Pep Guardiola - 2025/26

Pep's track record ensured that there was always optimism even in the darkest times... until last season where he looked lost with multiple blunders and an overall crisis of faith in our methodology for success on the pitch.

Without that belief, every loss feels more daunting. If we are questioning everything, surely the players are too.

If it was any other manager the solution would be to replace him because once the gold armour falls off there's no getting it back on again. A new manager sometimes gets things moving again.

But this is Pep. We probably have to wait until it gets far worse. But in the meantime we can hope that it get all starts fitting to gether with Rodri and Foden back and players learning lessons and leaders emerging. Christ it's hard to watch though. As hard as any time in the past for me.
 
Blumooniac said:
It's been beautiful, magnificent. The greatest coach of all time- undisputed. The Cartel Smasher. Add any other superlative you want. However, time (and circumstances) catch up with us all- even geniuses. Khaldoon does not function on sentiment. Interesting season.
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Khaldoon will be happy with CL qualification. If that doesn't happen at the end of this season, he'll panic.
 
Just rewatched the whole game with cold heart :D

The main issue still was the incompetence of Rico and Trafford.
Trafford's mistake led to goal and had 2-3 errors as well during cameo, even looked at player's expressions and they weren't satisfied with Trafford's performance, panicked a lot.

In Rico's case I think faster fullback could have won that sprint and closed the cross from Richarlison. He also had 2-3 mistakes, like that moment when Bergvail easily passed him, but in overall Rico played better than Trafford, not that many mistakes.

Third player who made maybe more mistakes than Rico was Cherki. Except that cross to Haaland at the end of first half, he was absolutely useless and had too many incorrect passes or decisions for a midfielder.

Fourth player was Bobb, no mistakes but winger has to create some moments right ? yet he couldn't...

Our best players were our experienced players :D Read critics about John, Ruben and Ake but they did their best, no mistakes, Ake maybe isn't as good as Ait-Nouri in attack, but defensively he did well against Kudus, no mistakes.

Nico Gonzalez was decent as well. He isn't Rodri but kid did his best, at least he had no mistakes and won number of 50-50 situations. Pass accuracy as well. Well.. he isn't at that level to dominate in midfield and be a boss like Rodri, but in his age Rodri wasn't as well and therefore I see future for him, double pivot with Rodri and bring that energy, passion.

Bernardo was very bad, especially in midfield when he replaced Cherki.

In overall I think that even though we conceded 2 goals, our defensive players played better than attackers.
In attack we lacked team-play, fluidity, creativity. Marmoush not giving pass to Reijnders when he was in better position, then Reijnders not giving pass to Marmoush when Marmoush was in better position, Cherki stupid mistakes, Haaland missing those chances, Bobb And Doku not able to create moments, etc.

Unlucky as well. That Marmoush moment when Haaland delivered beautiful pass to Marmoush, Haaland missing header, Rodri's corner, these were the chances that could have changed the scenario of the game.

It's still the beginning of the season, I think we will improve, shitty games such as this happen.
Actually, these Spurs games in the beginning of the season, mostly are disaster. Except that away game in 2011/2012 season, when Dzeko scored poker.
 
You know the whole Donnarumma situation made me think of something, we all talk about Pep showing loyalty to players who brought him success previously but are not good enough anymore, on the other hand you've got Luis Enrique immediately getting rid of his treble winning goalkeeper in ruthless fashion, not saying that's the right move since we don't know how things will work out but it's interesting to see the contrast between the two former teammates.
 
Chak19 said:
You know the whole Donnarumma situation made me think of something, we all talk about Pep showing loyalty to players who brought him success previously but are not good enough anymore, on the other hand you've got Luis Enrique immediately getting rid of his treble winning goalkeeper in ruthless fashion, not saying that's the right move since we don't know how things will work out but it's interesting to see the contrast between the two former teammates.
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Is Enriquez getting rid of him though or is it the club because he won’t reduce his wages or sign a new contract
 
When Pep first arrived he immediately instilled his ethos and style on the team. It wasn’t without its problems as the team tried to transition to how he wanted us to play. Hart was problematic at the back. Kolarov was shifted into CB because pep wanted a ball playing CB, and aguero took a bit of time to adapt to how pep likes strikers to play.

For all the flaws in his first season you could immediately see what pep was trying to do. You could see the system and tactics he was setting.

With this current team and parts of last season, I just can’t see that system. We look such a mix of ideas. It’s odd! Can anyone say who our best starting 11 is? I don’t think even pep knows.

I love pep, he’s been by far the best in his era, and one of the best of all time. However, I am starting to wonder if his time is up.
 
Pep knows with this set of players he needs to move toward a transition team rather than a highly technical possession team. not just because the squad currently couldnt play like prime City or his former teams Barca, Bayern but because football generally goes in a way that now powerful, quick teams will deliver titles in a few years and when this cycle ends maybe more room for the Pep style again.

to find balance between transition team and high possession side will be very hard though and Pep is struggling with that leaving it kind of a bad mix currently. he knows to get the best out of Marmoush, Haaland, Doku etc what made us great from 2018 will not work. especially with the quality loss due to Bernardo, Gundo, KDB getting old annd how the defence is much weaker where people also a bit past their best (Ake, Stones, Walker not replaced, even Dias hasnt been great for 18 months).


the coaching staff changes 100% made in an effort to make this change quicker and to help Pep to mould his tactics.

this is all on top of issues like recruitment hasnt been great recently, missing out on top targets every summer and generally replacing top class players who get old with potentials.
to go from Mahrez to Doku, from Walker to Lewis, from Ederson to Trafford, from KDB to Cherki

VS

rivals do upgrades like Jorginho to Rice, Jesus to Gyokeres, Nunez to Isak, Fabinho to McAllister, Henderson to Szoboszlai, Luis Diaz to Wirtz etc.
 
Great Kompany said:
In a simple practical paradigm of - you cant change 11 players so you change the manager.

Does Pep coaching work anymore and after 9 years ?
From School level football to promoted teams like burnley follow Pep's philosophy so its not a surprise anymore. So can we change? Do pep has enough tricks up his sleeve for another title challenge.

These are all fair questions that should be asked as per our performances in the last 15 months.
And we have spend more than 350 million in the process as well.

There is a part of me that still feels that like the other great City's team -this team will start clicking from November and we will be able to create another era of title winning team.
But I am less and less confident each passing week.
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I Really hope so, but we have to start winning over big teams again,specially at home. City used to dominate every team in the world at home , was it Barcelona, Real, Bayern or Liverpool, but not anymore. Need to get that back, but is it possible with these kind of players? Not sure , but i really hope.
 
All being well by the end of this week things could seem a bit different going into the international break, Pep can then reflect on what good times we had after saying his goodbyes to a few with his crocodile tears (ala Aguero)- then we can concentrate on getting down to business for rest of season, get that keeper gone -Akanji- Gundogan-Savinho- and possibly 1 more and replace the keeper and maybe Savinho then let’s knuckle down with the smaller squad he craves and see how things go……till January anyway
 
Even the best managers peak. Whether that's the case with Pep is too early to tell. I think it isn't. Not blind faith btw. The cycle of his 2nd great City team is over and now he’s trying to build the third one, without some legendary midfielders.

By December and January I expect consistently good football and results. Before that we'll be inconsistent, with some really good performances, thinking we are there, and then some disappointing ones. Replacing all of Kevin, Bernardo, Gundogan, Walker, Ederson... without problems and difficult periods is virtually impossible.
 
Blumooniac said:
It's been beautiful, magnificent. The greatest coach of all time- undisputed. The Cartel Smasher. Add any other superlative you want. However, time (and circumstances) catch up with us all- even geniuses. Khaldoon does not function on sentiment. Interesting season.
Click to expand...
Could become Brian Clough, without the alcohol, or Wenger, without the excuses, or Mourinho without the self-awareness. They all tail off eventually.
Apart from Ancelotti who seems to have a charmed career.
 
The suicidal high-line we play is one if the main reasons we are heading into another average season. Second goal is frightening to concede and has all the hallmarks of last season. Even the best offside trap will fail and given our tortoises in defense once the offisde trap broken its pretty much a 1 vs 1.

We signed players for fast counter attacking football(marmoush, rejinders etc) yet we dont use them or our existing players (haaland, doku) to do this, instead accommodating our pedestrian tactics
 
I don't think Pep thought that he would still be at the club to have to change his philosophy about how we play football.
 
Can somebody please explain what “tactics” we were employing yesterday, I genuinely couldn’t work it out.
 
DD93 said:
Just rewatched the whole game with cold heart :D

The main issue still was the incompetence of Rico and Trafford.
Trafford's mistake led to goal and had 2-3 errors as well during cameo, even looked at player's expressions and they weren't satisfied with Trafford's performance, panicked a lot.

In Rico's case I think faster fullback could have won that sprint and closed the cross from Richarlison. He also had 2-3 mistakes, like that moment when Bergvail easily passed him, but in overall Rico played better than Trafford, not that many mistakes.

Third player who made maybe more mistakes than Rico was Cherki. Except that cross to Haaland at the end of first half, he was absolutely useless and had too many incorrect passes or decisions for a midfielder.

Fourth player was Bobb, no mistakes but winger has to create some moments right ? yet he couldn't...

Our best players were our experienced players :D Read critics about John, Ruben and Ake but they did their best, no mistakes, Ake maybe isn't as good as Ait-Nouri in attack, but defensively he did well against Kudus, no mistakes.

Nico Gonzalez was decent as well. He isn't Rodri but kid did his best, at least he had no mistakes and won number of 50-50 situations. Pass accuracy as well. Well.. he isn't at that level to dominate in midfield and be a boss like Rodri, but in his age Rodri wasn't as well and therefore I see future for him, double pivot with Rodri and bring that energy, passion.

Bernardo was very bad, especially in midfield when he replaced Cherki.

In overall I think that even though we conceded 2 goals, our defensive players played better than attackers.
In attack we lacked team-play, fluidity, creativity. Marmoush not giving pass to Reijnders when he was in better position, then Reijnders not giving pass to Marmoush when Marmoush was in better position, Cherki stupid mistakes, Haaland missing those chances, Bobb And Doku not able to create moments, etc.

Unlucky as well. That Marmoush moment when Haaland delivered beautiful pass to Marmoush, Haaland missing header, Rodri's corner, these were the chances that could have changed the scenario of the game.

It's still the beginning of the season, I think we will improve, shitty games such as this happen.
Actually, these Spurs games in the beginning of the season, mostly are disaster. Except that away game in 2011/2012 season, when Dzeko scored poker.
Click to expand...
So many people ignoring Stones being the worst culprit on the first goal
 
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