PEDRO-AD TO SUCCESS
I am actually in the States at the moment, so with the difference in time zones, I only managed to watch a couple of EPL games this weekend and saw just a few goals from some other matches.
If there was any lesson we learned last season, it is that whenever Chelsea go to Spain to recruit it almost turns out to be a success story – except for Felipe Luis. Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Azpilicueta, we can make a case for Thibaut Courtois, and now Pedro the latest acquisition from Barcelona.
Not just because he is serial winner, nor because he knows how to win league titles and Chmampions Leagues, this guy is a class act and has come to compliment the orchestra that Jose Mourinho is building at Stamford Bridge. Will Stones be part of that too? Pogba? And another striker perhaps?
Pedro ran endlessly, worked hard, passed, and to finish it off, he scored and gave an assist for Diego Costa’s goal. His runs were incisive, decisive and purposeful; where others have just ran aimlessly on the flanks previously, every run was timed to perfection whether he was running behind the defence, supporting the striker or running back to cover. Where the goals have been missing from Wilian, Ramirez and the rest, Pedro showed why he is a world class champion and now everybody would be looking over their shoulders at the new competition from Barcelona. It remains to be seen whether Cuadrado, Oscar and/or Ramirez would still be wearing the blue shirt when the transfer window closes
THE CASE FROM THE BACK
What I do not understand is this new craze of – we want to pass the ball from the back. Surely passing the ball from the back is also a long ‘pass’ to the front man or to the wingers, or am I missing something?
I watched teams shoot themselves in the foot trying to ‘pass the ball’ through ridiculous landmines, I also saw numerous defenders refusing to clear their lines, thereby falling into trouble at the back.
What ever happened to clearing the lines at the back to allow the team to regroup?
Aston Villa lost their game at Crystal Palace when the left back decided to play the ball out from the back. West Ham conceded three goals because Crosswell and Jenkinson (two defenders) decided not to clear their lines at the back. Everton played themselves into trouble several times against Manchester City trying to play out of the back and finally, West Brom conceded possession against Chelsea in dangerous areas on numerous occasions and eventually conceded the three points to Chelsea at the Hawthorns.
Sometimes it makes sense to go back to the football basics and do the simple things, and some of those include short passes, long passes and clearing the ball out of your own penalty box instead of trying to do a double pass or dribble out of your box. They say it is good to do it simple and stupid sometimes, maybe that way you could amass more points.
CITY STILL YET TO CONCEDE AGAIN
Manchester City put up another class performance against an impressive Everton team at Merseyside.
Another solid display at the back meant that City have not conceded any goal in 270 minutes of Premiership action this year, taking all the nine points on offer.
They have been disciplined at the back, disciplined in the middle of the pack and now have Nicolas Otamendi to bring more competition to the solid back line.
I must also commend Yaya Toure and Fernandinho for the way they’ve been playing thus far, giving adequate cover to their defence and preventing any opposition forays upon Joe Hart.
They have both abandoned their usual zeal to attack aimlessly from their midfield position and replaced it with a new found discipline to keep a sheet clean. It’s looking like City are here to challenge for the title this season, and with Otamendi and Raheem, they look like they are here to score many goals while keeping clean sheets.