Match Day Thread Manchester City v Southampton, FA Cup Semi Final, Wembley, 25th April 17.15 live on BBC and TNT Sports

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I know that Tonda might well have been saying this slightly tongue-in-cheek (though I don't know if he does the human emotion of humour, thinking about it) but was pondering the idea of a bog standard 4-4-2, and I don't hate it.

We're not going to be able to hurt Guehi and Khusanov with pace, they're both mighty quick, but neither of them are the tallest. So if we had a combination of Scienza and Matsuki/Fellows wide (probably Fellows actually) with a remit of cross cross cross, it might conceivably be a way in which we can worry them. Play Downes and Jander deep in the middle (and possibly put Jander onto Silva, who makes them tick).

Would mean that Leo would have to do more defensive work than he might normally be comfortable with, but them's the shakes.
 
**** sake. If he'd have contested it might it have not been dealt with until next week?
 
**** sake. If he'd have contested it might it have not been dealt with until next week?
Well he'd then miss at least one play off game. I know that wouldn't concern you but the club and Downes himself will clearly priortise those games.
 
Well he'd then miss at least one play off game. I know that wouldn't concern you but the club and Downes himself will clearly priortise those games.

Where we'd be facing considerably worse opposition and still have a second leg to play.

Saturday is our biggest game in years ffs and now we're missing our best midfielder.

5-1 City.
 
Fair ****s to anyone going to this. We're going to get spanked.

I think we'll look back on this as one of the factors as to why we end up not gaining promotion
 
Where we'd be facing considerably worse opposition and still have a second leg to play.

Saturday is our biggest game in years ffs and now we're missing our best midfielder.

5-1 City.
We did ok without him against Arsenal. With or without Downes this was always going to be a very tough ask.
 
We did ok without him against Arsenal. With or without Downes this was always going to be a very tough ask.

We did but we had home advantage there and City are currently much better and are used to winning games at this stage.

It was always a tough ask but it just got much tougher.
 
Fair ****s to anyone going to this. We're going to get spanked.

I think we'll look back on this as one of the factors as to why we end up not gaining promotion
You not going mate?

And if it does well that's a positive at least.
 
Just realised, didn't the ref book him? I thought retrospective action was only taken if it wasn't seen.

Unless he was booked for something else.
 
Bragg and Jander started against Arsenal, I trust them or Shea to put in a good shift. All is not lost.
Quite agree with this. Bragg played 76 minutes of that Arsenal game and Jander all of it. Downes' style of flying into challenges is great in the Championship but against better opposition a little more restraint is needed. I reckon if he were to of played on Saturday, he'd probably be on a yellow by about 15/20 minutes in.