A dominant performance early in the game as we pressed to quickly take back possession on the rare occasions we lost it. Scored twice and could easily have scored more.
After a bright start, pressing dropped off a bit and we hoofed the ball up field on defense when not strictly necessary, ceding more possession than we ought to have. I think - as team fitness improves - we'll be able to press on a more consistent basis as the season wears on.
Tremendous performances from Silva - ran the show - Sterling - MoTM - and, when he came on, Nasri.
Nasri's off the ball movement was sublime. He totally gets Pep's system. Always making himself available. Moving out of overcrowded zones. Showing up everywhere on the pitch, making it extremely difficult for defenders to mark him. Looking for a passing triangle? Start with Nasri - it's there every time. And in possession of the ball, he makes cutting passes, quickly finding open players, and often leading to shots on goal. I really hope he stays.
We're continuing to improve under Pep and with injured players returning shortly and with Bravo at the back we're going to be much better still.
