BluestBlue
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 25 Apr 2025
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- Man City
Incredibly impressed.I’m using your post as a reference, as a lot of people have adopted this approach.
If we take a look on numbers and stats, it would be rather easy to refute the argument: Concentrating on the PL, for example, without Cancelo our defensive stability did not improve, we conceded more goals that season. Interestingly, we also scored less goals. GD got worse, so did the overall balance (key concept) of the team…
I would respectfully recommend that people take some time to reflect on this. Introducing better defenders does not lead to better defensive stability, it’s not that simple. There is no doubt that Nathan and Josko are more solid at LB. No way they are perfect there, Josko, for example, has been exposed against pacey, talented wingers. But they are more reliable, in comparison to Joao. The latter had a series of issues, he could give the ball away for fun cheaply, frustrating his teammates. And his defensive behavior was unacceptable at that level, given his talent -which did cost us goals and points. He was asked to demand more from his defensive game, he was asked to become more responsible so that he could be trusted, he kept avoiding accountability. In the process, he demonstrated the worst side of his personality, the rest is history…
His offensive contribution, however, is a completely different story. According to Cancelo, Pep discovered elements in his game Joao himself was unaware of. A well respected former City player, full of admiration, described him as “a fullback number 10”. When focused and in good form, he could -and did- play a crucial role and did offer a lot, occasionally making the difference, deciding matches himself…
I don’t remember the exact wording, but Pep has basically said that the better we attack, the better we defend: Football dialectics for you. We have to put things into context: The manager’s philosophy and strategy. City under Pep are a creative, attacking team. We want the ball and we want to attack. The more comfortable we are in the way we want to play, the more effective we become. Limitations in terms of personnel mean we have to work harder. We will struggle, which leads to frustration and mistakes. Balances on the pitch will be affected- and opposition will have a decent chance to hurt us…
Nathan went publicly basically saying he cannot be another Cancelo. Did he have to? Apparently the man felt uncomfortable with possible expectations from our fans -and possible comparisons. He and Josko have done the best they could. Nathan, for example, has won us that Cup match vs Arsenal at home. Josko is young, arrived as a highly promising CB, but was forced immediately to operate as a LB in the most demanding league on the planet. During the first half of his first season, he was basically involved in recycling possession. But during the second half he made gigantic steps forward, becoming an organic part of our attacking game, scoring vital goals, helping us to win the league…
I am happy for both, zero complaints -and I’m sure Pep feels the same. As I’ve already said, they did the best they could. Fact remains, however, that their contributions are nowhere near Cancelo’s impact -and it’s not their fault. As usual under Pep’s regime, they have both massively overachieved. But I suggest we do the mental exercise, imagine a talented attacking fullback in their position. The dynamics change radically, don’t they? Since we could not have that, the team had to work harder. You see, Guardiola has created a monster, a team bound to face defensive strategies 9,5 times out of 10, low blocks, all men behind the ball etc. In such situations, you need significant offensive contribution from all 11, it’s imperative. When you don’t have that, the “usual suspects” upfront, Kevin, Bernardo, Ilkay, Rodrigo himself in the process etc, need to work like animals so as to compensate -which they did. That’s the story of this group of players the last 5, I repeat, FIVE years. A period, by the way, characterized by zero or very little rest (and zero or very little preseason). Now we pay the price as these boys are burnt out, literally fucked, and some of them have nothing (or very little) left…
It took time, quality education from Pep, will and commitment from both Nathan and Josko to achieve what they have. But there are limits: Neither Nathan nor Josko can score that goal vs Southampton at home, or that goal vs Newcastle away, effectively killing the game. Neither Nathan nor Josko can deliver that assist to Sterling vs Everton at home, or that ridiculous assist to Erling vs Dortmund, winning the game. Which will be discussed forever, one of the best attacking actions in the history of the CL. And so on, and so on. Cancelo was not replaced (and if you think media people did not notice, you are wrong; they chose silence, I wonder why…), Guardiola did not complain. He never does, no surprises there, that’s his “weakness”. He kept working with the resources available, introducing a strategy so as to make the most out of them. The media whores were rubbing their hands, expecting him to “fail” -and eventually fuck off. It seemed like a certainty, yet he proved them wrong, once again. In the 21st century, a system with 4 CBs, evolving in his version of the well abandoned and forgotten WM, emphasizing on control. Keeping the tempo obsessively low, thus cancelling opposition’s advantage in terms of energy levels. Circulating the ball, passing them to death, patiently seeking the killing combination. While conceding zero or very few opportunities for counter play, I expect our positional play during that period has already been taught at seminars. Basically forcing opposition to play the game on our own terms, Pep was exercising chess principles on the pitch. An approach gradually leading to suffocation, intimidation, defeat. One of the most remarkable achievements in the history of the sport under the circumstances, the guy is an alien…
There is a colleague at work, I wouldn’t call him a friend, but we have a good communication. He is a nice guy, with good intentions, honest. And smart. You always have a chance with smart people. We have discussed City’s condition repeatedly, in the process he has admitted he had a completely false perception of the club: The media propaganda is extremely strong, nothing new about that. Anyway. I think it was him, a couple of months ago, don’t exactly remember when, who informed me about an interview of Gael Clichy. Something about his first impression when joining City, with THAT squad and THOSE resources. Maybe it was posted in the forum, if it was and I missed it, I apologize. The thing is, Pep never had that, for him and his boys it was always the hard way, from day 1. I sincerely do not want to go there, but I will if I’m forced to. It took us like 10 years to finally sign one (1) LB (who, by the way, we will lose for a period in winter). The “debate” regarding the necessity of one (1) RB is beyond ridiculous. It’s embarrassing, period. It has to end…
Yes, everybody and his dog know that we did win titles with Fabian Delph. Yes, I am aware that Zinchenko “did a job” for us as LB. With Pep’s education and his own hard work, he has made a career in that position, even if he retired now he has probably solved his financial problem for the rest of his life. The thing is, “doing a job” might prove to be inadequate at the highest level -and that is the level at which we are competing. Both him and Fabian have been exposed numerous times, never mind if the team was there to usually compensate for their problems. And it will be Zinchenko the one who will fail to mark Benzema vs Madrid at home, just an example, one of those that really hurt us. And it will be Dinho who will spectacularly lose VJ in the same match. A play that does not exist with a proper fullback there. Not even somebody particularly competent, just a fucking average fullback would do, a player who could deliver “the basics”, as Fabian would say. You simply block the ****’s path, no fucking pasaran, how the fuck am I supposed to express it? Ask yourselves if Madrid, Barca, Atletico, Bayern, PSG, Inter etc, would ever be in such a position, obliged to use a veteran against a world class winger in a KO CL match. And then ask yourselves why the mainstream media did not pick up on this, like criticizing City’s hierarchy for such a negligence (yes, I mean exactly what you think I mean…). We were by far the better side, Madrid and their fans would be the first to admit it, yet we conceded 3 ridiculously easy, cheap goals and they stayed alive. I am not going to blame Zinchenko and Dinho, I’m sorry, especially the latter shouldn’t even be on the pitch. A wasted opportunity in the CL. Why? Maybe because the net spend issue was more important. And / or we thought we could be clever -and cheap. Relying on people who “could do a job”. People who proved to be way below the required standard…
For those who watched the team vs Al Ain: Kusha did try to do a job. He, or Mane or whoever is used there, will keep trying. And if Pep insists, under his education I am confident that the boy will improve. Up to a fucking point though. Look at it under the perspective of the opposition: An assistant, a member of the staff etc, will identify this in like 5 minutes and inform the head coach. If they haven’t anticipated it, they will try to adapt. I’m not saying they will succeed, it’s always complicated against City, all I’m saying is they have a chance. Because basically they can expect no surprises from the kid’s game, City will appear asymmetrical when in possession of the ball. Now, do the mental exercise once again and imagine somebody else at RB, a player with more sophisticated stuff in his game. The moment they feel they have adapted to, let’s say stop Rayan, tough fucking luck, they get hit on the other side. Not by Kusha, but by someone who can offer creativity and penetration. The difficulty increases radically for opponents: City appear unpredictable, and things become more complicated…
To conclude this, we will not be able to find another Cancelo, his talent offensively was unique. But we can definitely find a cultured fullback. Quick, smart, with good technique, tactical awareness and flexibility. And solid defensively, absolutely. People need to stop trying to appear clever. Defending an “idea” that cannot and should not be defended. It’s not about what others and I want. It’s about what the team needs. Not somebody who can “do a job”, with the rest of the team working for him when we have the ball. But somebody who can provide added value in our game…
I strongly despise the phrase “do a job”
It’s perfectly reasonable to have an actual LB and an actual RB play at the preferred positions.
I’m glad someone has finally spoken but how the obsession with having squared pegs in round holes screwed with our chances to win more trophies.
Either way I’m confident the club will go an get a RB, Viana will find a way
