FA Cup Thread City Chelsea

[KunDB]

Lots of changes but no Cancelo starting?

He is definitely out of favour, and has not played well this season generally, minor injury maybe?

Gomez starts.

Come on City.

[gavin]

Interesting side. Thought Phillips and Cancelo might start.

XI | Ortega Moreno, Walker (C), Akanji, Laporte, Gomez, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Palmer, Mahrez, Alvarez, Foden

SUBS | Ederson, Phillips, Stones, Ake, Cancelo, Gundogan, Haaland, De Bruyne, Lewis

[gavin]

Arsenal or Oxford at home in the next round. We've had some amazing draws this season.

[Stephen Paul]

interesting line up

Mon Cityyyyyyyyyyy

[Stephen Paul]

absolute screamer

[Stephen Paul]

lets all hail the Algerian Messi

[gavin]

Mahrez is shutting some people up. Gomez looks a very tidy footballer. Palmer doesn't seem as positive as he used to be. Should be a relaxing second half, hopefully.

[Stephen Paul]

Alverez reminds me a bit like Tevez, never stops

[KunDB]

Cruise control Second half. Mahrez good. Cole Palmer much too wasteful with and without the ball today, had to learn from Alvarez.

[lee]

Great result and some good performances.
Mahrez in his Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde guise today.He's been great.
I'll even give him MOTM 

[Neil Mcnab]

Sick of all those calling Mahrez, he was really putting a shift in both in attack and defence. Wish he was as active all the time. I know he is a young player, who must be showing excellence in training, but Palmer showed little. Lewis came on, yes when Chelsea were beaten and tired, but looked real class.

[gavin]

Hopefully, Palmer will get another run out in the week and find some form. Anyone can have a bad day. A great win. Chelsea may have injuries but they still had a strong team.

Sick of these refs and their inconsistency. A few bookings for City which were probably deserved but how Azpilicueta and Havertz got away with it, I will never know.

Only one FA Cup for Pep, hopefully this will be our year. But Chelsea and then probably Arsenal ain't an easy start.

[bbk]

Played a lot better without Haaland. Midfield more natural. Pep needs to consider the possibility that this is the best course of action going forward.

[Stephen Paul]

Played a lot better without Haaland. Midfield more natural. Pep needs to consider the possibility that this is the best course of action going forward.

Thought the same

[KunDB]

No point comparing pears to apples, Haaland to Alvarez playing. Just not the same thing, we are a better team with a deadly striker up front.

The first goal by Mahrez from the free kick was a screamer from him. The third goal was a build up masterclass and superb play by Kyle Walker who looks like he is getting back to his best.

What an all round performance, albeit against a very poor Chelsea side.

[silvablue]

Sick of ......I know he is a young player, who must be showing excellence in training, but Palmer showed little. .....

Palmer is better playing in the right, he looked it off position yesterday evening but still sparked on occasions.

He will learn and progress.

[gavin]

It is certainly an interesting point this thing about us being more effective with Alvarez in the side. But then we were good in the second half at Chelsea. It was only in the first half with the switches elsewhere in the team that we were poor. We've definitely got two very good options up front now. But with Alvarez's work rate, I reckon he could play in other positions.

[bbk]

No point comparing pears to apples, Haaland to Alvarez playing. Just not the same thing, we are a better team with a deadly striker up front.

The first goal by Mahrez from the free kick was a screamer from him. The third goal was a build up masterclass and superb play by Kyle Walker who looks like he is getting back to his best.

What an all round performance, albeit against a very poor Chelsea side.

It's because they are different, and impact the fluidity of the midfield differently, that makes the comparison appropriate. It's certainly a valid consideration for Pep. Small body of evidence to support that we are better without Haaland, but enough to merit further investigation.

[KunDB]

It's because they are different, and impact the fluidity of the midfield differently, that makes the comparison appropriate. It's certainly a valid consideration for Pep. Small body of evidence to support that we are better without Haaland, but enough to merit further investigation.

Never rule anything out, but the real difference I saw was not Haaland playing or not, it was width and playing with joy and flair rather than too a very strict rigid template set by Pep. A bit of flair and flick was allowed that was missing previously.

Gomez give us width on the left, less inversion. Foden was good but not great but still give us extra in midfield with his runs into the box and keeping the ball moving and Walker was oozing to make surging overlap runs. Mahrez was on fire on the other wing and playing the best we have seen him play in a long time, happy days. These things are what made the difference.Silva, Foden, Walker, Mahrez give us energy and tempo, energy and tempo we have been missing in recent games.

[bbk]

Yes, agreed. However, I think this freedom and flexibility comes from not being set up to accommodate someone who cannot fit in with our previous style. A style I don't think we should have even considered changing.