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Chelsea three things to look for in FA Cup semifinal: Ending history

By Travis Tyler

Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne (L) vies with Chelsea's English midfielder Mason Mount during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in London on June 25, 2020. (Photo by PAUL CHILDS / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL CHILDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne (L) vies with Chelsea's English midfielder Mason Mount during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in London on June 25, 2020. (Photo by PAUL CHILDS / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL CHILDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 07: Jesus Manuel Corona of FC Porto on the ball whilst under pressure from Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between FC Porto and Chelsea FC at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on April 07, 2021 in Seville, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 07: Jesus Manuel Corona of FC Porto on the ball whilst under pressure from Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between FC Porto and Chelsea FC at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on April 07, 2021 in Seville, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) /

2. Pragmatists versus protagonists

There are two tried and tested methods to dealing with a Pep Guardiola team. Method one is pragmatic. Park the bus, give them no openings, and hit them on the counter. This is the most common method used and Pep Guardiola knows it takes a perfect performance to stop his solutions to the issue.

Method two is to play Manchester City at their own game. They simply aren’t used to teams being willing to press them or play through them. They have contingencies for that too, but they are far less tested in those procedures.

Now “all-in” or “all-back” may seem a bit obvious but where most teams fail is they do not commit to what they are doing. There really can’t be a half and half or even a 90/10 split between the two. Teams have to commit to their method and stick with it for 90. Leeds United did that last weekend and got their result against City despite being down a man. Shakhtar has done this a few times too while facing City. Jurgen Klopp on his good years gets it as well.

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Chelsea played pragmatically against Porto in part because they didn’t need to do much else. If that was to get the muscle memory going before City then Tuchel played that second leg smartly. Even still, Chelsea can play far more aggressively than they did against Porto and City would be caught off guard by it.

Regardless of how Chelsea sets up for City, they need to be committed to their method. The smallest hesitation is where City makes their money. Chelsea needs to have a plan and stick with it.

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