to give it a go and what a disappointment it was. I was completely underwhelmed by all that I witnessed, we were so slow that West Brom never had a problem getting back into shape. The finishing is truly abysmal there must be better finishers in the lower leagues than what was on show that night. I am therefore wishing for the team to find its mojo but will not be watching at the weekend.

When crowds are allowed back at matches I will be there like a shot.
 
I get why we don’t bring in young Liam Delap because why would you bring in a raw fresh striker when you’ve got firepower up front . Decisions like this really piss me off because it’s harming our youth players who sit there watching average performances and think what else do we need to do to get on I mean it looks like braaf has had enough and wants out and who can blame him .
 
Paul1970 said:
I get why we don’t bring in young Liam Delap because why would you bring in a raw fresh striker when you’ve got firepower up front . Decisions like this really piss me off because it’s harming our youth players who sit there watching average performances and think what else do we need to do to get on I mean it looks like braaf has had enough and wants out and who can blame him .
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TBF Braaf has quite the attitude problem (such as disrespecting first teamers in training). Wouldn't want him anywhere near our first team.
 
mag said:
Can’t remember the last time we had the poll going this way ... Lose winning by a long way and even Draw has almost as many votes as Win ??

This just means come tomorrow we’re gonna win convincingly now ...
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Hope somebody shows the poll to the players, might give them a kick up the backside they need.
 
Is there a chance that Pep rests Sterling in this match so that he is fresh against Arsenal in EFL Cup? I mean if he calculates that (despite the current forms of all three teams) Southampton should be an easier match and perfectly winnable even without Sterling, while Arsenal is a tougher match and Pep would love to get another trophy from EFL Cup?
 
I wrote this in the general football thread but I copied it over here as I think it applies to this thread too and our season so far.

I think I can see what Pep is trying to do and most of us probably support it. He is trying to stop us getting sucker punched on the counter attack which cost us dearly last season and also against Leicester and Spurs this one. I'm not placing all the blame on Rodri but he is central as to why we are having to change tactics, as he just isn't quick or mobile enough to recover to halt the counter the way Fernandinho does. On that basis I am baffled as to why we bought him.

Pep hasn't got it all wrong and in our drawn games if our forwards had taken their clear chances we would be at least eight points better off. Sterling one on one against Leeds and West Ham, De Bruyne's penalty miss and Jesus's header against Liverpool and Sterling and Gundogan s headers against West Brom. Small margins but add eight points on and we'd be cock a hoop sitting joint top of the table with a game in hand in spite of not playing to our normal standards. Indeed our lack of fluidity and excitement is probably due to trying a new style and system. If we eventually get it right we could quickly start firing and winning again, a fit Aguero should help. Here's hoping!
 
Back to basics with a good solid old fashioned 4-4-2 with aguero and jesus up top
 
I want too see something different tomorrow...

Ederson; Walker Dias Stones Ake; Bernardo Gundogan De Bruyne Torres; Aguero Delap
 
mag said:
Can’t remember the last time we had the poll going this way ... Lose winning by a long way and even Draw has almost as many votes as Win ??

This just means come tomorrow we’re gonna win convincingly now ...
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The poll just shows we don't believe we'll score (enough).
We're frustrated to see all those chances and the poor finishing.
It's the only problem. Had we scored and won 3 or 4 more games we'd call our performances dominant and having a smart match plan...
The goals will/must come, we have to get through this.
Anyway, extremely frustrating.
 
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