Bad news first, City has been catching up lately and are only 3 points behind us in the table. Though they have played a game more, you don’t want them breathing on your neck.
With years of experience of winning ‘titles’, Pep and his team knows how to handle themselves under pressure. We, on the other hand, have folded 3 seasons in a row and are trying not to repeat it one more time.
Now, the good news – it’s in OUR hand. We win against Brentford today and we will go back to a 6 points lead with only 12 games to play.
We have few injuries but we have enough bench strength to not to worry about it. Both Saka and Odegaard will be assessed before the game. Mikel Merino will be out for some time after his foot injury. Kai Havertz has picked up another injury I’ve heard and is a doubt for next 2 weeks (rumoured).
Back 4 is sorted, but the midfield is going to be a mess for Mikel. Rice and Zubimendi are starters, and he is left with only Eze to fill the spot. His favorites, Merino and Havertz are not available for selection while Odegaard is both out of form and half-fit for the games. Eze – it’s your time to shine man.
If you ask me, I would stick with the usual back 4 with a midfield of Rice + Zubimendi and Eze in an advance role. Madueke and Martinelli on either side with Gyokeres in the middle would be the front 3. You can pick Trossard over Madueke, I wouldn’t complain.
Every game from now onwards is a final. Carabao Cup is a literal one, but with City closing the gap, we have to make sure we don’t drop points in Premier League. We have a game in April against them at their home ground, and we surely won’t want to leave it to beating them at their home to win.
We are in the knockout stage of Champions League after winning all our group stage games. Every game would be a one to win to move forward.
But hey, if you can’t keep your head down for 2 months and beat the likes of City and PSG, you don’t expect to win a trophy.
Right, that’s me done. See you during the game.
Also, it’s sad to see Thomas Frank getting sacked. His Tottenham Legacy lives with us in the form of the cup.
Where’s Saliba?
Can’t see Brentford sitting back at home. We should have enough tonight.
We’ve only got one match between playing City in the League Cup final and the away match with Newcastle away after that.
The League Cup final could have a huge psychological impact on both the PL fixture against City and other remaining fixtures.
We’re going to have to listen to all the fanboy’s telling us why Arteta isn’t a bottlejob / won’t bottle it again for the next 6 odd weeks.
The question is are they trying to convince us or themselves?
A couple of goal win for Brentford puts them above Liverpool and firmly in the fight for a European place.
They have plenty to play for.
He is not even on bench, which is surprising. Our next game is a FA cup where we should have rested him, not today ffs.
Brentford are going to play aggressive which could be a good thing for us. We are usually clueless against the teams that sits back.
They have a European place to play for, we have the title.
Ok, got to know Saliba is sick so couldn’t make into the team today.
Mosquera will do the job, then.
#COYG
Arteta’s either supremely confident or Saliba’s carrying a knock.
How long as Mosquera been back from injury?
Makes sense Ambarish.
What the fuck kit are we wearing?
Can someone give me a genuine reason why we can’t have a yellow away kit?
Brentford have come to play tonight, so this could be an interesting one…we’re the much better side, regardless of injuries/absences, but MA’s record when we play after our closest competitors have already played and won isn’t anything to write home about…such is the life of the cock-up King…I still think we’ll be too much for them over the course of 90+ minutes, but I’m not a big fan of the way in which Eze doesn’t seem to be part of MA’s final third plans, from a creative force standpoint…once again Zubi’s slipping into those Ode spaces and Rice is playing a bit deeper
we’ve got to reign this flopping nonsense in…it’s really quite embarassing
Ref is fucking useless. Flourishing cards for nothing. I can see someone getting a double yellow because of it.
We need to get the ball on the ground a bit more. Gyok is holding up long balls nicely but we need to vary it going forwards. Brentford have got impressive energy levels and seem high on confidence. We have much more quality on our bench than they on their’s.
If I was Eze I would be second-guessing my decision to push for a move here…one would think that without Ode on the pitch that the offence would be running through Eze today, but the only person who’s had less service than him is VG, which at least makes some sense in MA”s anti-Striker “system”…he’s going to take some heat from all the Slurpites for being a passenger, but it’s clear that MA doesn’t favour him…he would rather have Rice and Zubi slip in and out of that attacking midfield role than Eze…maybe in the second-half Marts will come on to create some width on the left, so it will be harder for Brentford to man-mark him…it’s obvious that they felt that Eze was going to be a bigger threat, as they’ve been shadowing him
right on cue, MA sits Eze for Ode, like it was his fault, what a fucking clown
TRVL
You can double down on Eze’s wondering about “did I make the right decision” – he had an excellent chance of being in England’s World Cup squad for the summer when at Palace.
With his season so far? I don’t think he’ll make it England have some really good options in midfield / attacking midfield.
Why were we calling for a handball after the Trossard shot?
It wasn’t even a ball to hand.
It just stinks of desperation and a weak manager.
Marc—Ode has had more service and time on the ball in the first 4 minutes than Eze did in the whole first-half…Ode has a defined role whereas Eze is treated like a periphery figure
What odd’s Jesus will be on for Gyokeres in the next ten minutes.
Marc—that’s who we are now under the tutelage of our hook or by crook manager
TRVL
We’ve already had the “what was the thought process behind buying him” conversation.
I’m not criticising the player or his ability (not that I’m suggesting you are either) but its pure fat kid in a sweatshop.
Good header.
Didn’t expect that player to score that goal.