FA Cup Preview: Chelsea vs Manchester City

Turning the corner or more of the same?

Just three days have passed since our tussle with Pep’s team of light blue Assasins and here we are again, getting ready to square up once more. So here is my preview for our next FA Cup tie. Up the Chels…

I have seen quite a division in the fan base regarding our last outing against City. Some fans praised the performance itself, touting the effort and losing margin as signs of growth. Other fans have lamented that we are lowering our standards and that a loss, no matter who the opponent may be, is never acceptable. Of course, discourse across social media tends to concentrate on the extremes, and I suspect the majority of Chelsea supporters sit somewhere in the middle like myself. Personally, I think both can be true, particularly when we consider the context.

Yes, we did perform well all things considered. When you realise the injury list we had before the game, and account for losing both Sterling and Pulisic early on, is fair to say that an XL (Expected Loss) was on the cards. Remember this is still Pep’s Manchester City, arguably one of the greatest teams that ever grace the Premier League. Sure they may be in a patch on inconsistency, but with the players, they have the pedigree of the manager, it was a tall task to beat them even with a full-strength squad. So the fact that we controlled the game for large portions, and walked away with only one goal conceded, through a series of individual errors, is a positive for me.

With that said, we were fortunate to get a Man City team who were not at their best. It’s hard to argue against the fact that we all expected more from City and their stars. Whether their poor performance was due to our tactics and play or due to their own issues is up for debate. That is why I believe criticism towards Potter and the team does have merit. It’s not common that City to slip up and it was a golden opportunity to extract much-needed points from the defending champions.

With all that said, we now look forward to today’s rematch. It’s yet another opportunity for Potter to prove some pedigree and stand toe to toe with the unstoppable force. Based on the previous performance, and the additional injuries, Potter is facing a bit of a selection dilemma. Many of the players we have to use would not normally make the first XI, yet here we are relying on subs and reserves to slay the dragon. Tactical planning will be essential in this match. It’s unlikely that we will be able to subdue Erling Haland two games in a row, but if we can, we will cut off a major threat. Chelsea needs to exploit the fact that City has become somewhat predictable. We know they will hunt for that killer pass for Haaland to finish, and if they can’t get that, Haaland will drift out to cause holes in the defence for the likes of Foden and Mahrez to sneak in for a goal. So we need a resolute defence which can provide a foundation for counter-attacking opportunities. I believe the key to this match will be our ability to shock City on the break and exploit their high press. We know our attackers struggle to create and finish chances against a deep defence, so Potter needs to b wise and draw City forward to open up space.

Here is the XI I believe would stand up the best chance:

Kepa in goal makes sense due to the injury with Mendy. There’s an argument to be made for allowing Slonina to start, but I believe that aside from the goal error, Kepa showed good form in the last game and should b able to keep that form going.

In defence, I would give a run to Lewis Hall. Cucurella struggled last time out, and we need him rested for the upcoming league games so, with Chilly B still out, Hall makes the most sense as the next in line. He’s young, hungry and has some size and pace. This could be a lower-pressure chance to show up what he can do at the top levels of the game. Silva is key for defensive solidarity and for marshalling the youth around him. Our new signingBenoit has joined in just the nick of time to fill in for our overworked defence. He comes with some pedigree from Monaco and should hit the ground running. Finally, Trev Chalobah fills in and RB. He was one of the best-performing defenders before the world cup and has unfairly been frozen out by Potter in recent games. I believe he deserves another run in the team, and given that the current RB choice is El Capitan Azpi, we need Trev’s speed, stamina and defensive nous to close off attacks on that right-hand flank.

I would anchor the mid with our very own giant, Zakaria. While he is by no means a finished article, he has provided a very good option in recent games. His ability on the ball I good enough to recycle the ball to the 8’s around him, while his off-the-ball defensive work is leaps and bounds ahead of J5. We then have the press resistance of Kova and the ball progression ability of Carney flanking Dennis. Both provide good options for moving the ball into the attacking third and for linking up with the wide players for quick one-two passes to get through the City midfield. They both performed well the last time out and could continue the form in this game.

Up front is where we have many issues. The lack of chances and, more importantly, the lack of finishing is severely holding the team back. Our go-to players have not provided the goods, so the dilemma is severe. So all this considered I would start Omari on the left and Ziyech on the right. Ziyeh had some good moments in the last game, and he showed us all what he can do in the World Cup so have hope that when he gets a consistent run in the team he can recapture the performances that made him a Chelsea player in the first place. Omari did not have the best debut in the previous game, but it was just that, his debut. It’s acceptable that the nerves and occasion may have taken their toll. This is a chance for him to get his feet wet and show why he deserves a run in the starting XI, he has the creative ability to craft a half-chance for the attackers around him and that’s all we can ask for. Finally, I would stick with Kai up front. He’s not a 9, I agree, but we need to let go of the fraud that is Auba and that leaves us with few options. We do have the new signing Davi Fofana and I would consider giving him a run in the second half but having just joined I believe it’s too much to ask him to start. Kai needs to step up his game We bought him as a supposedly generational talent but if he does not kick on this season it may be time to cut our losses.

So to my prediction. I actually believe we will win this game. Chelsea has been a bogey team for Pep, and he’s prone to overthinking. I expect him to tinker with his team oo much and, as a result, ou youth and hunger will propel us to a 2-1 victory in this game. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!