Gabriel Jesus - 2017/18 performances

[Hungarian blue]

He wasn't bad though and he should have had an assist after his lovely interception and it was great how he did not rush and passed to KdB at the right moment. But subbing him off for Sterling was a perfect decision mind.

 

[Metalartin]

Said it in the match thread those saying he's been "off form all season" are just best off ignored. He's been consistently brilliant, our best presser from the front, movement at least as good as Aguero, passing top notch, involved in all the buildup play and always in the right place as evidenced by his goals(easy finishes are earned).

It was the correct call to bring him off for Sterling however, for whatever reason it wasn't working last night but that's not to say Jesus was making mistakes and playing poorly because he wasn't some people have such a ridiculously binary viewpoint when it comes to football. Sterling allowed us to offer more width and cover for the fullback for a start but we were all around better from the first whistle of the second half with our pressing and movement before he was subbed. In the first half I think Shakhtar surprised the team and we played with the handbrake on at times, we still could have gone ahead in the first half despite that.

He has been caught offside a lot, he does make a run to early a lot but sometimes the passer could release the ball earlier, this is how it is when forming an understanding with a team mate sometimes and these are fine margins mostly.

 

[meeesh]

From what we have seen so far,we obviously all impressed,but all players are subject to a bad game,I'm not saying he was bad last night,but didn't seem to be on it so to speak,and hooking him was the right call,but I do shudder at the thought of what people on here were saying back in the summer,that if Sergio left,Jesus would step up and fire us to glory,that is a bit off yet,believe me

 

[mccity]

Said it in the match thread those saying he's been "off form all season" are just best off ignored. He's been consistently brilliant, our best presser from the front, movement at least as good as Aguero, passing top notch, involved in all the buildup play and always in the right place as evidenced by his goals(easy finishes are earned).

It was the correct call to bring him off for Sterling however, for whatever reason it wasn't working last night but that's not to say Jesus was making mistakes and playing poorly because he wasn't some people have such a ridiculously binary viewpoint when it comes to football. Sterling allowed us to offer more width and cover for the fullback for a start but we were all around better from the first whistle of the second half with our pressing and movement before he was subbed the first half I think Shakhtar surprised the team and we played with the handbrake on at times.

Your positivity is a breath of fresh air I must say.

Personally however I don't think he's been brilliant. He's been good, very good certainly. As you say, excellent pressing; excellent movement. His link up play is good, but I've seen much better from him for Brazil. Similarly so for his passing.


Last night he suffered positionally. Whilst he's played wide before it's been as a wide forward instead of a natural winger. A bit like Sane at LWB, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. He tracked back excellently, but he kept drifting inside leaving Walker a bit isolated.


He's 20. He's always going to be somewhat inconsistent. Particularly as he's not been able to lead the line on his own as he's best doing.

He's been very impressive this season so far, yes. But on the same note, I'd be somewhat disappointed if this is as well as he's going to play, if that makes sense.

 

[Metalartin]

Your positivity is a breath of fresh air I must say.

Personally however I don't think he's been brilliant. He's been good, very good certainly. As you say, excellent pressing; excellent movement. His link up play is good, but I've seen much better from him for Brazil. Similarly so for his passing.


Last night he suffered positionally. Whilst he's played wide before it's been as a wide forward instead of a natural winger. A bit like Sane at LWB, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. He tracked back excellently, but he kept drifting inside leaving Walker a bit isolated.


He's 20. He's always going to be somewhat inconsistent. Particularly as he's not been able to lead the line on his own as he's best doing.

He's been very impressive this season so far, yes. But on the same note, I'd be somewhat disappointed if this is as well as he's going to play, if that makes sense.

I don't think I said he couldn't improve or he hasn't played better though did I?...

I'd disagree about being disappointed, aside from last night which was just as much down to tactics for me I wouldn't be disappointed with his form in the league... far from it. Lets not forget the season has only just began, a lot of players can improve, as a starting point for the season he's been as good as anyone bar perhaps Leroy for me.

 

[Jazzcat]

Gotta love all those fickle Brazilians on social media, being outraged by his substitution and telling him to join PSG.

 

[mccity]

I don't think I said he couldn't improve or he hasn't played better though did I?... I'd disagree though about being disappointed, aside from last night which was just as much down to tactics for me that I'd be disappointed with his form in the league(season has only just began a lot of players can improve)... far from it.

We've misinterpreted each other a bit I think. I was largely picking up on the idea you said he was playing brilliantly. I think that's a bit too kind. I wasn't suggesting you'd thought he'd peaked or something similar. The mere fact you're not saying he's playing poorly tells me you're clever enough to know that.


But at the same time when I say I'm somewhat disappointed it's not because he's been playing poorly. Because like you say before last night he's hardly put a foot wrong. It's just I know he can be SO much better. He's only playing at about 80% right now (or some similarly arbitrarily chosen percentage).

Maybe it's a poor analogy, but it's like Aguero last season. Aguero had a great year last year, but people were upset because they knew he had more to offer. He's stepped up so far this year. Jesus works harder, so I know he can too. Especially when he gets the chance to lead the line on his own.

Gotta love all those fickle Brazilians on social media, being outraged by his substitution and telling him to join PSG.

This is good, it says how valuable an asset he is that people care so much.

 

[Metalartin]

We've misinterpreted each other a bit I think. I was largely picking up on the idea you said he was playing brilliantly. I think that's a bit too kind. I wasn't suggesting you'd thought he'd peaked or something similar. The mere fact you're not saying he's playing poorly tells me you're clever enough to know that.


But at the same time when I say I'm somewhat disappointed it's not because he's been playing poorly. Because like you say before last night he's hardly put a foot wrong. It's just I know he can be SO much better. He's only playing at about 80% right now (or some similarly arbitrarily chosen percentage).

Maybe it's a poor analogy, but it's like Aguero last season. Aguero had a great year last year, but people were upset because they knew he had more to offer. He's stepped up so far this year. Jesus works harder, so I know he can too. Especially when he gets the chance to lead the line on his own.



This is good, it says how valuable an asset he is that people care so much.

Yeah I edited that post a little what I'm saying is as a starting point for the season(not many start at full tilt every season) it's been very promising to me, I do expect more as the season progresses. He didn't look happy at being subbed and knowing the character he is he will respond positively in training, the competition is a good thing. None of the players under 23 are the finished article yet not even Mbappé or Dembélé they all have plenty to work on and not every game will be spectacular either... we need to manage our own expectation levels a bit at times I feel with the "oh he's been poor" malarkey other people have been coming out with since last night(I wasn't including you in that, just thought some were being way OTT).

That first half was tough game to play in lets not lose sight of that, I'd even argue Shakhtar were better in the first half than they were in the second (maybe we weathered their best and they lost a bit of drive) where we improved in the second half.

 

[mccity]

Yeah I edited that post a little what I'm saying is as a starting point it's been very promising to me, I do expect more as the season progresses. He didn't look happy at being subbed and knowing the character he is he will respond positively in training, the competition is a good thing. None of the players under 23 are the finished article yet not even Mbappé or Dembélé they all have plenty to work on and not every game will be spectacular... we need to manage our own expectation levels a bit at times I feel with the "oh he's been poor" malarkey other people have been coming out with since last night(I wasn't including you in that, just thought some were being way OTT).

Yeah I totally understand where you're coming from on that last bit. Flappers gonna flap!

He's 20. I'd be happy if he was half the player he is at his age. But he's so much better in a special way we haven't seen at City and that's awesome.

But he's still 20, and still relatively new to the scene here, so there's no rush. He'll have his good and bad days. He's already more consistent than Dzeko was and I loved the big guy, so that's a huge plus too.

 

[Jazzcat]

This is good, it says how valuable an asset he is that people care so much.

Indeed, I just hope this doesn't get too much traction and that the lad keeps his head on straight.
Ideally I'd like him to stay here for as long as possible and become the main striker but he's still young and has plenty of margin to improve, yet some people think he's already on the level of Ronaldo "O Fenômeno" and therefore are slagging off the club and manager.