Every game here on in is massive, this along with the Mancs are probably the most crucial. Our poor record against Southampton is the main reason but if we're serious about challenging for 4th we've got to banish any long standing taboos.
Southampton are a great team to watch and I probably consider them my second team, not for any underlying misgivings of the so called "well run" club stuff because they are reasonably backed, but more for the team, players and style of football. Shaw, Clyne et al, what's not like? There dangerous pretty much all over the park, Lambert and Rogriguez chip In With the goals leading the forward line and Lallana from midfield. Fonts too adds an additional threat from the back so they typify the inclusive meritocracy the our own Boss likes to see.
The question doing the rounds is do we play Coutinho or Allen, the answer for me lies in the tactics Rodgers goes for. In the past we've struggled against Southampton because of our lack of legs in the middle and their abundance of them. Our middle is a little different this time around with Lucas out and Gerrard deeper with less onus on him pressing. The pressing responsibility lies with PC & JH, if we set up in a similar fashion to Arsenal, sitting a little deeper and striking on the break then I'd go with the two of them, Coutinho provides a great link between attack and defence and allows us to spring forward quicker on the counter allowing us to do maximum damage. The alternative is matching them toe to toe, in which case I'd go for Allen who tends to provide a little more solidity and control. It's a toss up what Rodgers will do but he's got most of his big calls right of late.
On the whole given our most recent meetings a draw would be a decent result, odlly enough I feel quite confident, more so now than in previous meeting and wi our attack anything can happen. Despite the milieu of madness of our late fixtures I'm going for a sneaky 1-0 win, Suarez goal.
