[Avodah] ee itmar hachi itmar

[Eli Turkel]

I am now learning a sugya in shabbat (44) and twice in a row the
gemara quotes an amora
and then says it is impossible because of a beraita and then rephrases the amora
"ee itmar hachi itmar"
literally if he indeed said something this is what he said

To me it sounds like their was a mesorah which turned out to be wrong.
The gemara then without a source but based on logic changes the quotation to
conform with the known halacha

Somehow I find this not completely satisfying.
Any better translations?

-- 
Eli Turkel