To say optimism is in short supply around our contributors is, in itself, optimistic. Here are our predictions for Chelsea’s date with the defending champions.
Maurizio Sarri’s style of football is often compared favourably to Pep Guardiola’s. But Sarri has no answer in his past for Guardiola when it comes to results or trophies. Guardiola has them all, Sarri does not. Things are unlikely to change when Chelsea face Manchester City today.
Hugo Amaya: Chelsea 0 – 5 Manchester City. Chelsea have a lot of problems and no solutions at the moment. Winning against Fulham between losses to Tottenham and Wolves won’t be enough motivation for the players. Maurizio Sarri, meanwhile, will persist in the same tactics that everyone already figured out. As a result, Pep Guardiola will look like a genius as his team takes apart Chelsea.
This game won’t be pretty. No goals in the Blues’ favor, no tactics or even possession, as City will demolish Chelsea.
Scott Brant: 0 – 2. Knowing Chelsea, after losing to two teams they should have beaten they will win against a team they should lose to. That’s the Chelsea way. But City don’t let up goals, except to defenders, apparently. Not only do they possess the ball, but they put it in the back of the net, unlike some other possession-based teams. They can also hit you on the break.
If Chelsea pulled out a win, the favorable result would likely be caused by what City didn’t do more than what Chelsea did do. Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane to score.
Barrett Rouen: 2 – 0. I don’t ever predict against Chelsea. I’m not one of those.
Rupert Meadows: 1 – 2. Big games always come with a different mentality, so it’s difficult to judge how this one will go. Chelsea will be determined not to be whitewashed and will fight hard throughout, but will ultimately lose to the stronger side. Goals from midfielders will secure City the win after a long deadlock at the beginning.
Gabe Henderson: 3 – 2. I’m feeling bold and have a strange and unjustified confidence about this match. City are runaway favorites for the title – that’s no secret – but they can be beaten. Even though Maurizio Sarri has never defeated Pep Guardiola, you have to start somewhere.
While I’m not always great at making predictions, I feel fairly confident that an Eden Hazard masterclass is coming. Sarri will field a starting XI that brings out the best in his world-class winger. Chelsea grab two late goals to come back from 2-1 down and become the first team to defeat the reigning champions in the Premier League this season.
Abhishek Pancholi: 0 – 4. This is going to be a drubbing. There are no two ways about it, really. Manchester City have become what Roman Abramovich dreamed of turning Chelsea into when he bought the club. Unfortunately, a series of poor decisions in recent years have cost them dearly.
A major portion of Sarri’s philosophy consists of hogging the ball, but here he’ll be facing the man who invented the damned philosophy. It won’t be pretty and it will feel like eternity, but City will let us get away with just four in the Goals Against column.
Kepa Arrizabalaga will be the best player on the night, keeping the score down and our pants up.
Daniel Mcclue: 1 – 4. The wheels seem to have fallen off for Chelsea. Losing to Spurs was expected, but getting rolled over by Wolves raised warning signs. City are a different animal and will tear through the Blues with ease. Someone in Blue will get a consolation goal at some point. It’s just a question of how many for City.
Kevin Peacock: 1 – 1. It’s difficult for me to predict anything other than a win for Chelsea. My heart massively rules my head. However, the team are in a “bad moment.” Maurizio Sarri’s “Sarrismo” is failing, as it should with such a stupid name, and he seems stubbornly reluctant to fix it.
So far, it’s the players who have shouldered the blame but another defeat will see the Italian come under increasing pressure. His three meetings with Pep Guardiola have resulted in three defeats so that doesn’t bode well.
But whilst I expect a loss, I’ll predict a 1-1 draw on the off chance the Blues show up and City have a bad day at the office. Eden Hazard to score.
Brendan McDonnell: Sarriball 1 – 3 Pepball. I just don’t see it. I want to. I wish I could. But I don’t. I think the Blues are going to be out-everything’d by Manchester City tomorrow. My only saving grace is that overrated redhead won’t be in the XI tomorrow (I will die on this hill).
Anyhow, Olivier Giroud scores because he often scores goals when the team doesn’t need them and this is the perfect opportunity.