Match Thread | Southampton vs Man City (11/01/23)

[Lancet Fluke]

Saturday is far more important

I hope he’s not tempted to bring on de Bruyne, Rodri or Haaland. Just give this lot a proper bollocking and at least get them winning some of their battles.

 

[I'm Blue]

It’s not that we’ve been outplayed by an outstanding Southampton side.
We’ve been out worked cos we’ve become very lazy.
We don’t play with energy.
We’ve don’t play at a high tempo.
We don’t move into space.
We don’t press.
Any tactics from Pep will not work when the players do not work hard.
They all need a bollocking and a kick up the arse cos this is fucking appalling and that’s the season, not the game.

 

[oddfellows]

Save the big guns. Throw the fucking tie. We have bigger fish to fry this year. Not worth risking Saturday for.

Don't need the extra games either

 

[Tricky_Trev]

We have too many shit shows in us to catch Arsenal.

 

[Saddleworth2]

It takes real effort for eleven elite professionals to perform as badly as that for 45 minutes.

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

Learnt a lot this half. Cancelo has forgotten what a football is. Walker isn’t a centre back and Sergio isn’t good enough. Palmer needs to curb his off field activities, Kalvin is a long way from being a starter. Horrendous half not helped by Southampton’s willingness to press, ref allowing them to kick us without fear of a card, the pitch looking like a rugby match was played on it this afternoon and the players not looking arsed.

 

[christened at st marks]

He will never admit he's fucked up, Walker to RB, Cancelo LB, Akanji on, Gomez off for good

 

[simon23]

to a man baring Alvarez who has been completed isolated the rest of them should be ashamed of that first half performance......stinks of arrogance

 

[nellyonthewing]

He's a major frustration for me. I think he's super talented and could be a great for us. potentially Foden level.

But he's just not doing it. Seems like he's put too much pressure in himself, snatching at things.

He’s clearly been told to just recycle the ball back and stay out wide .Pep gives skilful players the graveyard shift time and again . A waste of talent Did it with Jesus ,Mahrez and Sterling until they just stop performing.

 

[Beanhead]

Foden needs to sort his head out. Been crap for a while.. hasn’t been consistently good for ages now.

 

[eastmanc]

Think Grealish has put in a bit more effort than most and is about the only one not to lose the ball when he gets it. Not great but better than most of the rest.

He's been slow and poor, like the rest of them to be fair. Fucking rubbish all of them.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

It’s no coincidence most of his crosses/shots get blocked. He gets into space so often on the left but always needs to square his body up to use his right book. The pass to

 

[jimharri]

Ironically, if we pull one back (as fanciful as that seems) Southampton will shit themselves and go into the low block.

Yep. If we get one back (unlikely though it seems on the performance up to now, they'll revert to a flat back 10. Get the deficit back to one, with 10 minutes left, and I'd back us.

 

[Don Karleone]

Grealish has been our best player by some distance

It's a very low bar but I agree.

 

[chesterbells]

I feel sorry for our fans who have spent their money & made the long journey to watch this disappointing 1st half .
At least we can turn the tv over or go & make a brew.

I know what you mean, but you pay your money and take your chance every time you go to any footy game mate. Never any guarantees.
But yeah, a brew sounds like a great idea ;-)

 

[Gundoggin]

Where’s Cancelo’s head at the minute?

Up his fucking arse

 

[BlueBanger]

How bloody often do we just show up first half looking like shite only to make a tactical change aand suddenly look miles better?...love pep but sometimes we waste entire first halves needlessly.

 

[domalino]

Bring on Rico Lewis for Cancelo and a midfielder - any of the 3 - for Gundogan and we'll be back on track in 20 mins.

 

[Username Required]

I would expect a bunch of elite professionals who is being paid millions to be in good enough shape, to be able to play Wednesday and Saturday on the rare occasion when we have a quarter final and a derby in a short period of time. Didnt realize they all are in such poor condition and made of glas that they need 6 day minimum rest if they run around for 90 mins. Maybe we should think of employing someone to help them with their extremely bad fitness if thats the case.

Agreed.

 

[US47Blue]

Predicting zero changes. Which makes sense with the weekend game being more important, but also sucks because not a single player on the pitch (specifically Gomez and Phillips) deserve to be on there - Can't even make this a lesson for them that this type of play and effort is unacceptable.