24 | Joško Gvardiol - 2024/25

Status
Not open for further replies.
A very average left back. Offers very little going forward bar the odd wondergoal and cant really defend too well from wide. Watch Kerkez performance for Bournemouth from Sat against Newcastle to show what an actual left back should do. For such a big guy Gvardiol has no aggression or strength.

The only saving grace with him is maybe when he gets a decent run at centre back we might see a much better player because Michael Tarnat at 60 years old could do the role he is doing now.
 
Last edited:
Dubciteh said:
A very average left back. Offers very little going forward bar the odd wondergoal and cant really defend too well from wide. Watch Kerkez performance for Bournemouth from Sat against liverpool to show what an actual left should do. For such a big guy Gvardiol has no aggression or strength.

The only saving grace with him is maybe when he gets a decent run at centre back we might see a much better player because Michael Tarnat at 60 years old could do the role he is doing now.
Click to expand...

First of all Bournemouth played Newcastle not Liverpool on Saturday, second of all you are talking absolute shite.
 
Kippax Street 1880 said:
First of all Bournemouth played Newcastle not Liverpool on Saturday, second of all you are talking absolute shite.
Click to expand...
Sorry my bad, yes newcastle, besides the point really but have edited my initial post.

You think Gvardiol is a top class left back then yeah? Rather than just say I am talking shite, be more specific. The bit about michael tarnat was a joke btw incase that was missed but he too scored occasional worldies and couldnt defend to save his life.

Cmon show me what I am missing here instead of just saying I am talking shite.
 
Dubciteh said:
A very average left back. Offers very little going forward bar the odd wondergoal and cant really defend too well from wide. Watch Kerkez performance for Bournemouth from Sat against Newcastle to show what an actual left back should do. For such a big guy Gvardiol has no aggression or strength.

The only saving grace with him is maybe when he gets a decent run at centre back we might see a much better player because Michael Tarnat at 60 years old could do the role he is doing now.
Click to expand...
He's asked to play a totally different role to those guys. He's basically a wide CB.

You wouldn't expect him to play like Tarnat or Kerkez because he isn't that type of player. It's a pointless comparison.
 
Dubciteh said:
Sorry my bad, yes newcastle, besides the point really but have edited my initial post.

You think Gvardiol is a top class left back then yeah? Rather than just say I am talking shite, be more specific. The bit about michael tarnat was a joke btw incase that was missed but he too scored occasional worldies and couldnt defend to save his life.

Cmon show me what I am missing here instead of just saying I am talking shite.
Click to expand...
Gvardiol is a bit of a mystery to me. I think that he has potential...

But he's been average at best in his LB role. Beaten straight out, sometimes - unable to stop crosses - a bit more often - but most concerning - is that he gives the ball away with a careless pass, as a deep lying defending, on average it seems, at least once per game.

Gvardiol has been very good on offense - but for me, that does not compensate for his defensive weaknesses.

If Gvardiol is to retain his status as a first pick starter, he needs to up his defensive game - a lot.
 
Dubciteh said:
Sorry my bad, yes newcastle, besides the point really but have edited my initial post.

You think Gvardiol is a top class left back then yeah? Rather than just say I am talking shite, be more specific. The bit about michael tarnat was a joke btw incase that was missed but he too scored occasional worldies and couldnt defend to save his life.

Cmon show me what I am missing here instead of just saying I am talking shite.
Click to expand...

Come on pal, no aggression or strength and a 60 year old could play better than him? He's made mistakes this season like every other defender in the back 4. He's also been playing every single week, sometimes Pep has tasked him with covering the entire left side of the pitch while also inverting into midfield, he's going to get caught out of position occasionally. Looked a lot better as our wingers have stepped up recent weeks and he hasn't had to carry the sole threat down the left.

I'm not saying he hasn't had bad games this season but he's also had plenty of games where he has been great. Plenty of examples of him showing strength and aggression when defending. Sure he's been beaten by opposition a few times but there are good fucking players in this League and if you leave your defence as exposed as they have been in our team this season they will be made to look silly occasionally.

Moving away from how he defends, just look at how he carries the ball forward, his range of passing and knack for a crucial goal. The lad is class, I agree his future lies at centre back but I have utmost faith he will be a stalwart of our defence for the next decade and you went way overboard with the criticism in my opinion.
 
Dubciteh said:
A very average left back. Offers very little going forward bar the odd wondergoal and cant really defend too well from wide. Watch Kerkez performance for Bournemouth from Sat against Newcastle to show what an actual left back should do. For such a big guy Gvardiol has no aggression or strength.

The only saving grace with him is maybe when he gets a decent run at centre back we might see a much better player because Michael Tarnat at 60 years old could do the role he is doing now.
Click to expand...
"Offers very little going forward"

FFS, so very wrong.
 
Keeper! said:
"Offers very little going forward"

FFS, so very wrong.
Click to expand...
FFS yourself! Learn how to debate and discuss....

Gvardiol has zero assists this season and he is our most attacking defender. He also has an xA of 0.10/per 90 mins all season, to compare with even Kyle Walker(0.12/90 mins) its lower. He basically provides very little going forward with the exception of the odd wondergoal (which you left out when quoting me). He offers no more going forward than Ake does(who incidentally got more assists than him last season too) and Ake is far more dependable defensively when playing left back.

In Gvardiols defence he is very good at recycling the ball across the pitch(similar to Grealish in that respect) and scoring the odd long ranger but I dont see much else.

Based on your response you must think he is an excellent attacking left back? Whats this based on?
 
Kippax Street 1880 said:
Come on pal, no aggression or strength and a 60 year old could play better than him? He's made mistakes this season like every other defender in the back 4. He's also been playing every single week, sometimes Pep has tasked him with covering the entire left side of the pitch while also inverting into midfield, he's going to get caught out of position occasionally. Looked a lot better as our wingers have stepped up recent weeks and he hasn't had to carry the sole threat down the left.

I'm not saying he hasn't had bad games this season but he's also had plenty of games where he has been great. Plenty of examples of him showing strength and aggression when defending. Sure he's been beaten by opposition a few times but there are good fucking players in this League and if you leave your defence as exposed as they have been in our team this season they will be made to look silly occasionally.

Moving away from how he defends, just look at how he carries the ball forward, his range of passing and knack for a crucial goal. The lad is class, I agree his future lies at centre back but I have utmost faith he will be a stalwart of our defence for the next decade and you went way overboard with the criticism in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Well at least thats a better post than saying I am talking shite so thank you.

I think we mainly disagree but I have two questions, can you remember a single time when he pocketed a winger and you thought he has been in Gvardiols pocket all game? Second one, its the champions league final tomorrow and we have a fully fit fully performing squad, do you start Gvardiol?

I wait to see him giving a run in central defence before making full judgement on him but I stand by my opinion he is an average left back and average for a club like us isnt good enough.
 
Dubciteh said:
FFS yourself! Learn how to debate and discuss....

Gvardiol has zero assists this season and he is our most attacking defender. He also has an xA of 0.10/per 90 mins all season, to compare with even Kyle Walker(0.12/90 mins) its lower. He basically provides very little going forward with the exception of the odd wondergoal (which you left out when quoting me). He offers no more going forward than Ake does(who incidentally got more assists than him last season too) and Ake is far more dependable defensively when playing left back.

In Gvardiols defence he is very good at recycling the ball across the pitch(similar to Grealish in that respect) and scoring the odd long ranger but I dont see much else.

Based on your response you must think he is an excellent attacking left back? Whats this based on?
Click to expand...
He is a superb footballer and let's not forget his age, 22.

He came into the best side in the world , a new league and more than held his own.

Due to the crazy injuries he has had to play when fit but without question he has played many times this season when not 100%.

Yes at this time he is having a dip, but it happens but his contribution to this side since his arrival has been superb.
 
Dubciteh said:
Well at least thats a better post than saying I am talking shite so thank you.

I think we mainly disagree but I have two questions, can you remember a single time when he pocketed a winger and you thought he has been in Gvardiols pocket all game? Second one, its the champions league final tomorrow and we have a fully fit fully performing squad, do you start Gvardiol?

I wait to see him giving a run in central defence before making full judgement on him but I stand by my opinion he is an average left back and average for a club like us isnt good enough.
Click to expand...

Well we haven’t had a Natural LB in years but we have won the last 4 league titles and that’s with so called ‘average defenders’.
 
vincent said:
Well we haven’t had a Natural LB in years but we have won the last 4 league titles and that’s with so called ‘average defenders’.
Click to expand...
Agree but who said we have average defenders? I think if you look across all our league titles under Pep left back has always been the major weak spot. Thankfully the quality of the the rest of the team and squad has meant when it comes to the prem it hasnt really made a difference. I do think it has cost us a couple of times in Europe though, this is all unrelated to Gvardiol I might add.
 
Keeper! said:
He is a superb footballer and let's not forget his age, 22.

He came into the best side in the world , a new league and more than held his own.

Due to the crazy injuries he has had to play when fit but without question he has played many times this season when not 100%.

Yes at this time he is having a dip, but it happens but his contribution to this side since his arrival has been superb.
Click to expand...
I agree with a lot of this for the record but I dont think it answers the point you made, I said he was average going forward and you called me out on it. I am not doubting his footballing ability, I am doubting his ability to play left back. I am not saying he is terrible I am saying he is an average left back. Fabian Delph and Zinchenko both played that role for us and we wont a shit tonne with them there but I wouldnt class either as anything other than average left backs. We also didnt pay a billion pound for either. This is not to diminish Delph/Zinc or Gvardiol, they played a part and we won trophies so they are legends for that. But we arent winning anything at the moment so questions have to be asked can we do better and i think we can. In fact to answer the question posed to someone else further up, if we have a fully fit firing squad and its the champs league final tomo I am playing Ake there over Gvardiol.
 
BlueMoonAcrossThePond said:
Gvardiol is a bit of a mystery to me. I think that he has potential...

But he's been average at best in his LB role. Beaten straight out, sometimes - unable to stop crosses - a bit more often - but most concerning - is that he gives the ball away with a careless pass, as a deep lying defending, on average it seems, at least once per game.

Gvardiol has been very good on offense - but for me, that does not compensate for his defensive weaknesses.

If Gvardiol is to retain his status as a first pick starter, he needs to up his defensive game - a lot.
Click to expand...
Someone who actually sees the game as opposed to just watching the match.

Glad there's a few left on here.
 
Not a CB nor an inverted LB.

Traditional overlapping fullback.

But we don’t do that here so oh well..
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top