DOR said:The team doesn't deserve the title after that display.
"Offense wins games, defense wins championships"
- Old NFL saying (hence the esses and not cees.)
Palace's first was a deflection, Gayle's first was a great strike, and he just beat the offside for the equaliser. On another day, the Pool would still be coming home with 3 points. Credit Palace for bringing attempts in the face of the three-goal defect, doe. You make your own luck. I seem to remember the Pool doing the same in Istanbul...
It seems Mourinho prefers to set his sides up cautiously at the back and rely on Drogba-type strikers to win long balls in the air. I mean, his Blue Machine sides were notoriously frugal. (checks...) 15 conceded for the whole 2004/5 season! They don't have any actual Drogba-type strikers now, which is why they have struggled with goals, no? A good move for them would be to poach Dzeko.
City are more carefree, pushing up and taking risks with skeleton staff behind and inevitably Kompany and dem do get caught out, but it works in general. City don't task a Glen Johnson-type player with bringing the ball up, other than maybe Kolarov, and Micah Richards, neither of whom start, so maybe the defensive legs are fresher in the final third of the game.
I guess Glen Johnson was actually knackered, despite what he tweeted.
Yes, props to Pulis. Puts a fresh Gayle on, lad scores 2 pronto.
City still City though. Will make hard work of two home games against "Lesser" opponents, believe.
Sailor V.