The recent Chelski scorelines do not reflect the balance of play. Regardless of how it looks on paper I'm not as worried about going there as might have been the case in recent years. Today's score and the recent one against Wigan certainly flattered them, so it's a matter of whether they believe their own headlines and the "rout" (as the interim BBC report puts it). It's hardly a rout if Brentford should have scored first! I doubt AVB will be reading too much into the scores, he will be analysing how to expose their weaknesses, and we know how motivated he'll be for that match.
And now Clattenberg is up to his old tricks. Warnock will have him for that soft penalty decision later. 2-0 City with only 15 minutes gone.
There would be 10-20 penalties a game if that's a foul. Garcia got Brown good and proper. I don't condone it but it does raise a smile when someone gets a taste of their own medicine
So Chelsea and City both win 4-0 and they meet each other next. It's a brave man to predict the score and a lucky one to get it right.
Thank **** that the Mousers aren't close enough to be rivals these days - otherwise I would be well pissed off with Swansea for turning out a 2nd team today. ( And still they have only managed a single goal so far from a penalty!!)
I can see Laudrup getting a fine for this one, though I can't blame him for taking his eye off the ball and concentrating on their cup final. Teams in European competitions do it all the time, it's just that they tend to have big enough squads to avoid this sort of embarrassing walkover.
In fairness you have to beat what's in front of you. Was surprised Swansea sacrificed most of their first team today for back ups.
Come on Rev, they may as well not have bothered turning up! Plus: please log in to view this image Not the reason that Swansea lost today, but you got twice as many penalties in this game as we have in all competitions all season. I wonder what we're doing wrong?
Laudrup should be free to choose any team from HIS squad, who are the premier league to say what team a manager should pick? When managers hand in their 25 man squad, are they asked to name their best starting XI? and told what team they must play each week. either way fair play to laudrup as he knows how important a cup win will be.
I'm not saying fine Swansea but I will use this as evidence when people say that things "even themselves out" over a season or two. This season who benefited from another team effectively sacrificing the match? Pool have been given three points. Last season who benefited from another team effectively sacrificing the match... well that's Pool again isn't it, when Chelski played a second string team before the Champions League. I think people who assume things balance out are those who think that if you toss a coin and get heads, you're more likely to get tails next time. I'm not actually making an anti-scouser point here, I would be equally unhappy if any team gets presented three points, after all if we'd got a free three points last season we'd have finished in third! NB if Bale had "won" that penalty above, there would be no end of inquests with pundits pointing out how they "know" it was a dive. Considering his track record I'm astonished he doesn't come under greater scrutiny, and I'm not saying he doesn't get legitimate penalties also, just saying that there doesn't seem to be as much focus on his antics.
And anyway Liverpool fielded Reina and Downing whilst bringing on Henderson, Allen and Borini. It's hard to say which side were more disadvantaged
