City v Southampton pre match thread

[PannickAtTheDisco]

I think the only players to come in will be Jesus for Aguero and Gundogan or Silva for KDB.

I think the rest remains the same with the likes of Kompany getting the West Ham game off.

The only other player that my come in would be Danilo for Walker.

Either way I just think following the Wolves and Feyenoord home games, if we rotate quite significantly our performance drop off is just too large.

I think we did the big rotation last week when it didn't matter so much. Tonight I expect 2/3 changes but the core of the team to remain the same, then whoever drops out will replace those who stayed in on Sunday.

 

[cadds92]

I think we did the big rotation last week when it didn't matter so much. Tonight I expect 2/3 changes but the core of the team to remain the same, then whoever drops out will replace those who stayed in on Sunday.

Agreed.

I think the big misses last week were Fernandinho, Silva and Sane.

Sane is an interesting one because I feel we struggle massively when we don't play two wingers and force Bernardo onto one of the wings.

Maybe it's because with Mendy out we don't have a left fullback offering constant width to at the very least compensate because with Delph it is quite obvious his job is to come inside and offer support in midfield.

That has worked wonders when both Sane and Sterling can hug the touch-lines, but not so well when only one winger is offering width at the top of the pitch.

I don't know, but as you say, the core of the team needs to be intact tonight.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

A win would put HKT virtually out of sight wouldn't it?

 

[ninjamonkey]

It's vital we win and end this week no less than 8 points clear, for them to go to Watford and Arsenal and us playing two home game against lesser opposition and the gap to not widen or even shorten will be a huge boost for them going into the derby we need to show them it doesn't matter if they pull out big results because we keep winning too. Can't give them anything to cling on to.

Numerous changes tonight, all the other top teams rotate and win, United did it last night for example, we can and need to before some of our players get heavy legs and form drops considerably. No better game to do it than tonight, for once, the opposition don't have an advantage over us in terms of rest/preparation for the game having both played on Sunday and both playing again at the weekend. They'll likely rotate a few through necessity and we should too. Danilo in for one of the fullbacks, Bernardo and Gundogan in for any number of players and Mangala in for Kompany

 

[aguerooo93]

Expecting a fair amount of rotation given the West Ham game Sunday:

Ederson, Danilo, Otamendi, Mangala, Delph, Dinho, Gundogan, D. Silva, Sane, Jesus, B. Silva

 

[billfromthehill]

Hey Karen, all the best mate!

Some people will do anything to miss a game lol gws kid.

 

[york away to this!]

I've just seen a Range Rover parked up in town with the reg 2MCF - which one of you lot is that?

 

[Bluemanc100]

One thing's for sure, it will be bloody Baltic.... got the thermals out... went out at lunch and it's taters...

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

We simply have to win the next 6 points. I still think Sanchez will turn it on this week against the rags to help win his medal come May ;-)

Full strength tonight, half tempted to say play Mangala to combat Charlie Austin and Sterling will be the big difference, if he can play smart enough that Bertrand can't do anything. They were great on their left side last weekend.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

A walloping tonight, gonna be very cold for the saints when they don't have the ball (:

Going for a 4/5-1!!!!