Pep's contract situation | 2 year extension confirmed! (pg1817)

[waspish]

If pep extends I’d love Gundogan to extend to and become assistant to Pep for the next two years!

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

I think 17-18 will prove to be the absolute pinnacle of Guardiola’s time here from an aesthetic perspective, and even if we were to win the Champions League before he leaves, I can’t see him getting the team back to that standard of football week in, week out.

Part of the change since is likely intentional on Guardiola’s behalf and we undoubtedly currently play a lot slower than we did in 17-18, with the enjoyment diminishing in turn from my perspective. This season has been a disappointment so far and there are a number of developments which are quite hard to fathom at the moment, not least sticking Bernado out wide for big chunks of the game.

However I think the biggest factor behind the slower pace of play is simply the players involved. The 17-18 midfield of Fernandinho, Dave and KDB was truly exceptional and probably the best any of us will ever see. I rate Rodri very highly but he’s far less dynamic than Fernandinho, and the 17-18 version of KDB was more mobile as well. David Silva was simply the best player I’ve ever seen at City - on a totally different level to Bernado if we’re being honest - and was arguably the best in the world at finding space, turning and playing short passes in behind a defence. All of this set things up perfectly for our pace on the wings and allowed us to get behind defences even when they parked the bus.

Fernandinho and Silva leaving was of course unavoidable, but losing Sane and effectively replacing him with Mahrez was a big downgrade and we’re crying out for more pace on the wings. We have different players now and so, regrettably, we play differently.

The key question for me is whether Guardiola actually wants to buy the type of players that can get us closer to where we were in 17-18 - essentially whether he’s ready to commit to building a new midfield and attack over the next 2/3 seasons - and if he’s not, will he get the best out of the players we have at the moment?

Steady on mate. Mahrez and KDB are now at an age whereby others have had ample chance to work them out, and Bernardo is known to be wanting away. He's not going to go in full blooded in case he suffers serious injury that ends that ambition. The team have also failed to solve the fullback issues with no specialist left back and with Walker's injury woes lingering on. And of course there has never really been anyone to replace Vinny. No doubt these problems could be solved with the chequebook but then we'll have to stomach the accusations that without spending we would be nothing. Those accusations would be based on ignorance as we all know, but they will still be there.

 

[blueinsa]

Not much exciting about taking 40 passes (half of them Backwards) to get to a position where one would have sufficed.

Big Sam says you are a football genius.

 

[spanishcityfan]

I have no obsession with the champions. The Champions, as we all know, is a matter of being lucky. the premiere is much harder to win and much more exciting and fair

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

Fair enough. I guess he’d get panned for doing that here?

Which vegetable would the Sun suggest he was?

Sweet potatoe?

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

Not much exciting about taking 40 passes (half of them Backwards) to get to a position where one would have sufficed.

Understood but to have the opposition running about getting knackered trying to gain possession also has benefits.

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

Have you considered supporting Liverpool? They’re very good at the long ball game.

What you get there is plenty of kicking, running around and headbutting, elbowing, swearing, spitting, cheating and hoping the camera is off. And that's before you even get in the ground.

 

[Silva2021]

Not much exciting about taking 40 passes (half of them Backwards) to get to a position where one would have sufficed.

The ball may be in the same position but I guarantee the 2 teams will not.

 

[B\connellblue]

Understood but to have the opposition running about getting knackered trying to gain possession also has benefits.

Yes but they dont bother running around anymore. They just sit in in two blocks of 5 and I doubt they use much energy at all.

 

[Gordyola]

Not much exciting about taking 40 passes (half of them Backwards) to get to a position where one would have sufficed.

Nonsense The reason for the ”40 passes” is because most teams play all 11 in the last 18yards City are trying to draw them out and beat the press, your one ball would just be gobbled up. Ultimately they are looking for the one ball.
I find the way they play fascinating, the speed and accuracy, the running into space trying to create angles this is why it’s so much better to be watching in the stadium than on TV and why rival fans claim its boring because they only see City on Tv. Unfortunately the idiot commenta and pundits rarely point it out, my bet is that the likes of Barry Davies would have

 

[B\connellblue]

Nonsense The reason for the ”40 passes” is because most teams play all 11 in the last 18yards City are trying to draw them out and beat the press, your one ball would just be gobbled up. Ultimately they are looking for the one ball.
I find the way they play fascinating, the speed and accuracy, the running into space trying to create angles this is why it’s so much better to be watching in the stadium than on TV and why rival fans claim its boring because they only see City on Tv. Unfortunately the idiot commenta and pundits rarely point it out, my bet is that the likes of Barry Davies would have

Everyone to his own fancy I suppose. It doesnt fascinate me at all. Accuracy fair enough, Speed ? I don't see it at all.
We used to play at pace, not anymore.

 

[Mariosfireworks]

Nonsense The reason for the ”40 passes” is because most teams play all 11 in the last 18yards City are trying to draw them out and beat the press, your one ball would just be gobbled up. Ultimately they are looking for the one ball.
I find the way they play fascinating, the speed and accuracy, the running into space trying to create angles this is why it’s so much better to be watching in the stadium than on TV and why rival fans claim its boring because they only see City on Tv. Unfortunately the idiot commenta and pundits rarely point it out, my bet is that the likes of Barry Davies would have

Well I have been every home game this season, and watched it live, and to me it is pissng me off how we pass sideways backwards sideways then to the keeper then sideways, all we are doing is letting the opposition set up, Brentford did it as have several other teams, in 1 game this season ederson played a long ball, haaland on the end of it oh and we scored, people on here laugh at the long ball, and laugh at the dippers for it, but clearly it works as they always seem to fucking beat us

 

[jrb]

Well I have been every home game this season, and watched it live, and to me it is pissng me off how we pass sideways backwards sideways then to the keeper then sideways, all we are doing is letting the opposition set up, Brentford did it as have several other teams, in 1 game this season ederson played a long ball, haaland on the end of it oh and we scored, people on here laugh at the long ball, and laugh at the dippers for it, but clearly it works as they always seem to fucking beat us

Agree. Pep has gone sideways and backwards this season. Last season he did that, forwards, down the Centre and on the wings.

As you rightly say, it gives the opposition time to set up a back 10 which City struggle against and have been very fortunate to eventually breakdown at times this season.

City couldn’t do that against Brentford (bar the Foden strike), who until that then had a dreadful away record.

 

[Mariosfireworks]

Nonsense The reason for the ”40 passes” is because most teams play all 11 in the last 18yards City are trying to draw them out and beat the press, your one ball would just be gobbled up. Ultimately they are looking for the one ball.
I find the way they play fascinating, the speed and accuracy, the running into space trying to create angles this is why it’s so much better to be watching in the stadium than on TV and why rival fans claim its boring because they only see City on Tv. Unfortunately the idiot commenta and pundits rarely point it out, my bet is that the likes of Barry Davies would

 

[Mariosfireworks]

So why don't we gobble that 1 ball up?

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

Yes but they dont bother running around anymore. They just sit in in two blocks of 5 and I doubt they use much energy at all.

So the idea could be to mentally tire the opposition which also has an effect on performance. One thing is for sure...giving the ball to the opposition is a no no....which could happen if the City players don't open them up at exactly the right moment. It can be tedious for us fans as I'm as impatient a city fan as there is but too many risks have consequences.

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

So why don't we gobble that 1 ball up?

Sometimes City do. Rodri, Gundogan, Bernardo, Kdb.

 

[HelloCity]

 

[Manchester_lalala]

Everyone to his own fancy I suppose. It doesnt fascinate me at all. Accuracy fair enough, Speed ? I don't see it at all.
We used to play at pace, not anymore.

Do you EVER have anything positive to say?

 

[Coatigan]

Everyone to his own fancy I suppose. It doesnt fascinate me at all. Accuracy fair enough, Speed ? I don't see it at all.
We used to play at pace, not anymore.

Last season, I possibly wouldn't have questioned that claim. This season though, how many of our 40 goals (in just over two months) were scored 'not at pace'. How many were tap-ins after 30-odd sideways passes, and how many were at the end of a full pelt run, a ball through, with defenders unable to keep up.