Citeh have only dropped points in one Premier League game all season, ironically against our opponents on Sunday Everton, can Saints be the first team to take a point off them since that game back in August.

Manchester City have almost been invincible this season, in every competition they have won every game apart from a draw against Everton in the second game of the Premier League season and a surprising draw against Championship side Wolves in the League Cup, although they did win that on penalties.

So can Saints be the first team to go to take a point off of City since that Everton game, indeed as they finished last season with four straight wins you have to go back to April last season when they lost at Chelsea for their last defeat in 90 minutes.

That is an awesome record and one that on paper does not look likely to change given Saints recent form, but stranger things have happened and in football every victory only brings you one step nearer to your next defeat, the odds say that it will be Saints tasting that, but we do have the players to go there and get a result as we did last season.

Mauricio Pellegrino has no new injuries and has Oriol Romeu back from suspension and given the burst of three games in a week he is likely to make changes for this game and to be blunt if he doesn't I would be surprised.

He has to look at putting out a side that can keep it tight at the back and match City for workrate and try to catch them on the break.

That means a tight back four and the starting defensive four on Sunday looked to be getting back to their normal selves and I would not look beyond that.

In midfield it is trickier, before Sunday's game you would not have looked beyond Lemina and Romeu as your central pairing, but Pierre Emile Hojbjerg has given Pellegrino a dilemma, he has five central midfielders to fill three spaces who does he drop.

Personally I would bring back both Lemina and Romeu and play Hojbjerg just in front of them, that would leave Steven Davis and James Ward Prowse on the bench.

Wide I would go for Sofiane Boufal and Nathan Redmond for their pace and up front Shane Long.

Some would be surprised at this but we need a workmanlike busy side out there on Wednesday, we cant atch them for tippy tappy football, we have to do what we did last year and get behind the ball and go on the break, Boufal and Redmond are best for that and Long is the man who can defend from the front.

This is saving those dropped for what is a game we can win when we travel to Bournemouth, I would rather a fit Charlie Austin for that one than play him in this game which frankly is not going to be one that will suit him.

This is not being defeatist, merely pragmatic, we have to look at what we have in the squad and utilise them to the best of their ability, we have to play to our strengths in battling and that means a big and strong midfield trio plus the pace and guile of Hoedt and Van Dijk in the centre of defence.

Sunday reminded us that we have a good set of players, but this season and indeed last they have not been well led, when they are they are capable of a lot lot more than they have shown and it is about time they showed again that on their day they can match the top sides in the division.

Photo: Action Images

skiptonsaint added 08:45 - Nov 29 Agree with all this except maybe a Gabbi / Long combo tonight playing a half each. I also feel McQueen deserves a chance to start a game and who knows , we may then get another selection dilemma like we got Starting squad players at the weekend. Simms can't be far away either. This busy period of fixtures coming up will suit our large squad vs slightly poorer first IV from previous years. Brighton , Huddlesfield Newcastle etc don't have this depth Finally a mention for Claude with that Leicester result last night. Clearly a good footballing man who was unlucky at us and has rebuilt his reputation.

1

LordDZLucan added 08:48 - Nov 29 Pretty much agree with all of that and we must wrap Charlie Austin in cotton wool for Sunday. It's a game without pressure where we can try a few things out. I'd say to Sofiane Boufal 'This is the game to go out there and run through your full repertoire of tricks without worrying about whether they come off'. Also, if Pellegrino is still considering playing 3 centre backs as a tactical option then this is the game to give it a go.

2

steve73 added 09:03 - Nov 29 I'd probably go along with that line-up for this particular match but only because of the quality of the opposition. I hope anyone that gets left out who played so well on Sunday is assured they'll start against Bournemouth, to a man they all deserve that. Looking forward to tonight and choosing to live in hope rather than expectation. We'll need some heroics and a bit of luck without doubt but you never know. Love freezing cold midweek matches there just don't seem to be enough of them these days. Oh for some snow and an orange ball!

3

SaintBrock added 09:48 - Nov 29 Don't change anything from Sunday except Lemina for Hojberg and go for the win. We can do it but not by sitting back for 90 minutes, we just ain't good enough in defence.
-1

SanMarco added 10:34 - Nov 29 I agree with the back 8 but my attacking 3 would be Gabbi, Tadic and Boufal. I don't see why on earth we would bring Redmond back in. Man City will drop more points at some stage so it is up to us to battle hard, stay in the game and who knows. Another performance like Anfield though and it will be more than 3-0
2

TissLeGod added 13:20 - Nov 29 Citeh are not going to be that bothered by us regardless of what team we put out. Everton were woeful and gave our attack room and time, something Citeh will not. That said I think footballers need to play and why change a winning team. Use the bench to rest or shut up shop if we are leaking too many. Our shape was much better vs Everton so I would keep the same team, and please leave Redmond on the bench - better when running at tired legs. Bournemouth away is not going to be easy, they are well organized and playing as a team. Certainly we should be getting something out of the game but we have lost there on previous trips. This could be a game for us to introduce Sims or McQueen, but I would not do it for the Citeh game.

0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Leeds United Polls