Southampton (H) | Pre-Match Thread

[leighton]

I think there is a case for some players getting another outing after the last game midweek.

Ederson
Cancelo , Stones , Dinho , Angelino
D Silva , KDB , Gundogan
Sterling , Aguero , Foden

Its strong and I think Kun is just getting back in the goals. Jesus for Foden could be a option. But in the league it is either him or Kun.

Prediction a early goal and there could be a bigger win than mid week.

so i would go 5-0

 

[abu13]

Ederson

Walker Stones Otamendi Mendy

Fernandinho

Sterling KDB D.Silva Mahrez

Aguero

I can't see Pep not starting with Gundo as defensive midfield, it has become his natural position.

 

[lmhblue1]

You fear you know better than Pep?

Dave might not play at Anfield. I expect a surprise or two in the starting XI there, at least one serious surprise.

With our injuries I literally cannot invision a lineup in which David doesn't play at Anfield. It's borderline impossible.

And no, I'm not insinuating that I know better than Pep. I'm saying that there were several times last season where David was overplayed - not out of necessity, but because Pep didn't want to start Foden or start Sane/Mahrez and move Bernardo into midfield. In April, when squeaky bum time arrived, he finally started Foden when David needed a rest. What I'm saying is that I feel that's what he should do before Anfield, but there is still a possibility that he will go ahead and playing Dave three times in a row like he did on multiple occasions last season.

 

[Thomas Hearns]

Was thinking about how we'd line up at Atalanta and came to the realisation that, with Rodri's injury and Foden's suspension, we basically need David to get a rest this weekend, otherwise he'll have played two in a row leading up to Anfield. Can't have that. Playing three in a week is what led to his poor performances last season. Problem is that he was rested midweek so I fear Pep doesn't feel the same.... I'd go with something like this:

Ederson
Cancelo, Stones, Dinho, Mendy
Kev, Gundo, Foden
Bernardo, Aguero, Sterling

Anybody who Pep wants to play at Anfield should not play in Ata. They shouldn’t even travel.

 

[lmhblue1]

Anybody who Pep wants to play at Anfield should not play in Ata. They shouldn’t even travel.

Yes mate I'm sure plenty of us feel that way, but surely we all know by now that Pep will take it seriously regardless. There are also positions where we simply have no other options, as is the case with Silva, unless Pep tries something new or randomly decides to start an academy player.

 

[BigJoe#1]

I think we will score 4 minimum at home. Sterling and de bruyne give us so much more firepower.

I think the headline story from this game will be all about the number of goals Southampton will have conceded in their last two matches. A win, a significant win, six plus for me.

 

[remember arthur mann]

Moss?

Gathers no stone !

 

[alexmcity]

With our injuries I literally cannot invision a lineup in which David doesn't play at Anfield. It's borderline impossible.

And no, I'm not insinuating that I know better than Pep. I'm saying that there were several times last season where David was overplayed - not out of necessity, but because Pep didn't want to start Foden or start Sane/Mahrez and move Bernardo into midfield. In April, when squeaky bum time arrived, he finally started Foden when David needed a rest. What I'm saying is that I feel that's what he should do before Anfield, but there is still a possibility that he will go ahead and playing Dave three times in a row like he did on multiple occasions last season.

You are implying that Pep didn't know how to use Dave and overplayed him, because he didn't know Foden was ready to replace him already in October/November as he did vs Spurs 6 months later. What if the man who trains them knew better that Phil wasn't ready to replace Dave without increasing the risk of dropping points? Bernardo got injured in November, so we were without both Kevin and Bernie. Pep had to play Gundy and Foden in CM? You can't even claim the benefit of hindsight since we won the domestic treble. Maybe we'd have won the quadruple if Pep didn't overplay Dave in the first half of the season? What if we won the treble exactly because Dave managed to replace Kevin's influence in the first half of the season when the latter was injured? What if we didn't miss Dave's form from the first half of the season as we went on to win 18 from 19 games in the second half of the season?

Maybe you don't need to be afraid that you understand better than the manager what is happening and he is about to repeat the mistake from last season. I hope he repeats that mistake and we win everything in England again. Pep is so good that he wins everything even when he makes and repeats mistakes which fans on forums can spot and fear that he will commit them again.

 

[shemnel]

strongest team, 3 points, let's go

 

[Marvin]

Ings will probably come in for Saints and Redmond might start. I don't think they've got many players who can come in and make a big difference, whereas City will bring in Cancelo, Mendy, Gundogan, de Bruyne and Sterling.

The game on Tuesday did end quite well for Saints and they will take a little bit of encouragement from that. It ended with them on the front foot. It's probably going to be a similar game with Saints hoping to stay in the game starting very defensively and then hoping to grow into the game.

It's all about getting the first goal early and then hoping that news percolates through to Villa Pk. Unusually we both play at the same time.