Southampton (a) pre-match thread

[BLUEMATT23]

Teams from now on will target our two weak spots the full backs and get crosses in. With our confidence low I can see a draw on the cards for this game.

On a side note how much do we have to spend to get two top quality full backs ? It's a sad state that after all these years we still need both sides sorted out.

It doesn't help when we bought a crock, ie Mendy. He was injury prone when he played for Monaco and he's been the same here.
To me we bought him based on the game he played against us. Poor signing.

 

[Gray]

We have not kept a clean sheet yet in December the sequence of goals against being - 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 3, 2.

Southampton will score going on that evidence so we will need at least 2 goals to get a result, I am not that optimistic.

 

[jaiguruKun]

we'll dominate with 68% possession, 22 shots on goal, 12 on target and we'll draw 1-1.

Have we had that many shots on target this season?

 

[Benarbia’s Backheel]

How long’s Mendy our for?

Not that he’s the answer, but I’m guessing he won’t be back for the Liverpool game?

 

[Gray]

It doesn't help when we bought a crock, ie Mendy. He was injury prone when he played for Monaco and he's been the same here.
To me we bought him based on the game he played against us. Poor signing.

Shocking buy, can't we just get the money back through our insurance policy

 

[Marvin]

3 at the back. 75% possession. We'll win this game.

 

[BlueMoonz1977]

worst period of our season and we need to bounce back immediately by winning both the southampton and liverpool games. No if's or buts, that is the minimum required

 

[chesterbells]

Start for Foden and a win in which he plays a key role would lift whole club when we need it.

Well I certainly wouldn’t wanna lose it with him in the starting team. Can you imagine the reaction then? ;-)

 

[chesterbells]

Shocking buy, can't we just get the money back through our insurance policy

Swap for his brother would be tasty

 

[Damanino]

They play tonight vs WHU that is one less day for them to prepare for our game, hope its an advantage we will be able to use.

If we wouldnt start players out of form than half of the squad shouldnt be anywhere near to starting line up. Not really an option.

In Fernandinho's place we need someone with some speed and tackling skills and ability to read the game .Gundogan only have the last skill of these. Delph is suspended, so Pep might push Stones up again or just uses Gundogan there which again will be exploited probably.

Other than that maybe only De Bruyne has the skills to run the show from deeper but he would need to get into tackles which is a bit of wasting him and injury chances are higher imo.

Countering our high press defence is an obvious tactics by now even vs mediocre opponents, thats why we really cannot afford losing easy passes and we need speed if there is any problem.

For me its Ederson, Zinchenko, Laporte, Stones, Walker, KDB bit deeper, David Silva, Bernardo, Sane, Jesus, Sterling

Getting a clean sheet tho look impossible now, no matter what defence we put up. Walker relaxed a bit since Palace he can go again as Danilo hardly much better or less of a liability when under pressure.