24 | Joško Gvardiol - 2024/25

[bert38]

Looks completely worn out.

 

[Blue tiger]

Couldn't defend if his life depended on it. Honestly don't know what he is, but he ain't no defender.

 

[cityboy1]

Couldn't defend if his life depended on it. Honestly don't know what he is, but he ain't no defender.

He was bought as a centre back though was he always like this defensively? You would think he would be rubbish going forward but solid defensivley like the other cbs weve put at full back.

 

[Draikin]

Looks completely worn out.

He won't last much longer, we need a really good backup for next season

 

[Blue tiger]

He was bought as a centre back though was he always like this defensively? You would think he would be rubbish going forward but solid defensivley like the other cbs weve put at full back.

Until we signed him, I'd only seen him the couple of times we played Leipzig, one other of which was the 7-0 in which he was awful. And the other time was against Brazil in the world cup when he was good. so couldn't tell you what he was like before. I've just not been impressed with him from the moment he got here. I know he has scored a few decent goals, but defensively I think he's awful.

 

[cityboy1]

Until we signed him, I'd only seen him the couple of times we played Leipzig, one other of which was the 7-0 in which he was awful. And the other time was against Brazil in the world cup when he was good. so couldn't tell you what he was like before. I've just not been impressed with him from the moment he got here. I know he has scored a few decent goals, but defensively I think he's awful.

Its puzzling we made him the most expensive defender in the world pep surely did this because he thought he could be the best cb in the world but any time he plays at cb he doesn't look good and hes bad at defending at left back despite being bought in for i assume his defensive ability.

 

[vanchi]

He was bought as a centre back though was he always like this defensively? You would think he would be rubbish going forward but solid defensivley like the other cbs weve put at full back.

of course he wasn’t ffs, like blue tiger would know. he didn’t have the “luxury” of playing his position here tho.

he played 39 competitive games for city this season, plus all international games, he looks dead tired, if he gets an injury at least you’ll be spared of watching this non defender in your back four, so i guess that would be good news for some of you

 

[DTKOAG]

He’s been targeted every game this year.
Both goals today and even the disallowed goal comes from his side.
Not upto defending in that position

 

[cityboy1]

of course he wasn’t ffs, like blue tiger would know. he didn’t have the “luxury” of playing his position here tho.

he played 39 competitive games for city this season, plus all international games, he looks dead tired, if he gets an injury at least you’ll be spared of watching this non defender in your back four, so i guess that would be good news for some of you

I actually like him going forward at left back im just shocked thats his main strength for us. I'm sure even your shocked about that?

 

[hertsblue]

He’s been targeted every game this year.
Both goals today and even the disallowed goal comes from his side.
Not upto defending in that position

Just is not a good left back. We need a proper, pacy left and right back for next season.

 

[Middedon]

Do you do anything other than defend your countryman every time he puts down his regular defensive disasterclass? Is there any mistake he can do that you won't immediately rush to his defense? I don't care that you have some sort of patriotic pride, we are a football team and he will be criticized for being shit defensively. supposed to be a centerback allegedly.

The problem is there are a bunch of people on this forum who really seem to hate him. And thus every time he steps on the field it’s, “complete disaster” or “not a defender.” And yes, there have been a few disasters but usually it’s not that bad, or certainly not any worse than the other defenders. When every comment is how he’s so completely terrible, it’s just not interesting.

Especially when those same posters are making excuses for other defenders, “they’re tired” or “they’re young” or “they’re playing out of position.” I don’t know if it’s because his fee or maybe he doesn’t fit what people want in a fullback (which given the fact he’s usually playing, may not be the same thing Pep wants?).

 

[Goldust]

Biggest fan but he has to be more aggressive in the duels.

 

[samuelyeboah]

The problem is there are a bunch of people on this forum who really seem to hate him. And thus every time he steps on the field it’s, “complete disaster” or “not a defender.” And yes, there have been a few disasters but usually it’s not that bad, or certainly not any worse than the other defenders. When every comment is how he’s so completely terrible, it’s just not interesting.

Especially when those same posters are making excuses for other defenders, “they’re tired” or “they’re young” or “they’re playing out of position.” I don’t know if it’s because his fee or maybe he doesn’t fit what people want in a fullback (which given the fact he’s usually playing, may not be the same thing Pep wants?).

i love him. im just immensely disappointed by his season. we have the most expensive defense in the league and at times it seems like its the worst defense in the league. that cant be a coincidence and it cant happen if players are performing.

 

[cityboy1]

Just is not a good left back. We need a proper, pacy left and right back for next season.

don't think thats happening, i think pep is done with traditional full backs cancelo must have scarred him bad

 

[skillman]

don't think thats happening, i think pep is done with traditional full backs cancelo must have scarred him bad

Cancelo was the first proper inverted full back after Delph. He wasn’t by any means an out and out up and down one.

Mendy was. And he was great until his injury.

I’d love to see us go back to it but I also really like Gvardiol and what he brings.

 

[WallyA]

He always looks good as a wide guy, and then running back to defend transitions.

Not sure why Pep has taken that freedom away from him, to help the attack, feels strange.

 

[Middedon]

i love him. im just immensely disappointed by his season. we have the most expensive defense in the league and at times it seems like its the worst defense in the league. that cant be a coincidence and it cant happen if players are performing.

Because defense isn’t about individual players. It’s about the system. And when the system is NEVER the same, it’s not going to succeed. He may not be the best LB, but it going to be hard to be even a good one if there is no consistency around him. And he’s never going to be a good CB if he only gets to player there for 30 min when someone goes out hurt and he has to play with 3 others who got shuffled into position.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Terrible performance. Salah had him on toast. He and Ake were awful.

I just don’t get what he brings to us defensively. Sloppy in the pass and weak in 1-1 challenges.

 

[samuelyeboah]

Because defense isn’t about individual players. It’s about the system. And when the system is NEVER the same, it’s not going to succeed. He may not be the best LB, but it going to be hard to be even a good one if there is no consistency around him. And he’s never going to be a good CB if he only gets to player there for 30 min when someone goes out hurt and he has to play with 3 others who got shuffled into position.

At what point does it become about the players though. it can't be all the system. and if it is then the manager has to be sacked. and i don't believe that it is

 

[vanchi]

I actually like him going forward at left back im just shocked thats his main strength for us. I'm sure even your shocked about that?

i wrote many times that no matter what he does he’ll be shat on, he will never be as fast as walker so he will get dribbled past. he’s often near or in the opp box and is expected to be in his defending position in this shit season with all the issues and no midfield. joško talked about that recently.

another thing, like the last madrid game, he will run his ass off even when he’s furthest away and then if he fails he gets all the shit without asking wtf were the others doing. happened several times. he literally would be better off just jogging in the back, but not that type of player.

saying he cannot defend is factually not true, but then you also get the “his goals are irrelevant” negating anything good in his game at all.

i still think there’s a huge possibility that he ruined his career by signing for city, which is very sad for me coz i really, really wanted him to even when i didn’t know it was even a possibility.

he lost 2 years of development as a cb, if pep leaves, what is he even?

oh and some of you should revisit 4peat title run in and his contributions to that title, both offensively and defensively. funnily enough all i ever see is foden single-handedly won that title, with haaland winning the golden boot, rodri having a ballon d’or season etc.