#8 | Ilkay Gündoğan - 2020/21 Performances

[Mon Autre]

we will see an upturn when gundogan is back, he will bring the control back to our game.

I look forward to the almost weekly deluge of posts in his thread where people say "I don't normally rate him but he was excellent today".

 

[alexmcity]

You cite a few examples. Fair enough. Now if you still have the recording go watch, for example, the Liverpool game that we won. Almost every time gundogun has the ball under some pressure, he mispasses or puts a teammate under pressure. From memory, on at least 2 occasions it let Liverpool in on goal. I still have the recording and can tell you what minutes to watch if you like. On the other hand there wasn't a single thing that you could call a positive contribution. We won, but won despite gundogun not because of him.

If you take the Real example, what happened in the fa cup against arsenal. Pep picked a very similar side and it resulted in one of the slowest dreariest performances in recent times.

If we are playing better without Gundogan and are winning despite him, then there must have been games last season in which Gundogan didn't play and we were pretty good. Would you give examples of such games? List them. Must be easy.

 

[Mike N]

I’ll be glad to have him back, I’ve always rated him. He doesn’t pick himself with Rodri.

 

[Dax777]

Once in a while use your own senses and brain, don't follow the herd. Just because the master says so, it ain't always right. Perhaps his style suits Germany and international matches better but he just doesn't fit in the Pl and certainly not city, where our success has been built on energetic pressing and skillful passing. There should be no room for lazy players.

I couldn't agree more :)

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Just because pep is a great coach it doesn't mean he's right all the time. That's why this thread is called what it is - a blindspot. Every one of our last 3 CL exits (besides other disasters such as the FA cup exit) , I am convinced would have had a different result if Bernardo, foden, or kdb (in the case of the Liverpool 3-0 hammering) or someone more energetic had played instead of Gundogun

Disagree , the only time Gundogan struggles is alongside another defensive midfielder like Rodri , two defensive midfielders just doesnt work in our system

 

[asahartford1]

we will see an upturn when gundogan is back, he will bring the control back to our game.

Nah he will be blamed for any points we drop. Pep will have a blindspot, and in time he will have caused the Leicester defeat through his inherent laziness, which pep , Klopp, and Low are binkered to.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

He's just unfortunately one of those players whose qualities go unnoticed and whose deficiencies (which are real, no denying that) are constantly scrutinized. He can completely control the midfield for us but if one player dribbles past him he's deemed as utterly useless.

Same thing with Jesus. He can work his balls off, press the opposition into mistakes, create chances for others by dragging defenders out of position, but if he's caught offside once or hits a chance straight at the keeper he's also complete shit.

 

[peter.evans]

Just because pep is a great coach it doesn't mean he's right all the time. That's why this thread is called what it is - a blindspot. Every one of our last 3 CL exits (besides other disasters such as the FA cup exit) , I am convinced would have had a different result if Bernardo, foden, or kdb (in the case of the Liverpool 3-0 hammering) or someone more energetic had played instead of Gundogun

Absolute total and utter bollocks. Football is a team game and I'm not blaming anyone for the CL defeats. Not Sterling for the miss of the effin century or Ederson for two gifts this year.Ir Aguero for missing a pen or Delph for his cock up at Spurs.Nor the officials for the four cock ups v the Scousers ! Deary me.

 

[urban genie]

We have missed Gundo the last few games sooner he is back the better.

Just not partnering another DM but will good to have him back

 

[cityboy1]

we will see an upturn when gundogan is back, he will bring the control back to our game.

if he doesn't play with rodri he'll be fine if he plays with rodri against anyone decent our midfield will get taken apart

 

[Brendan110_0]

Gundogan isn't good enough for where City need to be, neither is Rodri - only Fernandinho has the energy needed, we miss him badly when he isn't in midfield. No surprise to me we had a shite season with him in defense. A solution is urgently needed for when Fernadinho departs.

 

[Fordyboy46]

Just seen a picture of him on the training gallery, looks about fifty the poor sod. Hope he's ok

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

Just seen a picture of him on the training gallery, looks about fifty the poor sod. Hope he's ok

Probably been reading bluemoan

 

[borassic]

I’m not his biggest fan but pretty sure we played some of our best football when we had him holding in midfield. Towards the end of the quadruple season iirc?

 

[oldius]

I’m not his biggest fan but pretty sure we played some of our best football when we had him holding in midfield. Towards the end of the quadruple season iirc?

We did.

 

[ws01]

I’m not his biggest fan but pretty sure we played some of our best football when we had him holding in midfield. Towards the end of the quadruple season iirc?

This is his fifth season with us, and pretty much the only thing fans keep using in his defence is that one patch of form at the back end of 2018/19 - disregarding he's been largely trash outside of that.

It's becoming Jessie Lingard-esque the way people keep pointing to it in order to defend the guy. You should probably consider that perhaps, given how poor and lazy many of his performances have been in his time here (which is why he gets so heavily criticised), it was the exception, not the norm.

 

[simon23]

This is his fifth season with us, and pretty much the only thing fans keep using in his defence is that one patch of form at the back end of 2018/19 - disregarding he's been largely trash outside of that.

It's becoming Jessie Lingard-esque the way people keep pointing to it in order to defend the guy. You should probably consider that perhaps, given how poor and lazy many of his performances have been in his time here (which is why he gets so heavily criticised), it was the exception, not the norm.

so so true

 

[Easy]

This is his fifth season with us, and pretty much the only thing fans keep using in his defence is that one patch of form at the back end of 2018/19 - disregarding he's been largely trash outside of that.

It's becoming Jessie Lingard-esque the way people keep pointing to it in order to defend the guy. You should probably consider that perhaps, given how poor and lazy many of his performances have been in his time here (which is why he gets so heavily criticised), it was the exception, not the norm.

Spot on.

There are many games when he does nothing and then we see posters in his thread saying good performance haha for what?? Passing sideways and ducking out of tackles? At least everyone has given up hope of him reaching his Dortmund heights. Before we used to hear all the time, just wait Gundogan only needs a run of games and he’ll be back to his best.

 

[Rascal]

Every single minute of every Champions League game.

While David Silva, Bernado Silva and Phil Foden remain on the bench.

Is this part of Gundogan’s renewed contract?

Is it Pep being stubborn and trying to prove himself right, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary?

Is it just a blind spot?

Do his coaches / Txiki even dare to raise the question to him, or is Pep’s opinion now completely sacred and beyond reproach?

We have more control with him in the team. He is like Gareth Barry, he will never be a fans favourite, but I bet all the players love to play with him because he is top quality.

He does the simple things very well, he might not have the creativity of others, but he isn't there to do that. His job is to keep the ball moving between the more advanced creative players and get in the box when he can.

To dismiss him shows a real lack of footballing intelligence.

 

[FantasyIreland]

We have more control with him in the team. He is like Gareth Barry, he will never be a fans favourite, but I bet all the players love to play with him because he is top quality.

He does the simple things very well, he might not have the creativity of others, but he isn't there to do that. His job is to keep the ball moving between the more advanced creative players and get in the box when he can.

To dismiss him shows a real lack of footballing intelligence.

He is nothing like Barry,who was a master of ball retention and keeping things simple.He would use his body brilliantly,his positional sense was perfect and neither was he afraid to dish it out when required......add that to his thunderbolt of a left foot,and his inspirational character/leadership abilities,and he was pretty much the perfect CDM - he took no prisoners and the opposition were made to work when he was about.

Gundogan can be effective,his passing and vision being his best attribute,but when the going gets tough and we need to batten down the hatches......he doesn't cut the mustard.

Renewing his contract has hamstrung us to a degree.