‘Campaigns, so many campaigns’.
The focus is likely to be Jose Mourinho’s media reaction after today’s game, but there’s so much else happening in this game to make it interesting. Chelsea v Manchester City is a clash between, undoubtedly, the two best team’s in the Premier League.
There’s also fascinating tactical battles, a returning hero/Judas (depending on your viewpoint), two managers that genuinely don’t like each other and a potential season defining result at stake.
And if none of that interests you, there’s also a feud between Jose Mourinho and his arch nemesis.
1. Eden Hazard v Pablo Zabaleta
Arguably the respective best players in their position in the league, Eden Hazard against Pablo Zabaleta will be a fascinating duel. In the same fixture last season, Hazard gave the City defender a torrid time. The Belgian’s electric pace and incredible control cause’s most defenders an infinite amount of trouble, but Zabaleta really struggled as Chelsea won 2-1. Hazard raced by him repeatedly.
Zabaleta may have to taper his attacking instincts, and not afford Hazard vital space to roam forward. However, the Chelsea forward can still hurt City’s defence with his quick one-twos. Vincent Kompany has struggled recently, displaying a tendency to rush into tackles and open up space for attackers; he will have to be on his game to help cover his right back today though.
Hazard has developed into an undisputed world class player over the past year and while Zabaleta is still arguably the best right back in the league, he could have another long afternoon.
2. City’s struggles without Yaya Toure
You’ve heard it before, repeatedly, but Manchester City haven’t won a league game without Yaya Toure in almost a year. Toure’s early season performances were much maligned, but, in the run of games prior to leaving for the African Cup of Nations, the Ivorian was greatly improved. The midfielder, however, did miss City’s impressive Champions League victories over Bayern Munich and Roma, but he could’ve been very effective against Chelsea.
Toure is a far more effective player than either of his stand-ins, Fernandinho and Fernando. He covers more ground, runs between the lines and is capable of moments of magic.
Chelsea are also vulnerable to players running at them through central positions, a weakness Toure would have been ideally suited to exploit. While City’s midfield duo have a tendency to sit too deep, Toure would have provided the necessary link between the visitors’ midfield and attack.
3. Frank Lampard
When Lampard left Chelsea last summer, he must have thought the next time he’d play at Stamford Bridge would be in a legends game. Instead the midfielder returns to to the club where he spent 13 years, for a top-of-the-table clash, and he could again be the decisive factor between the two sides.
Lampard has proved an excellent signing for City, averaging a goal every 79 minutes, and helping his new side gain valuable points in the title race. However, when he scored against Chelsea last September, he looked like someone had just knocked down his dog,
Only Alan Shearer has scored more away Premier League goals than Lampard and the midfielder is just two away from equalling the former Newcastle striker’s record. With Toure still absent, Lampard will likely feature at some point, particularly if City are forced to chase the game as they were last September.
Will Chelsea fans boo a player who made 648 appearances and scored 211 goals for the club? And how will Lampard react if his former fans do boo him? What will Mourinho have to say if Lampard has the impact he had in the reverse fixture?
What’s for certain, if Lampard does score, expect the ‘no-celebration’ celebration to end all ‘no-celebration’ celebrations.
4. Goals, (or lack thereof)
A top of the table clash, between two of the best sides in Europe, with two managers who don’t like each other and some of the world’s best attacking players on display. You’d think this would have to be an exciting game?
Well, think again. The signs are that it’ll be a tight, tense affair.
With Diego Costa suspended, Cesc Fabregas injured and Chelsea five points clear of City at the top of the table, don’t expect the hosts to go full throttle. Mourinho will only be too happy with a draw, and you can’t really blame him.
Chelsea are missing their two most effective attacking outlets, Didier Drogba isn’t capable of leading the line the way he could a few years ago and Mourinho won’t want to leave space in midfield for City to exploit. Don’t expect Chelsea’s midfield trio to be bursting forward.
It will likely fall on City to set the initiative, and understandably so as the Premier League champions are five points behind their rivals.
However, in the last six fixtures between the pair, only once has there being more than three goals scored in the game. Another low-scoring game looks likely.
5. Jose Mourinho versus the world
Mourinho’s one man quest to fight the various ‘campaigns’ against his side could go into overdrive this weekend. Not only is his star striker suspended and he facing the only genuine rival for the Premier League title, Mourinho’s up against a manager he doesn’t like and the game will be analysed on TV by his arch nemesis: Jamie Redknapp.
‘Maybe you are already influenced by the campaign on the television with the certain pundits saying that Costa has crimes, they must be nuts, the guy who says that’, Mourinho said after Tuesday’s League Cup semi-final win, about the incident that led to Costa’s suspension.
The Chelsea manager was, not for the first time, taking aim at Sky Sports’ pundit Redknapp, but, when asked to confirm if his adversary was the former Liverpool player, Mourinho said: ‘I don’t know his name because when I see it I switch off the television’. Burn.
Mourinho’s seemingly sees Redknapp as an Eamon Dunphy figure, a bastion of controversy who casually lobs verbal grenades any chance he gets. And there was us think the pundit was a bit bland.
However, Mourinho’s attention will be divided as he has other adversaries involved in this game; Manuel Pellegrini and Lampard. The Manchester City boss would be near the top of Mourinho’s enemy list, dating back to when the Portuguese succeeded Pellegrini as Real Madrid manager in 2010,and he’s still unhappy with Lampard’s controversial move to City.
There’s also referees, linesmen, ball-boys, the Chelsea fans, the media, basically anyone who isn’t Jose Mourinho. This could be more entertaining than the game itself.
6. Aguero
Chelsea have recently had problems with players turning and running at them from deep, in particular Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane both exposed the side’s vulnerable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf-Y1jRdOEo
You might say any team would struggle with to deal with the pace of Sterling, but this appears to Chelsea’s Achilles’ heel, and one ideal for Sergio Aguero to exploit.
Chelsea’s central defensive partnership is arguably the most solid in the league, but they aren’t the quickest and the pace of Aguero will pose a serious threat.
Jose Mourinho’s side can also leave space behind their midfield, with Nemanja Matic alone forced to cover for his more advanced midfield teammates. David Silva is a master at drifting into these pockets of space, dragging opponents out of position and creating chances. Mourinho will hope John Obi Mikel and Ramires, alongside Matic, will be sufficient in countering this threat.
