Dorgu received an either more nonsensical yellow later on, where he essential won the ball then got kicked. So, maybe refs just suck nowadays.
I still think it’s crazy that we ask one center ref to patrol the entire field. The NHL uses two referees and two linesmen - there’s no reason professional soccer shouldn’t do that.
Tyler and Julian Araujo start against Arsenal. Still in a very tight battle for eighth place, which could mean European play.
1-0 Arsenal - Adams has been closing hard on Odegaard all match, but the way this one works out, Odegaard receives two steps past Adams and plays Rice into space in the box for the finish. Odegaard has been excellent, and the Arsenal midfield have outplayed Adams and friends.
Tyler gets the start against FA Cup losers Man City. Julian Araujo also starts, Matai Akinmboni makes the bench for a potential debut should the stars align.
City strikes first from WAY far out. Tyler could be held somewhat accountable, since he's the closest midfielder, but he was trying to cover either De Bryne or Haaland (I failed to notice which blond guy it was), who was asking for the ball. If Tyler had stepped to the ball, it would've been an easy pass into a closer attempt on goal.
Incredible long distance shot by Marmoush opens the scoring, 1-0 City. Gets the ball at the center circle, carries 1- yards, blasts a knuckler top corner. It was in the area where you'd think Tyler would close him down, but Tyler went to mark the open man on the backline.
De Bruyne with the miss of the season. Inside the 6, unmarked, open goal, off the bar. Initial xG on FotMob is 0.82, but that feels like it’ll get revised upward.
City should be up by 2 or 3 at this point. AFCB's fullbacks are pushing way too high, making it easy for City to out-number the Bournemouth midfielders. Tyler is frequently by himself in the central third surrounded by 3-4 blue shirts.
theoretically, yes, but we would need more data to see it. The problem is that the xG models are built on a TON of shots on goal, and you'd be surprised just how often people miss from like 2 yards out after the keeper has tried to make a save and taken themselves out of the play.
I don't blame Evanilson for taking that shot, but if he had left it, I think that would've been a goal
2-0 to City. What insane vision by Gundo to find Silva making that run. edit: even more beautiful on the replay. Just a fantastic touch to set himself up, then "eyes in the back of his head" vision to clock Silva making his run into the box. Unreal quality.
That slide while tracking back by Silva was a great effort too. Threw off the Bournemouth player just enough to force the turnover.
When Bournemouth has possession, I'm getting flash-backs to the final games with GGG in charge of the national team: no matter how many times they try to move through their normal rotations and passing progressions to move the ball up field, they just always find themselves lacking options, so they pass back and cede the field until they're being pressed at the top of their own box. IMO, Bournemouth are getting "out-tactic'd" first, and failing to execute second.