Very mysterious match. Even after thinking about it all w/e, in all good faith, it's not easy for me to see how Pep could say anything other to the players this morning in training than “Keep playing that way. Just for God's sake put your chances in when they come”. That said, in those first 43 minutes, when we were playing them off the park to the extent that they looked like the away team, on their own turf, they blocked like demons. That Sané shot goes in in that period — I couldn't see who it was blocked by, from our end, but it was a major turning point — I am completely convinced that it's an entirely different match. On their absolute first attack on our goal, they score. Shit happens. In fairness, they came out buzzing in the second half, and could have scored another with that free kick. Then we got back onto an even keel, and pretty much matched them. The Luiz goal came out of the blue, from a very good corner. Shit happens. Have I already said that? The result says unambiguously that they were the better team, on the day. But in the match I saw, there wasn't much in it.
I will say one thing, though. Sarri had our number as far as our wing play is concerned. HIs full backs pushed right up Sané's and Mahrez's backsides. They were throttled. In that situation, a goal has to come through the middle, in the holes that are opened up by your wingers stretching their midfield open. Which is exactly what happened in this fixture last season, you will remember. Yeah, we've done fine without Kev. But we are a better team with him, more unpredictable. Roll on his return. We do need him at this point.
That's me done with predictions, by the way. I said Bournemouth to win, and us to pick up a point or better… Famous last fucking…
