Southampton (A) - Sat 10th May, 15:00 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[01cravend]

Or play Akanji at full back.

He's not playing Rico LB over O'reilly

 

[blueparrot]

He always finds an excuse to play Akanji and push gvardiol to the left back what a weird guy

Weird guy that wins.

 

[bert38]

No centre half cover today, very strange

Josko.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

no khusanov for the bench again, when we have no other centre backs fit.

Nobody wants to see him more than me, he’s my new favourite player, but we’re in ‘play it safe mode’ now, and who would you drop out of the squad for him?

Next season he’s going to get a load of games and I’m sure pep has reassured him and the other new lads of that.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

I am gonna watch today as kev is not going to be here soon and i have missed over three months of him and i am gutted about that

COME ON BLUEBOYS

To be fair Kev has also missed most of this season of Kev’s performances.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I really like that line up. Great to see foden and Haaland back and Mcatee starting again

 

[BigJoe#1]

Was it them that beat us in the Carabao Cup a few years ago when we were winning all around us

Yeah.... but 100th point... nuff said!!!

 

[Fordyboy46]

Pep seems to be picking any old random eleven at present in the hope that a good performance comes from it. I still don't think he's entirely happy with recent performances

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

He always finds an excuse to play Akanji and push gvardiol to the left back what a weird guy

I’ve literally lost count of the number of trophies the “weird guy” has led city to.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

I really hope Akanji is at fullback. No reason at all to break up the Dias Gvardiol centre back partnership, been the bedrock of our recent good form. Changing it is insane. Not happy to see Foden instead of Marmoush or Doku either

 

[Fordyboy46]

Josko.

On the bench I mean

 

[bluemc]

cant see him going anywhere except on loan with city paying 60% of his wages. we are united now

same reason i dont want MGW - another overly valued english player

Ban worthy comment, surely!

And for the record, they are "rags", or "red cunts" (possibly just "cunts").

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Getting more and more convinced he was a club signing to give Pep an option in DM when it was all going bad.

Pep clearly doesn't trust him.

What a load of gibberish.

 

[I'm Blue]

Happy enough with that lineup.
Was hoping to see Echeverri on the bench though : (

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

Wonder who will be holding width on the left. Gvardiol pushed up? If so, might look like this in possession:

Ederson
Akanji Kovacic Dias
Lewis Bernardo
McAtee KDB Foden Gvardiol
Haaland

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

The starting line ups used to make sense to me, I used to have the casino rigged for Pep roulette, lately its like they are just chucked into a randomiser.

 

[Ajm1985]

I really hope Akanji is at fullback. No reason at all to break up the Dias Gvardiol centre back partnership, been the bedrock of our recent good form. Changing it is insane. Not happy to see Foden instead of Marmoush or Doku either

Surely it's Lewis at RB/mid with Akanji as wide RCB when in possession?

If Foden can get some form in this game, then next week we’d have in form players on the pitch & bench. Makes sense to me

 

[BigJoe#1]

Ederson
Nunes
Dias
Akanji
Gvardiol
Kovacic
Bernardo
Kdb
Marmoush
Doku
Haaland.

Kdb and haaland link up for one of the last times with movement and potentially even service from doku and marmoush out wide is as good as weve got imo.

No messing about, be ruthless get the job done early then hopefully if the game's going well I'd like to see us give O'Reilly half hour in midfield.

No injuries 3 points and prepare for the final.

I like that side.... says GOALS GOALS GOALS Galore!

Lets hope I aint spoken too soon and jinxed us...

 

[dromoreblue]

I like that side.... says GOALS GOALS GOALS Galore!

Lets hope I aint spoken too soon and jinxed us...

Nil nil it is then.

 

[journolud]

Time to focus on the negatives. Pre match thread never disappoints