Southampton (N) - Sat 25th April, 17:15 | FAC | Pre-Match Thread

[remember arthur mann]

FFS ! WTF !

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

If you're the Southampton manager you take those teamsheets into the changing room and say "this is what they think of you, lads"

Yeah. Super disrespectful to start the likes of Stones, Kovacic and Foden - not!

 

[2blue4you]

Too many changes. Doesn’t bode well.

 

[dannyboiblue]

Well this should be an interesting game Stones and kov haven't played for about 3 years we looked tired at weekend but thats a massive risk.

 

[phargrave]

Reijnders - we might as well play with 10 players...

He could score a hatrick and it will still feel like playing with 10 men

That’s the Spirit!

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

Similar team to Newcastle and they played really well in that game. We need to manage the players well with the run in we have in the PL. So I'm OK with the starting 11.

 

[Gray]

Leverkusen all over again I fear

Rightly so.

 

[Ric]

Reijnders - we might as well play with 10 players...

He could score a hatrick and it will still feel like playing with 10 men

What a ridiculous comment.

 

[bert38]

with hardly any time to recover since Burnley, hardly surprising.

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

This has to be the most embarassing meltdown in Bluemoon history. Look at the fucking players on that teamsheet ffs.

 

[pbueno16]

If you're the Southampton manager you take those teamsheets into the changing room and say "this is what they think of you, lads"

If this were a PL game I’d agree with you, but I think it just shows where Pep’s priorities are.

 

[dickie davies]

I'd be amazed if its anything close to that team seeing as we have 9 days off afterwards

I was very close

 

[pudge]

Yeah. Super disrespectful to start the likes of Stones, Kovacic and Foden - not!

Two have had massive injury lay offs and one hasn't been trusted in the best XI for quite a while, it's quite clearly a second team

I wouldn't mind if we had another midweek game but we're next Monday night

 

[Barcon]

What a ridiculous comment.

Must be a day that ends in, "Y".

 

[spacecadet]

I find that eleven incredible. Kovacic and Stones have barely kicked a ball all season. I am pretty sure that this is the first time I have criticised a Pep starting eleven.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Surprised kovacic is ready to start, expected a few more cameos from him before that became a possibility, hopefully he's raring to go. Team is fine, needed rotation. Danger of it being too much but a risk that should be taken and a chance for most of them to step up.

Surprised cherki is the only 1 of the preferred front 4 at the minute starting, expected full rotation of them with savinho coming in and thought it would be semenyo if any. Not sure that front 3/4 looks a natural fit, no width in it.

cherki as the false 9 with marmoush left foden right? Or marmoush 9 with 2 extremely narrow 10's behind and the width coming from fullback? I'd guess the latter.

 

[remember arthur mann]

Saints playing like 70s Brazil !!!!

 

[Bri1975]

Southampton have made 6 changes from their last game

 

[halfcenturyup]

It’s a gamble, but we have players on the bench if needed. Ideally the starting CI can do the job though, there’s certainly enough quality there.

The starting CI? Hope the ref doesn't notice ....

 

[journolud]

Reijnders - we might as well play with 10 players...

He could score a hatrick and it will still feel like playing with 10 men

Blah blah blah. I'd call a hat trick, even a hypothetical one, a decent contribution. Still no chance Reijnders will be any good in his second season, it's never happened with a player at City