Football: Starting from being abandoned by Barcelona

On February 15, in the 26th round of the Premier League, Manchester City faced the challenge of their old rival, Tottenham Hotspur.

Over the Etihad Stadium, dark clouds seemed to foreshadow the coming of a storm.

Before the game, everyone thought it would be a evenly matched contest.

Manchester City had the advantage of time and place at home, while Tottenham was known for their tenacious fighting spirit and excellent counterattack ability.

However, no one expected that Manchester City's defeat would come so quickly and so thoroughly.

After the game started, Tottenham showed amazing offensive power.

With the tacit cooperation of Kane and Son Heung-min, they tore through Manchester City's defense again and again.

In less than 20 minutes, Tottenham had already taken a 2-goal lead.

Manchester City's players seemed a little at a loss.

They tried to turn the situation around by controlling the ball, but Tottenham's high-pressure defense prevented them from launching an effective attack.

Injuries also became a stumbling block for Manchester City. Due to the absence of the main players, Guardiola had to make a large rotation of the lineup.

Raheem Sterling and Kean Iheanacho partnered with Li Lei on the front line, trying to tear open Tottenham's defense with speed and skills.

But they seemed a little powerless in the face of the strict defense of Tottenham's defenders.

Although Martin Demichelis and Gael Clichy got the chance to start, their condition was not satisfactory.

As the game progressed, Manchester City's players became more and more frustrated.

They could feel that the championship was gradually slipping from their hands.

Li Lei stood on the court, with his hands on his waist, looking helplessly at the score of 1:2 on the scoreboard.

Although he tried his best to score for the team, he was powerless without the cooperation of his teammates.

The final whistle blew, and Tottenham got precious 3 points from Manchester City away.

This is crucial for their position in the standings, and for Manchester City, this defeat is undoubtedly a huge blow.

It not only greatly reduced their lead in the standings, but also seriously affected the team's fighting spirit and morale.

After the game, Guardiola was unusually silent in the face of reporters' questions.

At this moment, Gao Yi was sitting in the live broadcast room, facing the camera with a solemn expression. Today's live broadcast is destined not to be a relaxed and pleasant conversation.

"Good evening, fellow fans! Today we have once again witnessed the cruelty of football."

"Manchester City, the team we have high hopes for, suffered a fatal blow from Tottenham at home. The score of 1:2 undoubtedly cast a shadow on Manchester City's road to the championship."

As soon as Gao Yi finished speaking, the message area of ​​the live broadcast room boiled.

"Manchester City played too soullessly in this game! There was no creativity in the midfield, no imagination in the offense, and the defense was simply a sieve!"

"Guardiola's rotation was simply a disaster! He didn't even play the main force at the critical moment, which was giving away points!"

Facing the fans' dissatisfaction, Gao Yi pondered for a moment and said slowly: "I understand everyone's disappointment and anger."

"As a Manchester City fan, I am also very frustrated, but we cannot ignore the difficulties Manchester City is facing."

"Injuries, fatigue, and insufficient bench depth are all restricting the team's performance. Guardiola's rotation may not be his original intention, but a forced choice."

"But Li Lei's performance today was also unsatisfactory! He seemed to have no sense of existence on the court and hardly posed a threat to the opponent's defense."

"Yes, Li Lei's state has indeed declined a bit, but we can't demand that he can perform a hat trick in every game."

"As a professional player, it is normal to have ups and downs. I believe that as long as he is given some time, he will be able to regain his best state." Gao Yi analyzed objectively.

The atmosphere in the live broadcast room gradually eased, and the fans began to discuss Manchester City's problems and future rationally.

"Perhaps, this defeat is a wake-up call for Manchester City. It can make the team recognize its shortcomings and make adjustments in future games."

"Yes, Manchester City still has a chance to turn the situation around. As long as they can solve the current problems and regain their fighting spirit and confidence, the dream of the championship will always exist!"

Faced with Manchester City's sudden defeat, the fans were quite rational. They did not blame the head coach and players too much.

But this is not the point. What Guardiola is facing now is a multiple-choice question. Which events should be abandoned and which ones need to be fought with all their strength. This needs him to decide.

On February 21, the sky over London was overcast, which seemed to foreshadow the coming of a fierce battle.

Stamford Bridge BallOn the field, the players of Chelsea and Manchester City have already stood on the field, ready to face the fifth round of the FA Cup.

For Manchester City, this game is of extraordinary significance.

After suffering a fatal blow from Tottenham in the Premier League, they urgently need a victory to regain their confidence.

However, head coach Guardiola is facing a dilemma: should he go all out and strive for the victory of the FA Cup, or should he consider the situation of the league and the Champions League more and rotate moderately to preserve strength?

Chelsea starting lineup:

Goalkeeper: Thabo Courtois

Defenders: Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Cesar Azpilicueta

Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Cesc Fabregas, William, Eden Azpilicueta Zall, Oscar

Forward: Diego Costa

Manchester City starting lineup:

Goalkeeper: Willy Caballero

Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis, Toscin Adarabioyo, Alexander Kolarov

Midfielders: Fernando, Fernandinho, Manuel Garcia, Sergio Aguero, David Silva

Forward: Kelechi Iheanacho

In the end, Guardiola made a relatively conservative decision.

In the starting lineup of this game, Li Lei and De Bruyne, the two absolute main players, did not appear.

Instead, a group of rotation players, such as Zabaleta, Demichelis, Iheanacho, etc.

After the start of the game, Chelsea showed a strong offensive. They took advantage of the home advantage and constantly created threats in Manchester City's half.

Hazard and William continued to break through on both sides, bringing great pressure to Manchester City's defense.

Manchester City seemed a bit confused and passive. Without De Bruyne's organization and Li Lei's breakthrough, they made almost no progress in the midfield.

Fernando and Fernandinho also seemed powerless in defense and were repeatedly broken through by Chelsea's midfielders.