Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp may not like to hear this, but Saturday’s early kick-off sees a clash of possibly, the two most tactically astute managers in the Premier League.
From the point of view of a purist, this clash of tactical titans is engrossing to say the very least and as Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte lock horns for the first time in the English Premier League, will it be the catenaccio that stalls Manchester City’s pass-and-move philosophy or will it be the tiki-taka that smashes through Chelsea’s door-bolt?
When Guardiola joined the Premier League’s elite this summer, all the media could talk about was how the title race would boil down to Pep vs Mou or United vs City. At the time, the Spaniard had spoken about Conte’s managerial prowess and about the Italian would be a worthy adversary.
Less than four months later and one-third of the season over, Pep’s prophecy looks like it did come true and a defeat for his City team which will result in a four-point cushion for the Blues over the Citizens will ironically, lend only further credence to Guardiola’s statements about Conte.
Chelsea overcome adversity in style
Heading into their match against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, Chelsea had won their six previous comfortably without conceding a single goal in any of those matches, pumping a combined 17 past their opposition in those matches. Their form was such that a cancelled game aside, it really did seem like nothing would stop the Blue juggernaut from crushing a stuttering Spurs.
However, the Stamford Bridge faithful were in for a rude shock as Tottenham outplayed Chelsea in their own backyard in the first 45 minutes. Christian Eriksen’s left-footed strike gave Thibaut Courtois no chance as Spurs became the first team to score against Chelsea after 601 minutes as the Blues got dragged out of la-la land, crashing straight back down to the Stamford Bridge earth. They had not conceded since switching to the 3-4-3, now they would have to claw their way back into the match.
Their revival was impressive, especially given the identity of its unusual architects. The first goal, which was Chelsea’s only shot on target in the first half, came after Pedro, the Spaniard, swivelled and turned in front of the Spurs box after receiving the ball from Nemanja Matic, only to curl it into the far-right corner with a sublime piece of individual skill.
If the first goal was all about a single player, the second was about teamwork. Receiving the ball in the final third, Diego Costa, who looks more like the player that was bought from Atletico Madrid, ran to the byline dragging several Spurs defenders with him, before crossing a low ball to wing-back Victor Moses, who finished off a 60-yard dash from his own half by depositing the ball in Hugo Lloris’ net.
Chelsea had come from behind to win the game, and in some style.
What role will Yaya Toure play?
Right now, Pep Guardiola must feel like the little kid disappointed to have finished his box of cookies, reaching into it to feel the crumbs only to find a shiny new cookie and get all excited.
Toure, not a new cookie by any stretch of the imagination, finally started City’s match againts Crystal Palace after a summer of “Pep must apologise” by agent Dimitri Seluk followed by the City manager indefinitely freezing the 33-year old out of his Etihad plans.
In the end, it was the Ivorian who reached out and sought forgiveness and all parties, player, manager and club have benefitted from an amicable end to a rather messy piece of business. Toure looks like his 2011 self, slaloming into the opposition’s box, scoring for fun and dominating the game in midfield.
Guardiola might not start Toure in a game of this magnitude but it certainly feels good to have the big bully of a medio as an option again.
Will Pep spring a tactical surprise?
At the Euro 2016 quarter-final, German coach Joachim Low paid the ultimate compliment to Antonio Conte by recognising the threat of the Italian team which so easily dispossessed of Spain by ditching his decade-old practices and matched the Azzuri’s 3-5-2 with a 3-5-2 of his own.
On Saturday, Guardiola may opt for the same to counter the threat of Marcos Alonso and Moses along the wings. It is likely that Fernandinho may drop into the hole between Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones, with Toure and Ilkay Gundogan ahead of the three-man backline.
While Raheem Sterling is City’s only injury worry, Sergio Aguero may start in the middle flanked by Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva. For Chelsea, it should be an unchanged line-up from the one that started the last six matches with the trio of Pedro, Costa and Eden Hazard leading Chelsea’s attack.
Saturday’s match-up has everything: the top two favourites for the title, the two leading PL goalscorers and two of the best gaffers in the land. It is difficult to see anything but the game of the weekend playing out at the Etihad.