A decidedly average performance where we had Ali to Mane all off kilter and one or two above average but still well below usual standards, thought the pace of the game was too slow and we missed creativity from midfield, at times we had Mane Diaz and Mo coming deep to find the ball, that isn’t right, although we do sometimes see this when we’re playing well also,
I expected a tough time of it and that’s exactly what we got Rice or no Rice, we missed Thiago, or a Harvey and most definitely a Bobby for which this type of game was perfect for, we’d lose Mane or Diaz but we would gain a better penetration, fair play to Hammers the had a go rather parking the double decker and that kept us on our raggedy toes
If we’re all honest we got away with that today, had Lanzini not bottled it we would have dropped points and the neg heads knives would have come out in a frenzy, we’ve had games like this before, we will have again, it’s what Champions do, we get taken through the mill and back again and still come away with points, 3 in this case, pressure is with the camel jockeys of Eastlands, one wee slip and they’ll smell our breath and it’s fiery,
In a funny sort of way it was a helpful performance, we were due a bad one, recent performances have been superb, and we’re only just descending from cloud Nine after the final, so get the bad one out of the way before Internazionale visit on Tuesday and restore normality in the CL,
Lots shouting for Diaz as motm, and he is a good shout, but I’m giving mine to Trent, up to 16 assists already this season and we’re barely half way through, phenomenal from remember predominately a RB, another assist for Mane’s tap in but that clearance off the line saved our bacon, felt like we had scored when he got to that, awesome from Trent,
We got that thing again haven’t we, that feeling of invincibility we had when we won the title in 19/20, we had some sticky moments in games that campaign too, and the season before when we missed out by 11cm, fine margins and all of that, this one will be no different, bound to be a few bumps in the road before May, so to will Citeh, but we are better equipped to deal with those bumps than what they are and that is why we will win No 20, like I said before I like where we are, 3 behind breathing down their necks, applying the pressure, and as we tick off each game we win the pressure mounts, keep it going until that game, the against us and they Will Crack, and Pep blows a gasket, and the title and hopefully the CL too, and we can sail off into the wind with bag full of silver.
The bestest ugliest win so far this season, I’ll take it ?
Y N W A
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