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Manchester City under Pep Guardiola retained their first ever trophy by beating Chelsea on penalties in the 2019 League Cup Final.
This was unlike the demolition of Arsenal in the same fixture last year. The Gunners then were seldom at the races. However, this year Chelsea provided a sterner test, and were unlucky perhaps to get more.
They were resolute and more engaging than their North London counterparts in 2018, and it seems their manager Maurizio Sarri had a game plan, of sorts.
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Both sides were at full strength – but the game overall was pretty dull. Chelsea, as stated, were pretty resolute and organised, and relied more on set pieces. They clearly wished to nullify Man City, and this was clearly part of the game plan.
City on the other hand, perhaps due to tiredness or laxness as much as Chelsea’s tactics, were not at their fluent best. They didn’t pass the ball well and seemed overawed at the first leg in what could be an outstanding quadruple of trophies.
The matched lasted until penalties, but just before then, the Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made an unprecedented decision. Sarri asked him to come off for fellow keeper Willy Caballero, and then he took his time to refuse to be subbed.
This naturally raised much controversy and put a dampening effect on what was a good performance from the Blues, and an ultimate defeat. Kepa managed to save a penalty but allowed another to slip under him.
City forward Raheem Sterling scored the winner, and City went on to retain a trophy for the first time in their history.
Talk of Chelsea’s woes, from the manager to Kepa, and all other surrounding factors, inevitably come to play here. The club is currently in sixth place, though with a game in hand on fourth-placed Arsenal. But it’s apparent, and with the impending FIFA transfer ban, that the club needs urgent correction.
Is their culture so poor? Who knows? But this takes some of the shine off another trophy for Pep Guardiola, who further cemented his place amongst the best ever managers, and the best in the world currently.
Let us take a look at some major points from the game.
Kepa's conduct overshadows a battling stand
Many pundits stated that whilst occasions like this happens, it ultimately shouldn’t, and that Kepa was wrong. Many Chelsea fans also stated the same. The Blues were expected to lose, and the recent 6-0 debasement at the Etihad naturally clouded views. But the performance in itself was credible, and Kepa’s conduct sours things a lot.
This is another symptom of player power at Chelsea. It seems there is something critically wrong at the club, in terms of its culture, values, and conduct.
Sarri recently stated that he couldn’t motivate the players – the same things that Mourinho and Conte both mentioned. How can three managers in a row fall out with the players? And how is this being permitted to happen by the club’s board?
Kepa openly undermined his manager, and publicly humiliated him and the club by refusing to come off. For this alone, he should be sanctioned. And with the issues surrounding the club transfer ban, Sarri himself, etc. this is the last thing Chelsea need.
Kepa needs to apologize publicly for his conduct, even if Sarri has stated it’s a misunderstanding. And the club holistically needs soul-searching. It has been a club since the beginning of the PL era in 1992 that has come from a lowly place to be one of the biggest in the world.
It has won leagues, a Champions League, and hosted many great players and managers. So what then can be done to prevent this? The club holistically needs to sort itself out, or more woes could befall it.
Sarri can change tactics on the fly - when he wants to
Sarri has come under much stick and scrutiny in recent times, and with good justification. But in this game, he took time to adapt to City and adopt a different tactical style and plan.
For this, he should be commended. He realized City’s potency, and the performance overall was pleasing.
Does this mean he will stay? Who knows? More needs to be done, and it’s possible that he will need to get top four and/or win the Europa League to retain his job.
However, the Kepa incident made him look foolish. No matter his recent form as boss, he did warrant that open disrespect.
He has stated it was a misunderstanding, though it’s a symptom of another player power issue at Chelsea. Sarri has yet to win a major trophy in his history – and he has to wait again, though he did do well to formulate a new tactical plan.
Both he and the squad need to regroup and move on, if the club is to progress as needed.
Pep keeps on winning - is the quadruple possible?
City didn’t play as much as they could have. Their passing and movement weren’t as strong – but then they could have been hampered by Chelsea, or otherwise tired or not mentally on it.
But all the same, Pep managed to win another trophy, and his side is on course to win an unprecedented quadruple.
Whether they can or not is moot. But they are in the FA Cup still, are favorites to win the Premier League, and are in the Champions League to boot.
What was also pleasing for Pep, and City overall, was that a player who has blossomed under his tenure scored the winning penalty. Sterling is emerging as a genuine world-class talent and could be a major feature for both City and England in years to come.
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City is the team to beat in various guises, and Pep is readily making a claim to being the greatest manager of all-time. He may not be that yet – but if he keeps on winning, he could supersede many of the other greats in footballing history.
Last season was a glorious season for City – but this season could turn out to be even grander. It only looks better and better for them in the future – and Pep is the man to lead them to it.
