So, Boxing Day it is and no home game which is always a shame when it happens, but not to get the next game at home well that's just bollocks, bah humbug! Anyway I sit in the warm comfort of my back room and wait for the line-up on Forza. A line up I am happy with only if King Kev is playing up front as neither Nolito or Sterling are good enough to do it! However what follows for the first half is no obvious striker playing up their and I guess if you had to call it Nolito, who I don't mind on his debut season but runs very strange and can't shoot for shit! So what a surprise loads of possession and no penetration and I ask the question why aren't we playing an actual striker in Iheanacho?? Now I know he hasn't delivered in the last couple of starts he had but surely here against bottom of the league is an opportunity to give the kid another chance, whilst giving us better shape and balance.
Other things from a frustrating first half were Stones started which I agreed with (for as I have already stated when paired with Otamendi in a back 4 earlier in the season all looked good), but he was soon back on the bench after a seemingly superficial knee injury. Now what was interesting was the frosty passing of Pep on the touch line, maybe it's something and nothing but it didn't seem warm and Christmassy. Anyway I think he should come good and does help us play football, and besides Kolarov came on and did a job at his better position of centre back, who would have thought hey! Again a player much better with 4 at the back. Let's just stick to that for now!
So, the second half started and it inevitably started to open up a bit as Hull tired, however Hull had a couple of chances as well early on. Then Pep makes the right decision that I think should have been from the start and takes Nolito off replacing him with Iheanacho and unsurprisingly the game starts to change as De Bruyne starts to dictate properly and Silva delivers on the wing. Soon after Sterling makes them make a mistake with his new found form and Yaya keeps his nerve to sort it out and everything changes. Next the ginger prince, Silva and Iheanacho combine to create a proper football goal highlighting again players in the right position making good decisions, with Iheanacho's natural striker positions being an obvious change from the first half for all to see. Finally Sterling again twists and turns to create the 3rd and the score line eventually flatters somewhat, but with the team at the end actually starting the game it would have been more.
Other things of note being again Yaya solid, looking hungry and a real refreshing change from the past 2 years. The Pep effect, for your manager has to be bigger than your players!
Till next time!
The sofa, back room.
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