I'm not sure what he could pin up to make them any more motivated but if it helps This team plays with each other and for each other, that's why our best games are when the front three are in sync. I watched the video of Mané's 100 goals and some of the movements by the front three are sublime. When all the forwards are hungry, they share the spoils.
Not sure it's been mentioned because I haven't read back too far but what awful refereeing. It's hard not to come across as completely partisan but it seemed like this new 'play on' thingy only applied one way. There were so many incidents when their players just fell over with no contact and play stopped, yet once again, Mané is wrestled over and the game goes on. We need consistency.
Crouch was the same, everyone was racist against him too. Never got a call and every call was made against him even when he didn't touch the other guy. Some people just look "guilty" to refs (and joking aside, it is possible there is some subconscious racism involved there at times).
For balance, I have to say that Milner gets away with murder. He wallops anyone who comes near him and these days seems impervious to cards. It's great.
It certainly is Im always quite happy with milner coming on late in game to help see out a narrow win. I hope hes passing that kind of knowledge down to the likes of curtis and Harvey, when to take a yellow for the team, when to stop the game. The Dark arts
Sometime i feel mane gets into tussels he really doesnt need to, hes wuick and cute enough to ghost a player getting tight to him but seems to hold the ball more these days instead of giving it early or skinning his man with a touch and a turn.
I've said several times that I wonder whether he's been suffering from some long-covid symptoms. So many times in the past I thought he'd let someone get too near him but he would just accelerate past them - last season he seemed to have lost that. I think he's slowly getting that fitness and intensity back. He's said a few times he knows he's not playing up to his best, but the effort and desire seem to be back - he just needs the confidence that follows a few goals I think.
No, but we came close several times. There was mounting frustration after each shot missed and they began snatching at chances after a while. If one of those earlier attempts went in and the team didn't get so frustrated and focused more... That could have been a three or four goal margin... As it was, they got disheartened after missing a bunch and all composure was gone. I do agree that more time on the day wouldn't have given us a goal.... We gave up and lost focus long before the 90 mins. Chelsea's fluke early goal allowed them to sit back more than they otherwise might have done too.
Chelsea are becoming like us a couple years ago and like chelsea under Mourinho. If they score first, they aren’t losing the game. You might sneak a draw but they’re solid enough defensively that just become very hard to break down. So far this season they haven’t gone behind, would be interesting especially against say top 10 sides, how they’d cope being 1-0 down and having to come out a bit more. Be a big test at home to city this weekend.
Still a goal ain't it? It would have been a certain goal in open play if it hadn't been illegally pushed off the line.