Well, we didn’t get the best output from that City game. 3 points would have put us in the driver seat. Lets consider this though, City were playing with some of the best players on the planet (KDB, Haaland etc) under the best manager in the world, at home, in a set up they have built over 10 fucking years, drilled down to every minute detail. A point against them is not the best thing, but it’s not bad either.
And, a draw didn’t mean we are out of the competition. Liverpool is ahead of us with a 2 point lead, there are 10 games to play and not everyone is going to win all their games. What’s most important for us is to win ours!
We are playing Luton today. Both City and Liverpool have easier fixtures as well, so the very least we can do is to take all 3 points and keep the pressure on them. How do we achieve that? We continue the form we had shown after the Dubai trip. Lutonions are a bunch of passionate guys and if you slip a bit, passion takes over the talent.
Team news
Line up is out and seems reasonable except Ramsdale’s inclusion.
If Ramsdale can’t make into the playing XI against Luton when Raya has played 3 days back, it’s too late for him now. Kiwior needed the rest, he is playing well and is most likely going to start ahead of Zinchenko in big games. Thomas is back, I love him. Good to see Smith Rowe getting a chance, but again I want to see him play in the Odegaard’s position, not as a #6.
Saka gets the much deserved rest, and Nelson gets his game time.
Short one today, days have been busier than usual. I really appreciate you guys sticking to the blog even when there’s hardly any update.
–
One last thing before I go, it was really sad to see 7amkickoff shutting down, Tim deciding it’s enough of negativity and hate – https://7amkickoff.com/index.php/2024/03/19/last-post/. I have had LiR inspirations from him and le-grove. It’s really sad to see him go away. I have 10,712 comments on this blog, and I have blocked about a hundred of Spuds fan (you know what I mean), and I have earned no more than 100$ in this time frame. For someone like 7amkickoff, it would be 100 times of hate from Areta-In, Arteta-Out brigades, I am sure, managing it alone can get rough and the money earned is not worth the hassle I can understand. But I will miss that blog!
See you during the match. I expect a 3-0 win for us.
#COYG
Fear*
KDB magical finish side netting top corner.
Palace deserve the 1:1 scoreline and playing better against City than we did.
City cruising in 2nd gear for much of the 2nd half and worthy of their goals.
City wins 4-1. But Crystal Palace give a tough fight. City had possession but CP players played without fear running into City players contesting every pass. It was not random but seemed a drilled tactic. Only the quality of City players produced that result.
de Bruyne seems to be close to his quality . Short darts are as before ,but speed is less on a long run. Earlier he would have scored goal 5
I just viewed the last 20 minutes , so cannot comment on the earlier game.
Guess Acko might be getting set for the Arsenal match.
Really liked his assessment of the Luton match which I had missed . Top notch.
Thank you Acko
TRVL
Mate wasn’t suggesting you were placing any limitations on Rice – it was just my take on the player.
As Tony says ManU / Liverpool tomorrow will be an interesting match – its usually got plenty of emotion running through it but to add to that the chance to hurt Klopp’s last season title bid as well should get ManU up for it.
Of course how they react to the Chelsea match will be interesting as well.
Villa look beatable with their ponderous football as they make hard work of Brentford who have no wins for 8 games I think.
Brentford are far from out of this game.
Hoopah
Aitcho I think is a season ticket holder but today’s game is in Brighton. Agree, though, his post game posts are good reads.
Marc—sorry if it appeared as if I was pointing the finger of blame in your general direction, as that wasn’t my intention…I was simply clarifying an earlier point regarding Rice…Cheers
to be a Palace fan…what one must have done in a previous life to deserve such a fate…of course, I’m joking, well sort of…for some time they couldn’t seem to buy a goal, but defended with poise and purpose, then just recently they’ve developed a habit of scoring first, which will invariably lift spirits, but can’t seem to get anything more than the occasional point because they’ve forgotten how to defend…not that I would wish relegation on anyone, minus those who don’t invest and play a dire brand of football, but I think Palace might need that sort of a wake-up call in order to truly figure their shit out
Looks like back to the usual suspects with Havertz at 9 and CB. Jesus at LB with Saka back.
Jorginho gets the nod ahead of Partey who is probably being saved for Bayern.
Let’s hope we get off to a quick scoring start, but with Jesus and Havertz starting I have my doubts and probably De Zerbi licking his lips.
🙏 for the points….
TRVL
No worries mate no offence taken or meant!
Not happy with Zinchenko starting – Kiwior has done OK and Zin is not only prone to mistakes being at fault for goals conceded but you just know shit for brains will revert to playing this stupid inverted full back formation.
We’ve had a good run of results not using it – why would you change?
it’s clear now that Marts is in the doghouse…like I stated the other day, Jesus has had a chat with the manager about his reduced role, so now he’s become another GD shoehorned lightweight out wide…if Jesus can’t score up top, what are the chances he does so from wider positions…maybe he’ll look to target our goalscoring wonder signing, Havertz, with some well-placed crosses…as it stands, it appears as if the plan is exactly as I feared, try to win 1-0 each and every remaining week
so far Havertz and Jesus have been so disappointing, considering the sums paid and the opportunities lost, I actually miss both Welbeck and Xhaka…there was a time when I would have sworn on just about anything that this words would never be uttered by this mouth
maybe like a few games back, my words will act as a reverse jinx and both will have their best performances to date
on a side note, quite a topsy-turvy affair between Brentford and Villa…well worth a watch if you skip the first 20 or so
these words
Hardly the selection and tactics of a title winning/contending side, is it?
Agree with you both, Marc & TRVL, Zinchenko is a liability at the back and gets in the way in the final 3rd.
Apparently, Zinny is quoted as saying he wants to go fight the Ruskies if Ukraine pass a new call up law.
Being error prone, he’d probably end up shooting his own comrades…….
Anyway, it’s a must win game, so…. let’s go win it.
if we used the inverted gig as a means to commit more men into the box, I would be all for it, but MA’s uses this as a possession-based tactic, which typically leads to a whole host of sideways nonsense
just thankful that Mitoma isn’t playing and neither Pedro or Fatsi are starting, as it definitely means they’re less likely to score…that said, Enciso is back in the fold, so our defenders need to pay extra attention to him whenever he’s on the ball
what a horrible miss by Gabs, although he might have been a cunt hair offside
A short one match day post is live for today.