Premier League Gameweek 25: Overreaction Monday ft Pep Guardiola, Dwight McNeil and Sheffield United
Overthinking and over-reacting to situations is the human way but when it comes to football rarely does a thought last more than a weekend unless it has something solid backing it. That being said, after a packed weekend of incredulous fans in England, there were bound to be a few idiotic debates.
Pep Guardiola has lost the plot
Manchester City have lost more games, conceded more goals, and look worse than they ever have which has seen many believe that Guardiola may have lost the plot
SC Take: Losing is completely fine but losing after completely dominating a team so much so that their players are practically falling apart and then losing is the Pep Guardiola way. But the question is has Pep Guardiola lost the plot and the answer might just be yes. This is his City side and for the first time, under his tutelage, City have lost six games in a season. Guardiola has never lost more than six games in his managerial career, never conceded as many goals, never conceded as many shots, never spent as much money and need this go on? City have been bad and the 22 points lead that Liverpool have is not just because the Reds have been that good but because the Cityzens have been that bad.
Dwight McNeil is the greatest thing Burnley have ever done
Burnley don’t do too much, but Dwight McNeil’s consistent presence and his talent has seen the interweb claim that 20-year-old is the greatest thing that Burnley have ever done.
SC Take: Dwight McNeil might be the greatest thing Burnley have ever produced or shaped and that is a fact. The 20-year-old is 6 foot nothing and possibly the most talented thing ever to walk out of Burnley and maybe the fact that he is a Manchester United youth product says something. He’s a winger, who has pace but never depends upon it, has a magical left foot which delivers inch-perfect crosses second after second and is Burnley’s lynchpin. He’s also English, so it's rather shocking that the hype surrounding him isn’t as big as the one surrounding the other English "talents" at other Premier League clubs.
Sheffield United can actually finish in the top six
The hype train around Sheffield United continues and with nobody seemingly interested in the top four many have hyped the Blades for a top-six finish.
SC Take: Sheffield United and Wolves have made this Premier League season that much better to watch especially with no title race for us to marvel at. The relegation battle is everpresent and never anything new but watching the Blades play their football has warmed the hearts and yet, they can do so much more with thirteen games left. Few in this world doubt that a Champions League spot is beyond them with a Europa League spot the norm. And they might actually go and do it all, so this is far from an overreaction but rather a reaction of just the right amount.
Chelsea will rue not bringing in their Odion Ighalo
Tammy Abraham struggling, no moves made in the January window and with their back-up strikers struggling, the world claims that the Blues will rue not signing an impact star.
SC Take: Chelsea needed a new striker. Not just because clearly Olivier Giroud doesn’t want to play his football at Stamford Bridge or because Michy Batshuayi never looks like the man they brought in but because Tammy Abraham is playing his first full season as a Premier League number nine. Now that may not mean like much but it’s a lot of pressure especially for a club chasing after a Champions League spot. It’s why Manchester United realised they needed someone and brought in Odion Ighalo, Chelsea had the same realization but them not adding to their team may destroy their top four hopes.
