Champions League Roundup

To start off today, the world’s most expensive player dressed himself up as a rabbit and called himself Pogbunny.  Halloween apparently.  And there is me thinking Cantona would be spending extra time on the training ground, probably with Keano.

Jose spent all summer chasing the answer to his midfield dilemma and it turns out his answer might have been politely sitting in the reserve team changing room all that time.  Yes, Bastian Schweinsteiger has been summoned from sending lovely supportive social media messages to train with the first team.  If United are looking for some glue in the midfield, as in players that can pass to someone in the same colour shirt, Schweiny and Carrick could certainly offer that, providing they’ve got someone to do some running for them.

Jamie Carragher has fired the ultimate shots to Sunderland by saying they are even worse than Villa last year.  That made me smile.  Not the insult, but the memory of how much fun I had ripping it out of Villa last season.  If they hadn’t brought in Steve Bruce my bet that they would be League One Champions next season might well have been on.  Still, this is Tales from the Top Flight and we may as well make the most of Sunderland as we won’t be seeing them for much longer.  David Moyes has accepted his charge of misconduct without appeal, to make sure he is not banned for the relegation six pointer with Hull.  He went against the advice of his players, who would have loved him to have been banned for that one.

Pep is calling upon his players to treat the Champions League match with Barcelona like a final.  He feels this is the only way they can progress.  Let’s just hope the City players don’t treat it like THAT final they lost to a team managed by Bobby Martinez, hey?  Wow, I actually miss him too.  Everton are so much better managed nowadays.

Arsene has been warned that they will face a far more cautious Ludogorets side this week.  Is it possible to be more cautious having lost 6-0?  The word doesn’t seem to fit.  More cautious would work if you had lost 5-4 maybe, but 6-0?  How about warning Arsene that your team won’t be standing their with their pants down admiring Mesut Ozil?

Gary Cahill has credited Chelsea’s recent form to defending from the front, something that Antonio Conte has drilled into his players.  Have you asked yourself why he has got them doing that Gary?  After the Swansea game, getting anyone other than you defending may have been a good idea.

The young English talent that is Wilf Bony finally turned up for Stoke last night.  Of course Stoke won, it’s nearly November.  The Milk Tray man that is Bob Bradley is getting a harsh lesson in Premier League football.  He will soon realise that losing games to teams what wear red and white stripes is not how you avoid relegation.  Imagine if they lost to Sunderland?