If really does feel like this team is finally clicking, doesn’t it?
I’m not saying for one moment that two back-to-back wins, following defeat to Real Madrid on 17th March, constitutes “form” or ‘final team-formular success’ but the manor in which we dispatched both Arsenal and Liverpool in the League Cup final and then F.A. Cup quarter final respectively (6-0 over both games) does signal, for me at least, that this team is starting to gel on the pitch. For the most part, we looked very good indeed and certainly deserved both victories…and another trophy. 🙂🏆
No complacency whatsoever today, of course, but the lads must surely be going into this game brimming with confidence.
v Chelsea
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| Stamford Bridge |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game which for me, blog wise, was our victory at Wembley against Arsenal in the League Cup final: 8/11.
A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 (occasional 3-6-1):
____________________Haaland____________________
__Doku______________________________Semenyo__
__________Silva(C)_______________Cherki__________
_____________________Rodri_____________________
O’Reilly___________________________________Nunes
___________Guehi_____________Khusanov_________
__________________Donnarumma__________________
Subs: Trafford, Ait-Nouri, Ake, Gonzalez, Kovacic, Foden, Reijnders, Savinho and Marmoush.
Gigi returns in net, following two domestic cup games on the side.
Rodders is ‘the holder’ in midfield with Bernardo and Rayan-C- ahead of the Spaniard.
Jeremy and Antoine take the flanks either side of Erling up top.
James returns to the bench as reserve keeper for the first of two fixtures before seeing Wembley action once again on 25th April; Rayan-A- and Nathan are, potentially, just two defenders on the bench. Nico-G-, Mateo, Phil and Tijjani make up four midfielders waiting for their turn, while Savinho and Omar give us two wide / forward options in ‘the 9’.
Notable absences:
- Marcus Bettinelli – Not selected.
- Rico Lewis – Not selected.
- John Stones – On 10th April Pep said, of the England defender, that he is taking a step closer to returning to first team action; possible taking part in partial training [same day] and could be part of Sunday’s squad. I’m going to guess that he won’t be risked as the season-end gathers momentum.
- Josko Gvardiol – On the 10th April also, our manager revealed that Josko is getting better, following a long injury lay-off with a fractured tibia, but will take longer to recover.
- Max Alleyne – Not selected.
- Ruben Dias – Following a knock, Guardiola confirmed during the pre-match press conference that the defender’s fitness is improving but will not be involved in the squad for our trip to Stamford Bridge this afternoon, 4:30pm KO BST.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Yes.
Result?
I have said this a lot over the last few seasons in my various blog postings – I just don’t get Chelsea as a team.
So capable, at times, of beating really good sides but, at the same time, so bafflingly inconsistent and lacking all too often. I’ve also said this on a number of occasions too about their club as a whole…what a shambles of a football club it looks from an outside perspective (Chelsea fans please tell me I’m wrong and / or how it feels from your perspective).
As for their current side’s form? Poor. D D L W L L is their last 6 in the league. During that 6-game league run, they’ve also managed very mixed results in two different cup competitions; losing 5-2 and then 0-3 to PSG in the Champions League but had victories in the F.A. Cup to take them to the semi-finals: 0-4 away at Hull City, 2-4 away at Wrexham and 7-0 at home to Port Vale. Different competitions and opposition class, of course, but even their cup results are all over the place; with 17 goals scored and 10 conceded across those five cup matches.
Anything to be concerned about?
Always – this is a Manchester City team that’s still not close to previous City sides we’ve all enjoyed over the last decade or so; a situation which started to remind City fans, of a certain vintage, of the bad-old, unpredictable days.
Then there’s the fact that our hosts have lost their last 2 league games and therefore, going off their pattern generally, are due a league win.
They have Joao Pedro who, when he has a good day, can be a real handful. He currently has 14 league goals and 5 league assists to his name and is the league’s 4th-top goalscorer and joint-5th for assists.
Of course there’s the “ex-City factor” too with sullen-faced Cole Palmer now wearing a darker shade of blue but in order for me not to tempt fate, I’m going to steer well clear of mentioning the…shall we say, below-par season he’s having and form that he’s currently in. I’ve probably said too much there already in my attempts not to irritate the Gods of Footballing Destiny. 🙄🤞
As for us, we look strong, personnel wise, and ‘full of beans’. We could get our cage rattled in front of a home crowd hoping to push their side to a Champions League finish-position in the table (now 5 places) but I’m going for us to silence them in the end.
I’m saying a City win.
Since then…
Since writing most of that by early Saturday morning, Arsenal have been beaten 1-2 at home to AFC Bournemouth; a result that puts a firm wedge in the title door. That was a FANTASIC result for us and has really handed us a massive opportunity. So why does it now make me a little jittery.
It’s probably because we HAVE been handed this chance and because, also, we have shot ourselves in the foot in recent weeks; something which helped to create such a wide points gap between us and The Gunners – I’m thinking Forest at home (2-2) and West Ham away (1-1) in March.
There’s still a lot of work to do and many minutes of football to be played but it is, sort of, in our own hands now; goal difference aside.
C’mon Blues, don’t drop the ball now. 💪
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:
Prediction: Win
Result: Won
(Pre-match blog posting from that game)
Expected weather conditions during the game: Quite nice. Sunshine throughout the morning and afternoon before kick off should continue into the match, with just the odd shower passing over as the game progresses. The forecasted temperature is around 12 or 13C. There is a bit of a south-westerly breeze that will make it feel chilly in the shade of the stands so coats are most certainly advised for travelling fans. 😎🧥🍵🥧🍺⚽
By the way…
…this sounds like excellent news.
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| Solidarity |
