I’m getting to think this could be City’s season to make club history and win the Champions League.
But after the 1-1 draw with Celtic in the Group C final game dead rubber on Tuesday I’m not convinced about the way manager Pep Guardiola is going about it with all this chopping and changing to his team.
It is disrespectful to fans to rotate his squad so much – a practice started in this country by Sir Alex Ferguson at United and sadly the standing of the FA Cup has suffered ever since.
Tuesday was a great opportunity to see for ourselves how Brendan Rodgers’ Scottish league leaders would cope against one of our best club sides but Guardiola ended up playing a virtual second string.
I’d prefer smaller squads so fans can build a rapport with their favourites – and by the way I don’t go along with all this nonsense about players being too tired to play twice a week.
The Blues meanwhile have a superb opportunity to progress into the quarter finals being group runners up. They will avoid group C winners Barcelona of course but also big guns Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – both second in their groups – in Monday’s draw and are consequently 12/1 at Betfred to win the Big Ears trophy.
City certainly have the best chance of the three English teams still standing with Arsenal 20/1 and Leicester amongst the outsiders at 50/1. Guardiola looks like he’s prioritising Europe knowing it is the Holy Grail although Saturday’s defeat against Premier League leaders will have given him food for thought with his defence again looking shaky.
Conte’s Chelsea are topping the table.
Two weeks ago I lost £300,000 with an offer that all four teams in the Premier League would win, well you know what I’m doing it again. Betfred are going 3/1 that Chelsea beat WBA, Guardiola’s City win at inconsistent fallen champs Leicester, Liverpool beat West Ham and Arsenal see off Stoke at the Emirates.
We’re fast approaching the halfway stage of what is turning into a fascinating season. Chelsea are clearly the form team and with no European distractions are benefiting from being able to play virtually the same starting eleven every week. At least Antonio Conte has cut down on needless meddling unlike Jose Mourinho at United with that bizarre introduction of Fellaini at Everton. He was off the pace and cost us a point, simple as that.
United could well do the top four a big favour by beating fifth-placed Spurs at Old Trafford on Sunday – and if you, like me, think the Blues will beat Leicester too Betfred have a Manchester double at 3/1.
