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

[Heartofoakes64]

Not very happy at all, disjointed & not match fit players. Fingers crossed it works obviously

 

[69FACUPfinal]

I've had a not so good feeling all along since we drew Saints. I'm somewhat dumbfounded by the line up to say the least.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Just seen the team...

All I'll say is it's 'interesting'.

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

Fully expected rotation but that's probably more than i anticipated.

However, no excuses. That 11 should be good enough. May start slow but they'll grow into it.

 

[cityblue123]

To many changes, hope I'm wrong but some hardly played recently. Big gamble, think the fa cup is there for the taking but the league I'm not that sure. Would av played strongest side!

 

[youngbob]

Not a bad team at all, that. Happy to see a strong spine of Trafford, Stones, Gonzalez, Cherki, and Marmoush, who have all done good bits for us in the cups this season. Probably Stones & Ake's last games for us at Wembley, even if we make the final. Go out there and do the business, lads.

Southampton weakened by their injuries and suspensions and their one eye on Tuesday but will be a handful. This isn't like the old days when the lower leagues were full of cloggers. Lots of good technical players down in the second tier now, like Scienza for them. Got to be disciplined.

Haaland, Doku, O'Reilly on the bench. Should be enough. If we don't win it won't be Pep's fault.

 

[bert38]

Is Semenyo injured?

 

[simon23]

Think he'll be better further forward with Nico and Kova holding the back part of midfield. It's his finishing that's the issue. He can get in the right spots.

I think his finishing is the least of the problems....its what he does when he doesnt have the ball...which is nothing.

Kova and Nico will give him that base to not have to defend as he doesnt

 

[burning blue soul]

The way I'm looking at this is that Pep has been preparing this team behind the scenes for a few weeks.
I hope they have some fluidity and team ethic built up

 

[super_city_si]

Good enough on paper, lets see what they're like on grass

Exactly. I think it’s good team. It just depends on rust

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

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

I think if the Southampton manager tries to tell his players that our team full of very expensive, experienced, world class players is actually disrespectful to them, they'll probably think he's a lunatic.

 

[paulchapo]

Absolutely no idea how this is going to pan out. Two sicknotes in Stones and Kovacic, Reijnders is lightweight and Foden s form has been awful. Here's hoping it works!

 

[WallyA]

Makes sense.

Im surprised so many are shocked by that.

Clearly we were going to rotate heavily, there is a clear 11 he wants to win the league, so have to rotate here.

 

[burnley blue mcfc]

That’s one seriously strange starting 11??, we don’t play again for 9 days? I get players have played a lot recently but ffs, play the strongest 11 get in front with total respect to Southampton & then give them rest, but hey pep’s a genius & im not, (6) fingers crossed ;)

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

Do 90% of bluemooners think that if a player doesnt start then he wont have kicked a ball or trained for the previous & next 6 days?

 

[Baconsane]

There's more than enough quality in that line up to get the job done. 3-1 city.

 

[WickyWain]

Is Semenyo injured?

I was going to ask that too, not even on the bench today. Hopefully just rested.

 

[HorlocksWalk]

Match day thread should be fun!

 

[Blue Llama]

Brain fart on the near horizon.

 

[simon23]

That’s the Spirit!

If only Reijnders ever showed spirit eh?