Guardiola said he felt he owed other players a chance to be in the squad instead

Whether or not said:
I don’t think people should pay much attention to what Pep says in the immediate aftermath of a defeat. He doesn’t like losing and he doesn’t much like interviews. It would be fascinating to hear what really goes on with his team selection, as it has seemed bizarre at times this year, but it’s not about fairness. If it were, Philips would have had more of a go, Grealish wouldn’t be out in the cold, likewise now Gonzalez. My own view is that Pep just doesn’t feel like he has the tools he needs anymore, and he is constantly shuffling the pack, looking for the right balance.
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He found the right balance and it got us to the final and in a great position for top 5 after a good run of results. Then he brought back akanji and haaland and fucked it up.
 
super_city_si said:
He found the right balance and it got us to the final and in a great position for top 5 after a good run of results. Then he brought back akanji and haaland and fucked it up.
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Jesus Christ. When you read two sentences that should be viewed as controversial but can't actually put your finger on a single past of them that are actually not correct.
 
bluenova said:
I disagree completely.

I don't even see the logic of the argument, when you're suggesting we should take him literally now, even though it's a time when things aren't going well, and it opens him up to criticism. Surely that's the opposite of what you just argued?

He makes slight mistakes all the time, and regularly uses words with slightly the wrong interpretation. Given that the vast majority of the time things have been going exceptionally well, and yet he would talk in the same manner, it's a ridiculous suggestion.

I've worked, and been friends with, or come into contact with through work, many thousands of people who speak English as a second language, and just about everyone does exactly the same.
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You carry on thinking that. He's an expert bluffer with years of experience in front of TV cameras.
 
StillBluessinceHydeRoad said:
Do you think Pep wasted your money for you in 2019 or 2023 or any of the other four league title winning seasons? Or did you just turn up in 2024 to risk following serial winners and are peeved it didn't work out this season? Or do you just talk bollocks?
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I have a right to an opinion and I’ve been following city since 1987, so not exactly a recent addition. Never mind losing if I see effort and entertainment on the pitch but this season I’ve seen neither.
 
shemnel said:
you must be pretty gutted he won the league in 23/24
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Not at all, but I think it was the step too far for an ageing squad that has led to our drop off this season, particularly in relation to Phil Foden, who hasn't looked the same person, never mind player, since.

I'd have preferred to see 23/24 as the first of two seasons of rebuild. As it stands we're going into 25/26 in a weaker position than we should be, not even scratching the surface of a proper rebuild yet.

But you'd obviously prefer to bask in short-term glory rather than long term progression. I've seen it all before my friend. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
 
BlueRhubarb said:
Akanji has to play. He's the only player with any kind of pace and physical presence at the back. Without him we'd have been undone on more than the 1 occasion that led to the goal for Palace. Nunes is also a total liability.
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Totally disagree, Akanji was slow ponderous
And took an age to make a pass which was all sidewards.nunes at least can put a decent cross in and would have worked better with saviinho.
Love the guy but he was dreadful yesterday
Just couldn’t wait to give the ball to someone else.
 
Columbia said:
I have a right to an opinion and I’ve been following city since 1987, so not exactly a recent addition. Never mind losing if I see effort and entertainment on the pitch but this season I’ve seen neither.
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Do you really believe that Pep deliberately picks teams to lose? I don't say people don't have a right to an opinion but I get fed up of "fans" pulling the "I'm a supporter, I have my rights" card and blaming the manager, this manager in particular, because the team he picked didn't actually win the cup. Now you add insult to injury by suggesting that you haven't seen any effort on the pitch all season. So, as you aren't satisfied with the manager, the players or anything else at the club, you aren't entertained I have the right to the opinion that your opinion is not worth whatever its written on.
 
Bozzie said:
I felt Akanjis’ position was pivotal to a big part of our build up play on Saturday. He seemed to have an awful lot of the ball but, unfortunately, I can’t recall him playing a single pass forwards, everything was back inside. I think Lewis, maybe because he’s naturally a midfielder rather than defender, would have at least tried to be creative and move the ball forward.
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Have you not watched Sideways and Backwards Rico this season?
 
inchy14 said:
Have you not watched Sideways and Backwards Rico this season?
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Of course. The whole team this season (probably barring De Bruyne and he’s been injured for a large period) have fallen into ‘safety first’ mode. Whether that’s because our defence has been so inconsistent and they fear the consequences of losing possession I don’t know. However on Saturday when we were desperate for someone to play the ball forward i just found Akanji completely incapable. It’s an opinion and you may well be correct and Lewis might not have fared any better.
 
Bozzie said:
Of course. The whole team this season (probably barring De Bruyne and he’s been injured for a large period) have fallen into ‘safety first’ mode. Whether that’s because our defence has been so inconsistent and they fear the consequences of losing possession I don’t know. However on Saturday when we were desperate for someone to play the ball forward i just found Akanji completely incapable. It’s an opinion and you may well be correct and Lewis might not have fared any better.
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Nunes should have played, it’s that simple really.

Pep has massively messed the last couple of matches squeezing Haaland and Akanji back in and for no benefits at all.
 
Lavinda Past said:
Not at all, but I think it was the step too far for an ageing squad that has led to our drop off this season, particularly in relation to Phil Foden, who hasn't looked the same person, never mind player, since.

I'd have preferred to see 23/24 as the first of two seasons of rebuild. As it stands we're going into 25/26 in a weaker position than we should be, not even scratching the surface of a proper rebuild yet.

But you'd obviously prefer to bask in short-term glory rather than long term progression. I've seen it all before my friend. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
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I don't think Pep staying for 23/24 had a directly translatable effect on the rebuild effort for that particular season, after all not all signings are up to him. We brought in Gvardiol, Doku, Kovacic and Nunes after the CL win and that was widely seen as an amazing transfer window at the time. Also Bobb was maturing into the squad.

I think the errors were made at full back, but again I'm still not convinced that Pep moving on in the summer of '23 would have solved that?

I don't know perhaps there is some strange hindsight wisdom but I can't personally begrudge anyone who wins the title and wish it never happened, to me that seems crazy.

The 2024 summer was a disaster, the cracks were showing late season when we won the title. The board have to be asked serious questions about spring 24 onwards.

Your bit about basking in short term is silly nonsense.
 
shemnel said:
I don't think Pep staying for 23/24 had a directly translatable effect on the rebuild effort for that particular season, after all not all signings are up to him. We brought in Gvardiol, Doku, Kovacic and Nunes after the CL win and that was widely seen as an amazing transfer window at the time. Also Bobb was maturing into the squad.

I think the errors were made at full back, but again I'm still not convinced that Pep moving on in the summer of '23 would have solved that?

I don't know perhaps there is some strange hindsight wisdom but I can't personally begrudge anyone who wins the title and wish it never happened, to me that seems crazy.

The 2024 summer was a disaster, the cracks were showing late season when we won the title. The board have to be asked serious questions about spring 24 onwards.

Your bit about basking in short term is silly nonsense.
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The transfer window you refer to was absolutely awful. Overpriced largely average players brought in to put sticky tape over gaps.
 
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