Enzo Fernández will miss Chelsea’s clash with Manchester City on Sunday after ‘crossing a line’.
“Enzo Fernández and Rodri would quite like to move to Madrid; many people would. They both said as much in the international break, those special parts of the season when players join up with their national teams and give interviews while apparently unaware that media are global these days: a whisper on Luzo TV can soon become a hurricane in London. But Rodri will line up for Manchester City at Chelsea on Sunday, while Fernández will not, suspended by the club for ‘crossing a line’. It’s worth, perhaps, looking at exactly what was said. Fernández expressed disappointment at Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day. …”
Guardian
NY Times/The Athletic – Chelsea 0 Manchester City 3: O’Reilly steps up again. Was Fernandez missed? Should Arsenal be afraid?
Real talk: Chelsea punished Enzo Fernández for exposing project’s fatal flaw – Jonathan Wilson
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“On Grand National day, Arsenal showed signs they could yet fall at the final fence. A win over Bournemouth would have seen Arsenal go 12 points clear, at least temporarily. At this late stage, that would have been a very healthy lead, even with Manchester City holding two games in hand. The remainder of the season might have become a procession. Instead, Arsenal were beaten 2-1, delivering a performance so disappointing it may leave them not staggering, but crawling towards the finish line. …”
“FANS leaving the game early if their team is losing on their own ground is a curious sight. It seems to be a growing trend within the game and the TV cameras love it, scanning the stands for signs of supporters flicking their seats up and heading, grim-faced, to the exits. Symbolic gestures like destroying their season tickets and comments like ‘I’m finished with this lot’ often accompany the exodus. We’ve seen it regularly this season, at Old Trafford (frequently), Tottenham, Stamford Bridge and others. While this has always been a feature of football, more often than not, a negative scoreline at most grounds was met with defiance and the chant, ‘We’ll support you evermore’. There was something very stoic about the football fan, who reacted to adversary by declaring their life-long affection for their club, even in bad times. …”
“It was November 2020 when Jurgen Klopp, then Liverpool’s manager, likened a football team to an orchestra. He used the analogy in praise of Roberto Firmino’s versatility for the Anfield side as a forward. ‘You need different people to play different instruments,’ he said. ‘Some of them are louder, some not so loud, but they’re all important for our rhythm.’ Half a decade later, with Klopp no longer a part of the Premier League, his idea of balance is still true. Watch Granit Xhaka, Jordan Henderson or Pascal Gross play. Every team needs a conductor, and that trio all made unexpected returns to the English top flight in the past year. …”
“There’s nothing like the wonder of a young player showing what he can do to lift the mood, and Rio Ngumoha did just that with a brilliant finish in Liverpool’s win over Fulham. It has been a tough time of late for Arne Slot and Liverpool, but the sight of the 17-year-old Ngumoha bending the ball in from just inside the area and then Mohamad Salah — who has had his own troubles recently — doubling the lead will have brought some much-needed positivity. …”
Scissors Kick 