Southampton (H) | Pre-Match Thread

[Prater70]

Even though Zinchenko is playing reasonably well, compared to other left backs such as Robertson, Digne, Tierney, Chilwell even Fatty then I can't recall a goal that he has created. The ability to sprint past get to the byline and cross is not there.

 

[TheCentralScrutinizer]

Even though Zinchenko is playing reasonably well, compared to other left backs such as Robertson, Digne, Tierney, Chilwell even Fatty then I can't recall a goal that he has created. The ability to sprint past get to the byline and cross is not there.

we seem to have managed ok so far

 

[MAG]

Pep will make 5-6 or even 7 changes from Sunday ... reason being he has a full squad available to chose from and he needs to keep giving everyone minutes to keep them happy as well as ready and match fit for when needed towards the end in big games ...

He didn’t play the same XI and run them into ground during this long winning run, the reason we find ourselves where we are in the league (and all the cups) and a full squad that is injury free IS because he has heavily rotated every game to next so don’t think that’s going to change ...

In fact he didn’t change that many on Sunday is probably what cost us there, he should have done what he has been doing and brought on a couple of more fresh(er) legs in like Foden and/or Aguero from the start and we’d have seen a different result then as well.

So expect wholesale changes (half the team) tomorrow ... and then same (multiple changes) again on Saturday ...

 

[sheephead23]

Ederson

Cancelo
Dias
Laporte
Zinchenko

KDB
Fernandinho
Bernardo

Sterling
Aguero
Foden

Come on CITY. 3 points, doesn't matter how we do it.

I predict 2-0

 

[TheCentralScrutinizer]

no one's said their a 'bogey' team yet so before they do we've beat them 7 out of the last 9 drawing 1

 

[Newman Noggs]

Same as every other game this season. Put our chances away and we'll win.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Even though Zinchenko is playing reasonably well, compared to other left backs such as Robertson, Digne, Tierney, Chilwell even Fatty then I can't recall a goal that he has created. The ability to sprint past get to the byline and cross is not there.

It's not his brief. Even Cancelo doesn't go to the byline.

Zin is asked to create the join in midfield and does it brilliantly.

 

[If I die in the Kippax St]

That is like comparing apples to oranges. Yes we have a fantastic squad compared to the dippers but Klopp has run them into the ground over 3 years whereas we have not.The issue is why change a winning system if all players are available and fit? Rotate once the league is done which should have been yesterday. Big games we need a team effort to succeed not individual talent. Pep found the answer that led to the 21 run but then bizarrely decided to ignore the lessons learned especially against teams who counter.

2 questions: in your opinion did we control the counter against united? Did we look weak when players in midfield lost the ball due to bad passing? We have found the solution to these problems but did not implement it in the derby.

Fair comment the reality is that to many players had an off day all at the same time. Unfortunately this happened against the rags. When one or two players have an off day you can carry them because we are that good and have a strong bench. Some posters on here need to calm down normal service will be resumed.

 

[MK-Blues]

Pep will make 5-6 or even 7 changes from Sunday ... reason being he has a full squad available to chose from and he needs to keep giving everyone minutes to keep them happy as well as ready and match fit for when needed towards the end in big games ...

He didn’t play the same XI and run them into ground during this long winning run, the reason we find ourselves where we are in the league (and all the cups) and a full squad that is injury free IS because he has heavily rotated every game to next so don’t think that’s going to change ...

In fact he didn’t change that many on Sunday is probably what cost us there, he should have done what he has been doing and brought on a couple of more fresh(er) legs in like Foden and/or Aguero from the start and we’d have seen a different result then as well.

So expect wholesale changes (half the team) tomorrow ... and then same (multiple changes) again on Saturday ...

agree and disagree. agreed that there will be lots of changes and again on saturday as well. but disagree that he needed to make more changes for derby as there were five days gap instead of usual two or three we have been getting this season. so pep could afford to play with no changes from last game if he wanted as longer gap. its just that everyone decided to have an off day while playing at the same time. one or two playing below par team can carry but more than half the team were passengers on sunday.

 

[If I die in the Kippax St]

I think the whole massive over reaction to the defeat last night (and apprehension for the next game wanting just a win, any win) is due to the fact that we as fans had forgotten how it feels after a loss ... having not seen one in over three and a half months and for almost two and a half months we didn’t even see a draw so obviously a loss is a shock to the system ... understandable!

A loss followed by another loss or draw and then more dropped points for third game in a row might be troubling but that one alone on its own last night changes nothing in the big picture ...

If anything, it keeps Ole in the job a little longer ... and gives Pep to use this as a reminder and an example going forward ... because players, just like us, had also forgotten that losing feeling as well ... so serves them as a reminder and if this means we’d not lapse in cup games till the end of the season, it’s worth it having a loss against a rival in the league game where it doesn’t matter much but it gets everyone to sit up and know the dangers of anything going wrong in 90 mins.

A performance like that in either of the three cups would mean us going out ... but in the league we can perhaps afford another couple of defeats even ... law of averages and stats and all that dictate we weren’t going to win 40+ games on the trot, even now the chance of winning another 20 straight is rare to none so as long as those bad days don’t come on cup days, we’d be just fine ...

Thank god someone has sense of perspective