Premier League Gameweek 26 fixtures (9th - 11th Feb 2019)

pacifictheme

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Mourinho said it would take a miraclr to get back in the top 4 and he was probably right, considering how poor we were under him. Long way to go but tonight we will be. Amazing job done so far by ole.
 

Makelele

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Stats look pretty even. Nearly even possesion, passes and shots. Game not so much .

When you come to press high and are terrible at it, expect to concede goals to a city team this good. Terrible errors for first goal and Barkley suicide back header. Oh well Newcastle came back from 4 0 at half time once, pray fora Miracle. Won't be betting on it!

Sarri no doubt regretting not copying the tactics we used at home, sitting far deeper with false 9.
Starting Barkley was a surprise for me. Playing him with a high press? Such a huge gamble. Maybe he thought it was all in or nothing and that City would beat us at a close game.
 

DavidDeSchmikes

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why have Sky got 3 ex Liverpool players as pundits for a City/Chelsea game? Mike Summerbee not available?
 

Sandikan

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They will promote Zola. Like we did with Ole
Surely they can't appoint a guy sacked at their rivals West Ham?! Lampard would be a smarter choice, but I dare say they'll go their favoured big time Italian manager route again
 

kouroux

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As I mentioned in Aguero's thread - good players simply win. People bought into Guardiola's hipster theory that Aguero isn't good enough for his system and that the likes of Jesus fit him better, but that theory simply failed for simple reason because Aguero is ten times the player Jesus is. If the difference is minimal then I can understand choosing one over another, but Aguero is simply one of the best players in the world, you build the team around that player.
Kinda like all those fools who wanted Pogba out. I never believed that Jesus was good enough to overtake Aguero. I remember having a debate with a stat specialist, he just couldn't accept that my eyes and my brains weren't having it that Jesus was better
 

Damien

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I cant believe Aguero has stayed in Manchester all these years and fecking Di Maria couldnt wait to get out of it after a few months.
We don't have a good record with Argentinean players. Heinze wanting to go to Liverpool, Tevez going to City and Di Maria...

I'm not sure Liverpool will be able to get the consistency required to be good both in Champions League and Premier.
I fully expect they'll try and get knocked out of the CL at the earliest opportunity to focus on the league if their cup "runs" this season are anything to go by.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Strange game. Chelsea were actually able to take City on and looked good in their general and pinned them back at times as well. It shouldn't be surprising given this (or somewhat this) team regularly wins the PL. However their application is absolutely dreadful. Two of the goals were as a result of laughably poor defending. Essentially Chelsea can fail to win the league of course but they don't exactly put their best foot forward and their fans should be disappointed with that.

As for City, they're hitting form at the right time. They've twatted Arsenal and Chelsea in two big games now.
 

Jazz

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Oh my goodness Luis and Kepa there:D
 

Johan07

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Pep doesn't play somebody like Jorginho at the base of midfield though, does he? I know he targeted him in the summer, but I do have my doubts over whether he would have used him in this role.

I don't think City would get away with Silva/De Bruyne without Fernandinho's incredible work rate and tenacity, he's a very complete midfielder. Jorginho may be able to dictate play, but he's useless without the ball (the opposite of Fernandinho) and this makes Chelsea very easy to play through and very vulnerable to the press.

Us, Arsenal and City all played our way through Jorginho very, very easily. It's a massive tactical issue for Sarri and one he hasn't addressed at all.
Yep, this is exactly it.
Its very fair to blame Sarri for thinking that Jorginho could carry this Chelsea-team in that position in the PL especially. I love him as a player but he hasnt adapted to the physicality of the PL.
But the answer is definetaly not to put Kante there instead and try to play Sarri-ball with him as a sole #6 either. One cant really blame Sarri for that. Chelsea has some decisions to make this summer.
 

prateik

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If City can get another goal here, we would be ahead of Chelsea on GD as well... (level/more scored)
we had a GD of 0 when Jose left.. bloody hell.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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How do Chelsea get such an easy ride, bank rolled, a few nasty little players (not that I mind that) and playing like turd nothing much said about them.