That's 2 players Pep always plays,I'd ask why do you think that is.He won't play passengers if he thinks it's costing the team,winning means everything to him.We are 1 point behind in the league and in 2 quarter finals,hardly the position of a team carrying 2 passengers,despite missing KDB and Haaland for chunks of the season.Thanks for the explanation but i don't agree
Alvarez early season form yes but his form of late hasn't been good and he doesn't have the skill set to play him as a left winger but Pep seems to have the need to start him regardless and will choose him in a position and move a player who is better there; eg Foden is infinitely better in CMF His ball retention is amongst the worse in the squad and this is not what is need against LFC
Walker has not been good this season and using him against a counter attacking team was an obvious choice when he was the "old Walker" but he has not done that job of late and it's easy to give numerous instances where he has failed and the rest of his game does not merit a place in the team
The above is not having a go at either player its Pep that plays them
Thanks for the explanation but i don't agree
Alvarez early season form yes but his form of late hasn't been good and he doesn't have the skill set to play him as a left winger but Pep seems to have the need to start him regardless and will choose him in a position and move a player who is better there; eg Foden is infinitely better in CMF His ball retention is amongst the worse in the squad and this is not what is need against LFC
Walker has not been good this season and using him against a counter attacking team was an obvious choice when he was the "old Walker" but he has not done that job of late and it's easy to give numerous instances where he has failed and the rest of his game does not merit a place in the team
The above is not having a go at either player its Pep that plays them
They look bizarre mostly because fans lack information and understanding of the game.
Fernandinho was on his last legs then, and was terrible in the FA Cup against the same Chelsea side we played in Porto.
Rodri lost form in the final months and made some bad mistakes, including one vs Chelsea at home.
Plus, Gundogan had experience at DM and played an important role ad DM in 18/19 when Fernandinho was out injured.
What's bizarre is the insistence of some fans they know better than Pep whether X, Y or Z should have started a big game, despite Pep having the best record in history in big games and finals. Now that's bizarre.
Nobody says he doesn't get it wrong sometimes, that would be daft.He is above criticism though because he gets it wrong less than anyone else in football. Identifying them before a game you will be wrong at least 99% of the time,on the odd occasion we might lose and you can think you were right even thogh whatever it was might not be why we lost.Holding Pep above any criticism whatsoever is bizarre.
He got the formation wrong against Chelsea. There should have been a DM in place to anchor the midfield to mitigate the risk of a counter attack from a Thomas Tuchel formation.
Hes the greatest football manager we will ever have. But he makes mistakes every once in a while as every other legendary manager has. Identifying them doesn't mean we think we know better.
That game being the UCL final doesn't have any bearing on whether he got it wrong or not.
It would have been a mistake had he done it in the first League Cup game of the year.
Holding Pep above any criticism whatsoever is bizarre.
He got the formation wrong against Chelsea. There should have been a DM in place to anchor the midfield to mitigate the risk of a counter attack from a Thomas Tuchel formation.
Hes the greatest football manager we will ever have. But he makes mistakes every once in a while as every other legendary manager has. Identifying them doesn't mean we think we know better.
That game being the UCL final doesn't have any bearing on whether he got it wrong or not.
It would have been a mistake had he done it in the first League Cup game of the year.
Ake more mistakes than Walker reallyWalker played in both legs vs Real, and we played our best football in that 2nd leg, arguably the best by any English side ever, with a back 4 of Walker, Dias, Stones and Akanji.
Walker can't cross the ball, but Ake's the same. Haven't seen voices to ditch Ake due to his inability to cross the ball. Also, Ake has made more mistakes this season than Walker. I like Ake more than Walker, but the latter has been voted captain by the players...
My point was aimed more at the whole season in respect to why does Pep seem to have an obsession with these players?You don't agree but it wasn't Walker who failed vs Liverpool. Also, Walker's pass completion was better than both Ake's and (surprise) Stones's.
And you didn't propose an alternative re: high pressing.
Ake more mistakes than Walker really
Players vote for the senior player as Captain IMHO I dont think he is a good choice
Off hand > Newcastle x 2, Chelsea, Sheffield United, he got lucky against the Rags as well with his attempted dribble on the goaline This wasn't just "involved" this was responsibleAke was involved in goals we conceded vs Wolves, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool. Remind me of the goals Walker cost us in (big) games this season.
Some people seem to notice only the good things Ake contributes (plenty of them, he's a wonderful squad player) but are blind about his mistakes - in contrast to the mistakes of other defenders and the new signings.
Off hand > Newcastle x 2, Chelsea, Sheffield United, he got lucky against the Rags as well with his attempted dribble on the goaline This wasn't just "involved" this was responsible