Players reportedly tell Pep to stop "tinkering"

[mexico1970]

Stones has regressed massively, he's a complete shell of the player he was back then.

Otamendi just managed to put together a run of consistency that he's not managed to replicate in the subsequent seasons. On a given day he can be just as good, but the mistakes are just happening too frequently.

It must be draining when you come to a club and then see other players who don't even play in your position get picked before you. I am a Raz fan but he's had a bit of a stinker the last few months without being hooked, Pep has his favourites but it looks like he's a contributing factor in the loss of confidence in some players.

 

[St.Pauli support]

Rodri is to slow and always will be to replace Fern, great technical skills but not up to the EPL speed.

Compared to Henderson's speed yoou mean? Milner's?

Rodri often is too high up the pitch or steps forward unpatiently, like Ota, or Stones, or Zin.
They don't hold their position, that's the trouble. Pep knows.

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

The tactics have been spot on recently. Players need to step up and take their chances.
I wish he'd tinker with personnel a little more to be honest, rather than playing players who are put of form.

 

[OB1]

Indeed.

Pep is the last person who I’m looking at, at the moment though.

If we weren’t creating the chances and were conceding loads of shots, I’d be laying the blame at his door... but it’s the players fault all this!

No one is infallible and, although Pep inevitably makes some decisions that could have been better, Pep does produce game plans that will work if executed correctly. If those game plans consistently asked too much of the players, a rethink would be needed but, by and large, the plans are within the capability of the players. However, they are not executing them well enough and the best solution, IMO, is to get in even better players and reduce the risk of them not failing to do what they are supposed to.

 

[hertsblue]

Not a single quote

And the daily mail who post nothing but negative articles about us. Wont believe a word of it

 

[Ban-jani]

Stones has regressed massively, he's a complete shell of the player he was back then.

Otamendi just managed to put together a run of consistency that he's not managed to replicate in the subsequent seasons. On a given day he can be just as good, but the mistakes are just happening too frequently.

I do get that but Stones hasn’t been given a run of games.

I mean how bad has Sterling been and he’s mostly playing 90 mins every game.

I am reading we are in the market, probably for the summer, for a CB and Stones will be going. To be honest I think we need to sell Stones and Otamendi and buy two new CB’s.

But my point was that only 2 years ago they were our defence in the best PL season ever, they were really good, how can they drop so much since?

Is it lack of game time? Is it confidence? Could they form that partnership again?

 

[domalino]

I do get that but Stones hasn’t been given a run of games.

I mean how bad has Sterling been and he’s mostly playing 90 mins every game.

I am reading we are in the market, probably for the summer, for a CB and Stones will be going. To be honest I think we need to sell Stones and Otamendi and buy two new CB’s.

But my point was that only 2 years ago they were our defence in the best PL season ever, they were really good, how can they drop so much since?

Is it lack of game time? Is it confidence? Could they form that partnership again?

Stones has had too many high profile mistakes and is incredibly anxious on the pitch, his personal life problems seem to have effected him as well and his injuries mean he can't get a run of games.

I don't know what you mean by he "hasn't been given a run" because he's always injured.

As for Sterling, I don't know how many times Pep has to tell everyone that what he does is far more important than getting goals and assists in the box until people realise he's absolutely crucial to team and that's why he keeps playing.

 

[cleavers]

The missed chances only became a big issue for me in the last month.

Its been all season, Spurs at home it started, even Watford when we scored 8 it should have been 15.

 

[cleavers]

We dropped points in Fernandinhos absence last year. Him not being in midfield isn’t a red herring. He’s better and more effective than Rodri or Gundo in that role. Quicker at turning play over and faster at recovering if the ball is lost. Had we had fit and performing centre halves this year he’d have played his role again a lot more than maybe planned due to Rodris limitations/ time to adapt.

He wouldn't, before a ball was kicked with everyone fit, Pep said he was playing CB.

 

[argyle]

Might be something in it but the way the Mail frames it as a 'showdown' is ridiculous.

Managers and players talk all the time and question each other. Probably wasn't the smartest to do it in an away dressing with with prying ears though.