Pep Guardiola - 2025/26

I’ve calmed down after that shit show today and one thing I’ve noticed, our tactics and playstyle is all over the place. One minute we are trying to play Pep ball then the next we are trying to play Lijnders ball.

We transition like a klopp team , try to press like a Klopp team, but then when we have the ball we revert to type of slow possession with sideways passing controlled possession like a Pep style

I’ve just watched more highlights of games this season and it’s the exact same apart from Fulham where we fully played more like a Klopp/Lijnders team than a Pep team. That was utter chaos

It’s a weird mix where the players look confused in what to do at times. Phil’s running around like a headless chicken pressing and then he’s in two minds on transitions where to pass forward and counter quick or to pass sideways and control possession.

It’s like we are trying to mix styles and it’s just ending up a mess and confusion all round.
 
BlueMonkey79 said:
The quality of the overhaul.

We can buy as many average players as we like. Until we start buying quality we will be experiencing more days like today on a more regular basis.
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Semenyo is the 2nd top goalscorer
Marmoush had the the top 3 best g/a before this season
Cherki is the most technically gifted player we’ve seen in ages
Reinjders was midfielder of the season in Italy
Nico G was a Barca reject that had good potential (been our most important player all season)
Nypan is a wonder kid
Ait Nouri is an underrated football with high technical ability
Khusonov is a pacey centre back a unicorn
Reis is a nimble young centre back with the best aerial ability
Guehi has over 100 caps, one of the first names on the England team sheet and only 25
Donnarumma was crucial in ensuring PSG won a treble and
 
Damanino said:
why dont you enjoy 145 passes of Ake-Dias-Ake-Doku-Rodri-Dias-Nunes-Bernardo-Dias-Ake-Rodri-Dias-Ake-Doku-Foden-Dias-Ake-Dias-Ake-Dias-Rodri-Nunes-Donnnarumma-Dias-Ake-Doku-Rodri-Dias-Ake-Dias-Ake-Dias-Ake-Dias-rodri-Ake-Nunes-Dias-Ake-Doku-Ake-Doku-Ake and then we lose ball they counter we regain possession and we start again.
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You missed out Gvardiol in 15 of those passes.
 
Sam69 said:
Hugo Viana has to make some tough decisions at the end of the season, whether Pep likes it or not. Four or five players absolutely have to be let go. We'd thank them for everything they've given to the club, but they have to be away from City.

Otherwise, love is blind, and Pep is completely caught up in it. Even if you sign Anderson, Vitinha, and Hakimi, he's capable of ruining matches because of his feelings toward some of his favorites.
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think hes lost patience with foden, to take him off that early tells me hes had a word and hes not listened.
 
we try to press like a Klopp teaam?

sorry but where is that crazy high press Mane, Firmino, Salah used to do with also done by Hendrson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho? and also their RB, LB joined in.

I really dont see this level of pressing from likes of Haaland, Doku, Cherki, Foden etc. they do it 2-3 times a game for 20 seconds then they dont do it for 20 mins. very often its not even a combined effort jut one or two of them trying to do it which defeats the purpose.


lack of proper pressing is a big problem coupled with high line.
 
People need to be careful what they wish for i had People in this forum telling me last season it was time fir him to go and we should get Thomas Frank! The very same Thomas Frank who is having his team booed off and clinging on to his job because of the style of football and results!
 
Damanino said:
we try to press like a Klopp teaam?

sorry but where is that crazy high press Mane, Firmino, Salah used to do with also done by Hendrson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho? and also their RB, LB joined in.

I really dont see this level of pressing from likes of Haaland, Doku, Cherki, Foden etc. they do it 2-3 times a game for 20 seconds then they dont do it for 20 mins. very often its not even a combined effort jut one or two of them trying to do it which defeats the purpose.


lack of proper pressing is a big problem coupled with high line.
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Well he said we try to press like them, of course we fail miserably at that.
 
Damanino said:
why dont you enjoy 145 passes of Ake-Dias-Ake-Doku-Rodri-Dias-Nunes-Bernardo-Dias-Ake-Rodri-Dias-Ake-Doku-Foden-Dias-Ake-Dias-Ake-Dias-Rodri-Nunes-Donnnarumma-Dias-Ake-Doku-Rodri-Dias-Ake-Dias-Ake-Dias-Ake-Dias-rodri-Ake-Nunes-Dias-Ake-Doku-Ake-Doku-Ake and then we lose ball they counter we regain possession and we start again.
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I would like to answer this.

At the end of the day you can pass for 90 mins without ever giving up the ball and you will not win as goals are what count. Stick the ball in the friggin net.

No prizes for outpassing the opposition. But you know this.
 
Blue-Ghana said:
Lewis is not a starter, agreed, not good enough, but he is Pep's favourite.
Philips has been replaced with Gonzales
Marmoush had a good first 6 months, then he has not been given a fair chance by Pep
Savinho - not good enough, but replaced by Semanyo.
Bobb was a prospect and not an integral part of the team anyway
Ake - Has been replaced with Guehi (plus we have 2 promising CBs at loan)
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Agree with everything here.

Give Pep time. He has earned that and we are 2nd ffs.

Dont be spoilt and be patient. It will come.
It IS coming.... But there is no magic wand. Patience.
 
madloaf said:
I've been a huge defender of Lewis, as a midfielder he'd be ok, but he can never play him at RB again. However, whilst he was shit, it's the tactics that are the problem. We caused a team that is more open than any other team bar wolves no problems. Because we were so fucking slow. And that is all on the manager.
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Ok isn't good enough for where we want to get back to, if he wasn't from the academy we'd be asking who the fuck signed him but some give him a pass because hes come through with us.

He's nowhere near the level required to play consistently and never has been, and yes before you ask I'm most certainly questioning peps judgment in picking him and keeping him around the squad.
 
Blue Bogey said:
I would like to answer this.

At the end of the day you can pass for 90 mins without ever giving up the ball and you will not win as goals are what count. Stick the ball in the friggin net.

No prizes for outpassing the opposition. But you know this.
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agreed. its actually a great way of defending if you are inn a 2-0 lead and can actually safely pass the ball and just dont lose it. you cant concede until you have the ball.
but we way to often do this at 0-0 or behind. with least creative ones ending up on the ball the most often. at Barca Pep often was like give it Messi and he will know what to do. we give it Ake or Dias.
 
BlueMonkey79 said:
Lewis
Ake
Savinho
Marmoush
Phillips
Bobb

None of them get a kick for the top 6 European sides
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Bernardo too, but very few dare to say it, and if you do, you get attacked. I think there's a general consensus that he can't play as a winger, let alone in the position he currently occupies in midfield.

He doesn't play at Real Madrid.
He doesn't play at Barcelona.
He doesn't play at PSG.
He doesn't play at Bayern Munich.
He doesn't play at Arsenal.
He doesn't play at Liverpool.
He doesn't play at Chelsea.

But here, he's an undisputed starter.

There are a lot of dysfunctions in this team.
 
Damanino said:
agreed. its actually a great way of defending if you are inn a 2-0 lead and can actually safely pass the ball and just dont lose it. you cant concede until you have the ball.
but we way to often do this at 0-0 or behind. with least creative ones ending up on the ball the most often. at Barca Pep often was like give it Messi and he will know what to do. we give it Ake or Dias.
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This is so true.

Messi broke through the lines because apart from being obviously very skilled he took risk. We are risk averse.
 
I feel like Pep is genuinely trying to adapt but football seems to be moving away from his principles faster than he can change to keep up with it. We’re in a tough situation whereby it might be time for a change, but the options available don’t seem like upgrades even though Pep is not what he once was. The manager market is dead.
 
Mancini’s Pastilles said:
When you spend what weve spent we should be expecting it
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Money doesn’t make tackles, make passes or put the ball in the net, humans do. If money won trophies, Chelsea and United would have won the league in the last few years.

The collection of humans we have isn’t that good yet, so why expect it?

Half the squad is very young, most of the current starting team has no experience of being a key player in winning big trophies, a number of the squad have never won anything before, a few of the squad are past it, a few in the squad aren’t good enough, most of the squad aren’t as good as what we’ve had before (especially in midfield and out wide).

Trafford Gvardiol Khusanov Alleyne O’Reilly Lewis Ait-Nouri Nico Cherki Doku Savinho and Bobb are all 24 and under. Some are years away from being in their prime yet. They've got years ahead of them to become the players they’ll end up being so patience is needed with these lads. The only player from that list who looks remotely like the finished article is Gvardiol, but at 23 he’s still making mistakes and learning and will be a much better player in three years.

Trafford Khusanov Alleyne O’Reilly Ait-Nouri Reijnders Cherki Savinho Semenyo Bobb and Marmoush have never won a trophy before in their careers. And that is one huge chunk of the squad.

And add in Ortega Betinelli Lewis Nunes Nico Phillips and Doku who weren’t key players in teams that have won trophies… and you realise that most of our squad has no idea what it takes to win something.

Stones Aké Kovačić and BSilva (Phillips and Grealish) won’t be here much longer and even if we get a few more years out of Rodri he’s never going to be as good as he used to be.

Lewis Reijnders Savinho and Bobb are not good enough. Lewis could be a useful squad player as a midfielder in lesser games, if he’s happy to be that man, good sides always need those men.

Our midfield quality has fallen off a cliff: despite being good players, Nico isn’t anywhere near as good as Fernandinho or Rodri, and Foden isn’t anywhere near as good as Yaya, David Silva or De Bruyne.
Despite being much improved as a player, Doku doesn’t score enough goals.
And in games like yesterday Haaland is a problem because he’s not a good enough footballer to get involved and make something happen for himself when others aren’t making it happen for him.

This squad needs a few more years for the new group to all get into their prime years and become better players, ship out the older lot and those who aren’t good enough and complete the squad with better players.

We are very much in transition with a lot wrong with the squad and the quality having dropped considerably.

Only Donnarumma and Gvardiol and Haaland’s goalscoring (but not his footballing) would get anywhere near our Centurions+Fourmidables team. But as the younger lads get older, more experienced and better, we will become a better team than we currently are… but even then I don’t ever see us being as good as we were between 2017-2023 so expectations should come down for this fanbase because there will be teams just as good and better than us ongoing.
 
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Tricky_Trev said:
I feel like Pep is genuinely trying to adapt but football seems to be moving away from his principles faster than he can change to keep up with it. We’re in a tough situation whereby it might be time for a change, but the options available don’t seem like upgrades even though Pep is not what he once was. The manager market is dead.
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Alonso? He didn’t seem to get a fair crack at Madrid. Did well at leverkuisen. Similar to pep. I’m not sure myself
 
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