3-1 defeat gives Pep plenty to ponder
Premier League – 3rd December 2016: Manchester City 1, Chelsea 3.
Saturday was definitely a day to forget for Manchester City. Defeat against one of your main title rivals, at home, with three goals conceded. Rounded-off with a double sending-off, resulting in a four-match ban for star striker Sergio Aguero, and three for midfielder Fernandinho. Aguero’s horrible tackle on David Luiz sparked a mass of pushing, shoving, and general ugliness. Fernandinho took huge exception to Cesc Fabregas’s contact with his face, walking his opponent off the pitch and over an advertising hoarding. He then compounded his actions by trying to fight with or berate everyone around him, as he was forced down the tunnel. Not pretty.
Chelsea were impressive 3-1 winners, with goals from Diego Costa, Willian, and Eden Hazard. By the end of the game, the darker blues had a bit of swagger about them as City lost their way after a promising start, Gary Cahill deflecting Jesus Navas’s shot into his own net to give City the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Once Kevin De Bruyne had spurned a close-range chance on 56 minutes, hitting the bar, the game ebbed slowly but decisively Chelsea’s way. This was their eighth win in a row, and they looked ominously good, counter attacking superbly, in a game that was open and fast – Premier League football at its best.
The confidence flowed throughout the Chelsea side once they’d levelled the scores at 1-1. City struggled to cope with Chelsea’s pace and movement. At the back, City struggled all game. Playing a back three on this occasion, City never really looked comfortable with it, something their opponents looked to exploit whenever they went forward.
This victory felt like quite a statement from Chelsea. Under decent early pressure, but coming through to win and winning the key battles across the park. Diego Costa has found some self-control from somewhere and looks far better for it. His all round play – yet another well-taken goal and another assist – was a centre-forward masterclass.
Cesc Fabregas, making a rare start in place of the injured Nemanja Matic, had a fine game, his pass to Willian for the second goal was brilliant. But good performances were pretty much everywhere for Chelsea – David Luiz was imperious at the heart of their defence, and Hazard was a nightmare for City to deal with.
The game wasn’t without controversy, long before the sendings-off. On 30 minutes Luiz appeared to check the run of Aguero deliberately and a red card looked likely. Referee Anthony Taylor had other ideas, waving play on to the fury of the City players, management and supporters.
But few neutrals would begrudge Chelsea this win. For all City’s technical excellence and flair going forward, defensively there remain question marks. Nicolas Otamendi had a poor game – never getting to grips with Costa and constantly out of position.
John Stones is still highly regarded and rightly so, but until he can find true consistency in his game, he still has to be seen as a work in progress. He remains vulnerable when under close physical attention, and whilst his desire to play the ball out of defence at virtually every opportunity is laudable, it will inevitably give chances to the opposition and invites pressure, which strikers like Costa love.
Claudio Bravo in goal has not convinced too many people so far, either. Whilst not directly responsible for any of the goals in this game, for Willian’s goal, he didn’t exactly make the greatest of efforts to get down to his low shot. Of course, he is there because of Pep’s insistence/obsession – delete as per your view – with his keeper being comfortable with his feet and spraying passes around as a prerequisite. Just like the way Stones plays, it’s high risk.
So how do we rate Guardiola’s management of City so far? Fair to say he’s finding the Premier league a far tougher place to win games than the Bundesliga was with Bayern Munich, losing only nine league games in three seasons in his time there. But to his credit, City did get off to a fantastic start, winning their first ten games in all comepttions. He loves to rotate and change his team, something which splits opinion in football. Incredibly, he has not played the same defensive personnel in two consecutive Premier Legue matches all season. That can’t be easy for the players concerned.
Interestingly, Chelsea’s team on Saturday featured just one enforced change from the previous seven matches – and they’ve won all of them. Whilst Guardiola is still clearly trying to find his best blends and partnerships throughout the side, Chelsea are reaping the benefits of sticking to a first choice eleven playing superbly as a team. Obviously, being only four points behind the Leaders with fourteen games gone, Guardiola will hardly be panicking – but the loss of Aguero for four games will not help one bit.
Antonio Conté meanwhile has a wide smile on his face, and why not? Chelsea have been a revelation in recent weeks and the positive energy he radiates seems both effective and infectious. For what it’s worth, comparatively early in the season, it contrasts hugely with the negative energy José Mourinho is displaying at Manchester United right now.
So Chelsea march on, and City have a stumble. Away wins against your close rivals for the top honours always feel significant. Guardiola has some fantastic raw materials to work with, but the momentum borne of Chelsea’s winning run, and consistency of selection, certainly won the day this time. Guardiola has been reminded just how competitive the top of this Premier League is.
By Chris Tribe
3rd December 2016
Next games:
Man City: Leicester City (A) – Premier League – Saturday 10th December, 5.30pm
Chelsea: West Brom (H) – Premier League – Sunday 11th December, 12.00pm
Photo credit: © Thomas Rodenücher/flickr/Creative Commons licence
Copyright © 2016 Chris Tribe. All Rights Reserved.
Chris Tribe Sportswriting 