If we're playing the what if game, Sanchez could easily have had 2 today.... And their penalty was iffy too.
I watched the full game on Footyfull last night and actually thought that, apart from his 2 minute brainfart, Sanchez had quite a good game. I agree on the penalty though, as contact was just outside the line.
The goal that was chalked off, IMO, should have stood. Sanchez launches himself early, well away from the keeper, and you could argue that the keeper actually fouls him and prevents him from getting his head to the ball. Where VAR is concerned, it's kind of like Umpire's call in Cricket, where they don't overrule because it isn't seen as a clear and obvious error. If the ref hadn't given it, I don't think VAR changes it.
With respect to the game itself, I actually felt that the first half was our best half, strangely enough. Leicester had spells where they had lots of possession and yes, we did cough it up more than we should have, but the only threat they had was due to the penalty and a Worldie finish from Maddison. 99 times out of 100 that doesn't go in, the gap between Lloris' outstretched hand and the post is a postage stamp. I'll not take it away from the boy though, it was a quality shot. So basically, going in 4-2 up at half time wouldn't have been unfair.
It was the second half where, after a good 10 minute spell when we scored, we were poor again for about 20 minutes or so, constantly coughing up the ball and losing our shape. This was when Leicester were most dangerous and yet they only really created the one semi decent chance with Daka's header. A good save from Lloris, but one I'd expect him to make regardless.
After Some came on we still coughed it up, but we also became more threatening. As others have already stated on here though, it was the introduction of Bissouma and the change of shape that then killed them off. We coughed the ball up far less, both Bentancur and Hojbjerg became a threat going forward, and Son's pace & movement had them on toast.
The one thing I noted throughout the game though was how little threat they posed in the final third. Whilst they had a lot of possession, there was an awful lot of probing, then recycling back to the halfway line. Even when they got the ball into our box, they were swamped by our players and never really looked like getting a decent shit off, with just a couple of long range efforts that sailed over the bar or went wide. The only really decent effort they had in the half came in injury time when we were already 6-2 up.
I can see why there was so much angst during the game as yes, we gave up possession too often for comfort, but having seen the game without the adrenaline pumping, it's apparent that for most of the game we defended quite comfortably and coughed the ball up when an errant touch, or a bit of miscontrol when breaking swiftly, lost the ball. This is always going to happen with a swift counter style of Football, they just have to refine it so it doesn't happen so often.
All in all though, I don't think we were nearly as poor as some have made us out to have been, though it's clearly evident that there is still a lot of improvement that can be made, particularly technically.
mummy for the homemade blueberry muffin, went down a treat with a cuppa when I got home.
