week 14

Southampton vs Man City

--------------------------------------Onana-----------------------
----------Upamecano----------Dias---------Fofana---------------------
---------------------------------------Ndidi------------------------------------
-----------------------Valverde-----------Odegaard------------------------
Adama---------------------------------------------------------------Pulisic
--------------------------Jovic------------Rashford---------------------------
Vs

————————— H.Lloris
——— Godfrey — Koulibaly — Lenglet
Hakimi —— Tielemans—— Pogba —— Digne
—— Dembele ————————— Son H-M. ——
——————————- Lukaku

Same as last week for my G, home advantage gives him a nudge as well I can see Adama giving Digne absolute nightmares and Hakimi’s attacking instincts would allow Pulisic the room to run into, could be tidy. But that is tempered somewhat by the lack of defensive cover in the wider areas, and with Dembele and Son naturally drifting wider too there’s gonna be some dangerous over-loads and with such a powerful lump like Lukaku getting one-on-ones with Dias I can see City get some joy (no slight on Dias you know I like him)
Lets see what the fruity does
Red-Card – Dembele – which in a nice twist of fate he’d have been the sacrificial lamb

Full-time
Saints 2-2 City
Jovic (Valverde) Rashford (Adama)
Lukaku (Son) Pogba (Hakimi)
Will feel like a loss for the home team after having home adv and an extra man


Arsenal vs Spurs

------------------- B. Leno ---------------------
Pereira ---- Kounde -- Gabriel --- Bertrand
------------------- N. Kante --------------------
---------- T. Partey ----- Gundogan ----------
B. Saka --------- S. Gnabry ------ H. Lozano

Vs

--------------------- Mendy --------------------
Cancelo --- De Ligt --- Ramos --- Reguilon
----------- Casemiro --- De Bruyne ---------
M.Asensio ----- Griezmann ------ E.Hazard
------------------- Abraham ------------------

This is what football’s all about a high tempo full of passion derby game, gets the fans going and lets be fair the difference in volume at the emirates in or out of lockdown is negligible.
I like Jet’s tactics he writes passionately about his players and it’s clear for all just how highly he rates them, there’s a lovely balance to the side, I like the midfield-three and they can certainly control proceedings. But I don’t think Gnabry is the man to lead the line in that set-up, you highlight attacking them out-wide and Lozano and Saka are good, very good, But Spurs FB’s are no mugs either, and I struggle to see where Gnabry gets much joy out of Ramos/De Ligt with anything that’s coming into box from crosses. I like what Tabs done today, I said a fair bit recently he lacked a focal point and with Tammy leading the line it gets the best I think out of Griezzer and Hazard, giving them a more defined role and space to operate rather than one as a 9 and one as a 10
Two very good sides, Arsenal maybe hold the edge in midfield but Spurs with greater fire-power, draw would be a fair result here.

Arsenal 2-3 Spurs
Lozano (Gnabry) Gundogan (Partey)
Abraham (Asensio) Griezmann (KDB) Hazard (Abraham)


Sheffield United vs Newcastle

-----------------Dubravka
Lamptey, Kjaer, T. Silva, Grimaldo
----------Gallagher, Höjbjerg
----Bale, James, Saint-Maximin
------------------Mertens

Vs

———————-— ter Stegen
————— Fabinho - Hummels - Shaw
Llorente - Goretzka - Kroos - Verratti - Robbo
——————— Salah – Immobile

I like games where they use differing styles, gives a nice edge to the match-ups. I like both of these sides. Welshy has come a long way quickly by adding a few “names" to his roster but still keeping true to his up-and coming mantra. Ludy in that respect goes for the more here and now players, which has always served him well (there’s no right or wrong way to play this game)
I’m not shaw about that LCB, but I get that needs must. Bit of a shuffle around with the Blades front four and I kinda like it, Mertens is a top quality finisher and Saint-Maximin on his day is a real game-changer.
I like the Newcastle midfield the three of them can certainly keep hold of the ball and probe that blades defence. The front two are a good combo the pace and drive of Salah and the predatory finishing of Immobile.

Full-time
Sheff Utd 1-2 Newcstle
Mertens (ASM)
Salah (Immobile) Immobile (Llorente)


Leeds vs Leicester
-----------------------Neuer

Castagne---Soyuncu---Hermoso---Hernandez

----------------------Brozovic

-----------Alberto-------------Foden

Ocampos---------------------------------Depay

-----------------------Kane

Vs

———————————— Schmeichel———————————
R.James ——Marquinhos —— Laporte —— D.Alaba
————————————— D.Luiz————————————
————————- Thiago.A —— B.Fernandes —————
—————————————————————————————
Sterling ——————— L.Martinez ————— S.Mane

Leeds change shape and I think it’s for the best I like the side and the tactics, it’s gotta better balance to it than the last few weeks in any other week that’d work really well and potentially get maximum points, but today is a tough ask that Leicester side is quality and whilst being matched up Leicester man to man just have that more quality. Leicester’s midfield is probably the second best in the league and if they had Leeds’ keeper and Striker they’d be unstoppable
Hard fought away win this
Leeds 1-2 Leicester
Kane (Foden)
Sterling (Thiago) Martinez (Bruno)

Wolves vs Chelsea
--------------------------- De Gea ----------------------------
--------- Pavard -------- Romero --------- Konate ---------
Danilo ---------- Soucek --------- Prowse --------- Sandro
--------------------------- Maddison --------------------------
---------------- A.Silva --------------- Werner -------------

Vs

---------------------------- Bounou ----------------------------
W-Bissaka ------ S.deVrij ------ van Dijk ------ B.Chilwell
----------------- F.de Jong ------ Locatelli ------------------
F.Torres ------------------- Ilicic ------------------- Neymar
---------------------------- Haaland ---------------------------

Fan doesn’t know if he’s coming or going here as he sits on a deckchair between both dugouts. Two very differing lay-outs which gives an interesting game. I like the 3-5-2 it gives Wolves as solid core and a decent foothold in the midfield battle. I’ve never been a fan of playing just one up front but I like the balance of the Chelsea side, Ilicic at 50 is a strange signing for you but he’s a clever player and even now at Atalanta he still creates a lot of chances and I imagine him linking well with Haaland.
Good game this but Chelsea having just that bit more quality than Wolves

Wolves 0-1 Chelsea
Haaland (Ilicic)