Pep Guardiola - 2020/21 Performances

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I thought Peo was brilliant yesterday. Resting Laporte (who is going to play a lot of games) and rewarding Stones with a start. As a player who’s confidence has gone, this was just what he needed and after two games with him back at his best, I think he’s back from the brink. I know Mahrez has been awful but he finally played at his best which will boost his confidence massively. Fern needed that full 45 minutes too and it was a good game to give Mendy because he was never going to be under any pressure.
 
Didsbury Dave said:
I thought Peo was brilliant yesterday. Resting Laporte (who is going to play a lot of games) and rewarding Stones with a start. As a player who’s confidence has gone, this was just what he needed and after two games with him back at his best, I think he’s back from the brink. I know Mahrez has been awful but he finally played at his best which will boost his confidence massively. Fern needed that full 45 minutes too and it was a good game to give Mendy because he was never going to be under any pressure.
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I thought mixed.

Good for the reasons you stated - plus resting Sterling.

But harsh on Foden, yet again, and placing more demands on KDB than were necessary. OK, KDB worked, and he did rest midweek, but I’m concerned over the longer term. Maybe he’ll be rested for Porto and Fulham.

An enervating performance, though, and an early goal so often dictates our game.
 
sir baconface said:
I thought mixed.

Good for the reasons you stated - plus resting Sterling.

But harsh on Foden, yet again, and placing more demands on KDB than were necessary. OK, KDB worked, and he did rest midweek, but I’m concerned over the longer term. Maybe he’ll be rested for Porto and Fulham.

An enervating performance, though, and an early goal so often dictates our game.
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I thought KDB looked refreshed and I suspect he won’t play midweek. I agree about Foden but his chance is coming now I think. I sense Pep is now getting them all on their toes and competing for places and some of them he’s leaving out to get them hungry again..

If Sterling and Foden come back firing on all cylinders the next couple of games then that’s mission accomplished from Pep.
 
Pep Guardiola: "It’s not about rest here. I saw KDB a little bit exhausted mentally [last week]. But right now I use the players who are in better conditions or more focused. If the players think they have been rested because I am rotating, they have made a big mistake..."

Pep Guardiola: "I put in every game the best players, sometimes for the benefit of the team, sometimes because of injuries, but especially the players who play well. It’s not about the players who believe, 'I deserve to start because I have been here for three or four years'."

Pep Guardiola: "It doesn’t matter if you have won a lot of titles in the past or you score a lot of goals — you have to show it on the pitch in the recent past, in the present and especially in the future."

Pep Guardiola: “The youngest player that we have, Phil Foden, gets the same treatment and opportunities as Fernandinho, our most experienced player."

Pep Guardiola: "He [Stones] was so concentrated on not making mistakes. What we're looking for from the back four is “don’t make mistakes”. The guys who help me, help the team, have more chance to play. The other ones? They have to wait for this opportunity."

PEP :In football, what you have done in the past, doesn’t mean you do it in the present. If the players consider this, they have a big mistake. By being good, you have a chance to play. It’s not complicated.

PEP :The other ones have to wait for the opportunity. Fight and wait for the moment and when they have the moment, do it as best you can – as well as possible. That’s how it works. What happened a week ago is already over – it’s in the past.
 
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Cityinmud said:
Pep Guardiola: "It’s not about rest here. I saw KDB a little bit exhausted mentally [last week]. But right now I use the players who are in better conditions or more focused. If the players think they have been rested because I am rotating, they have made a big mistake..."

Pep Guardiola: "I put in every game the best players, sometimes for the benefit of the team, sometimes because of injuries, but especially the players who play well. It’s not about the players who believe, 'I deserve to start because I have been here for three or four years'."

Pep Guardiola: "It doesn’t matter if you have won a lot of titles in the past or you score a lot of goals — you have to show it on the pitch in the recent past, in the present and especially in the future."

Pep Guardiola: “The youngest player that we have, Phil Foden, gets the same treatment and opportunities as Fernandinho, our most experienced player."

Pep Guardiola: "He [Stones] was so concentrated on not making mistakes. What we're looking for from the back four is “don’t make mistakes”. The guys who help me, help the team, have more chance to play. The other ones? They have to wait for this opportunity."

PEP :In football, what you have done in the past, doesn’t mean you do it in the present. If the players consider this, they have a big mistake. By being good, you have a chance to play. It’s not complicated.

PEP :The other ones have to wait for the opportunity. Fight and wait for the moment and when they have the moment, do it as best you can – as well as possible. That’s how it works. What happened a week ago is already over – it’s in the past.
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I hope this is true, but actions will speak louder than his words.

He has to back this up with his selections because he’s not started the season picking the team with this philosophy.

This should go for the EDS players too. Get a chance in a cup or league game, take it, stay in the squad.
 
Ric said:
Good to see him talking like this. Wonder who his words were aimed at? Sterling or Laporte perhaps? Maybe Bernardo?
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I think all of them to be honest. Sterling, laporte and Bernardo
 
Something has changed within Pep this last week. He seems to have opted for a tougher approach. I’m encouraged by it. He’s obviously decided it requires a different method to get the maximum out of the players.

For so long his answer has been the same - “we need all the guys, the schedule is so demanding, we need everyone.” He has said this dozens of times. But now, quite unexpectedly, he’s said if they think they’re being rotated for rest they are mistaken. This totally contradicts how he always answers this question and is a sure sign he’s actually trying something different psychologically with the team. I am far more optimistic about the season now that I’m seeing this change in Pep. Ruffling a few feathers is fine by me, it had become too cosy.
 
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Ric said:
Good to see him talking like this. Wonder who his words were aimed at? Sterling or Laporte perhaps? Maybe Bernardo?
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Hopefully the whole squad. Perform at the level of a top, premier league winning team or don’t play.

This might follow from quotes late last week about there only being 5 or 6 untouchables in the squad and him wanting to shake things up. The changes really shouldn’t be that radical but we need 4 or 5 new players in the first team squad, hopefully at least one can come from the EDS.
 
He always finds something to criticise when we win, and then he goes all soft on the players when we lose.

No surprise that he's hardballing with a 5-0 win.
 
Tricky_Trev said:
Something has changed within Pep this last week. He seems to have opted for a tougher approach. I’m encouraged by it. He’s obviously decided it requires a different method to get the maximum out of the players.
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The new contract probably?
 
Ric said:
The new contract probably?
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But unless he was once certain he was leaving, why would it make him change his approach? I could be wrong but I think there’s been some serious talks between the coaching team and they are effectively admitting that playing the nice guy doesn’t work with this team. It was going a bit Pellegrini and I feel like he’s finally acknowledged it. Could be wrong though!
 
Tricky_Trev said:
But unless he was once certain he was leaving, why would it make him change his approach? I could be wrong but I think there’s been some serious talks between the coaching team and they are effectively admitting that playing the nice guy doesn’t work with this team. It was going a bit Pellegrini and I feel like he’s finally acknowledged it. Could be wrong though!
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Whatever the reason, it’s good to see him get a bit of fire back in his belly. I think the squad collectively needed a bit of a kick up the arse tbh.
 
Tricky_Trev said:
But unless he was once certain he was leaving, why would it make him change his approach?
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I wouldn’t see it that way. He may have been mulling over a finely balanced decision for some time then, having reached a conclusion, naturally re-focused.

We’re both guessing, of course.
 
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