Happy Monday all. Who predicted two 0-0s for us last week then?
The Premier League is getting harder and harder to predict with Southampton, Everton, Leeds, Leicester and Aston Villa all in the top six. You can’t say we are out of the title hunt just yet.
We have a much easier week ahead, starting in Russia on Wednesday, while we have also added a three time Premier League winner to our Premier League squad – you just might have heard of him.
ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER
Last week I said I wouldn’t put a penny on us getting two clean sheets in our games against United and Sevilla… don’t take betting tips from me!
We have gone from drawing 3-3 against Southampton to two 0-0s and I still don’t know how to feel about it. It begs the question; were you happier falling asleep in front of a stalemate or checking your pulse as we played out a 3-3?
The promising sign is Lamps has his backline sorted whether we play four at the back like we did in the Champions League or the back five that started at Old Trafford.
Edouard Mendy, despite a minor mishap in Manchester, looks like the real deal and his performance will have settle the nerves for the whole backline. Just how good was that save from Marcus Rashford at the end?
Going forward surely won’t be an issue for this side with all the talent we have signed, I think it was right Frank put defence as the priority for the last two games. We can build off those two results.
We have two games in the week against *checks Google* Krasnodar and Burnley. I’m backing us to win both comfortably with our new-look defence now fully settled.
VAR SHAMBLES
I almost felt sorry for Harry Maguire after he was sent off for England a couple of weeks ago.
The defender has been mocked this season after a disastrous couple of months but it seems like the VAR officials thought he deserved a break at our expense.
Cesar Azpilicueta was manhandled down by the Rugby League player in what looks like the most blatant penalty you could see. But did VAR step in? Nope.
It seems penalties are given at Old Trafford every five minutes when the home team are after one but when it goes the other way? I don’t think so.
Man United are unquestionably the luckiest team in the League, they were awarded a penalty after the full time whistle in Brighton and were once again lucky to avoid defeat at the weekend.
I wonder if, had the players have put a little more pressure on the ref, he might have gone and had a look at the monitor and given us the pen?
Wishful thinking at Old Trafford, I know.
GUESS WHO’S BACK
Quite possibly the biggest shock of the week came when I read through our Premier League squad for the season ahead and Petr Cech’s name came up.
Lampard claims it is precautionary what with the pandemic and that might be true and a wise move but it can’t have helped with Kepa’s confidence… or what’s left of it.
Our best ever number one has been playing the drums and Ice Hockey since he retired and has been helping behind the scenes at Cobham for the last year but there just might be a time where he needs to blow the cobwebs off his scrum cap.
Didier Drogba joked that he too was on his way back to the club after hearing that news that ‘Big Pete’ was there too. Anyone have Salomon Kalou’s phone number?
I can’t imagine Cech will get a game this season but, for his experience alone, it’s great to have him on board. Safe to say we have the best fourth keeper in the world?.
DREAM TEAM MADNESS
Much like Super Frank, defence was the best form of offence for my Dream Team side this weekend.
Thankfully Leicester kept our Arsenal last night, a performance which earned Kasper Schmeichel a whopping 13 points.
Thiago Silva racked up and impressive eight points while there was nothing to write home about when it came to my attacking ‘talent’.
There is a new leader at the top of our mini-league with Stuart Jones’ aptly named ‘Catch me if you Can’ side just a point ahead of the chasing pack.
Edouard Mendy and Ben Chilwell did the business for Stuart this week and the lucky so and so still has Harry Kane to play this evening.