Last time we played Southampton was a 4th Rnd January FA Cup tie in 1997. I remember a very impressive Kenwyn Jones scoring a goal at the North Stand end, but I think we won 3-1 on our way to a FA Cup Q/F defeat at Ewood Pk.
A lot has happened for us both since then. I think Southampton got relegated again to the old 3rd Division, but then Pompey started their collapse and then Southampton have won two successive promotions
They are managed by Nigel Adkins who used to manage Scunthorpe. Their two stand out players are Rickie Lambert who has scored an amazing number of goals in their promotions, and Jack Cork the former Chelsea youth graduate who played for Team GB. He hurt his ankle in pre-season and is a big doubt for this game.
No offence to Southampton fans, but City will not be worrying what the opposition have got and will be intent on playing our own game. Last season we opened up against another promoted club, Swansea who played very well but still ended up getting beat 4-0 with the game especially memorable for the debut of Aguero who lit up that night.
Although there's still another week to go it looks very much as if City will start the season with no new signings which is strange as a lot of people in football define City by the cheque book.
We've yet to play Chelsea in the Community Shield but this is my attempt at the team
-------------------Hart---------------
Zabaleta----Kompany---Lescott--Clichy
------Milner------Toure-----Kolarov
------AJ---------Aguero-----Tevez
It's a little unusual as I think Mancini will not play Silva, Nasri and Balotelli as they have missed much of pre-season
A lot has happened for us both since then. I think Southampton got relegated again to the old 3rd Division, but then Pompey started their collapse and then Southampton have won two successive promotions
They are managed by Nigel Adkins who used to manage Scunthorpe. Their two stand out players are Rickie Lambert who has scored an amazing number of goals in their promotions, and Jack Cork the former Chelsea youth graduate who played for Team GB. He hurt his ankle in pre-season and is a big doubt for this game.
No offence to Southampton fans, but City will not be worrying what the opposition have got and will be intent on playing our own game. Last season we opened up against another promoted club, Swansea who played very well but still ended up getting beat 4-0 with the game especially memorable for the debut of Aguero who lit up that night.
Although there's still another week to go it looks very much as if City will start the season with no new signings which is strange as a lot of people in football define City by the cheque book.
We've yet to play Chelsea in the Community Shield but this is my attempt at the team
-------------------Hart---------------
Zabaleta----Kompany---Lescott--Clichy
------Milner------Toure-----Kolarov
------AJ---------Aguero-----Tevez
It's a little unusual as I think Mancini will not play Silva, Nasri and Balotelli as they have missed much of pre-season