Pep's First Training Session - Video

[Rolee]

Even in the first season he just about the won the title for us because liverpool fck up big time. I hope Pep can sort the defence out with Pellegrini we was just a mismanage defence unit.

There I was thinking we won it because we accrued the most points over 38 games.

 

[willipp]

Even in the first season he just about the won the title for us because liverpool fck up big time. I hope Pep can sort the defence out with Pellegrini we was just a mismanage defence unit.

We can't help ourselves can we, we complain that the media are snidey and having digs all the time yet our own fans are far worse. He won the league, we were the best team over 38 games, why not just enjoy that fact? He didnt 'just about win the league', he won it. Brought an amazing season to the fans where we scored the most goals in PL history.

 

[Ding Dong]

What a great video , but there will be times next season when some of our less educated but more vocal so called fans will be screaming " GET IT FORWARD CITEH" & " BOOT IT CITEH ".
You know who you are ! ;-)

 

[tonea2003]

if that doesn't inspire i don't know what will

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Of course this one was for the club cameras, but by and large the really vital training sessions Pep doesn't like to have under surveillance by anybody. It's just him and the players. As it should be.

 

[bellsouth]

Was that Brandon Barker in goal at the end?

 

[adeinchessy]

We only see what the club wants us to see of training of course. But from what we're allowed to see, there seems to be a change of emphasis from individual skills to team play & fitness. Given that individuals can enhance their skills individually, this can only be a good thing. You can see why Barca & Bayern play such a pressurising game. Can't wait

 

[Maldeika]

An honest recommendation would be that every bluemooner that wants to understand something about our new managers methods should read 'Pep confidential'. It gives a great insight into what he is trying to achieve in training. An analogy which runs through the book is that he sees football almost as a game of chess, with each player being in their correct space on the pitch depending on the stage of play, defence, transition and attack. Thats what I think he was introducing the players to in the video. The book covers his first year at Bayern and despite the squad they had at the time, it did take those players a few months to 'get' what he was trying to get them to do and execute it consistently.

Atleast it took them a long time to do it in the way until Mr. Perfection was satisfied - but I think that Pep never was really satisfied.

Training at Bayern started June 24th 2013.
The match against City was October 2nd.

Remember that match? That was 3 months after the training started.
You see that nobody is really running with the ball - and that the one who has the ball has always a player or more available to pass, too. Somewhen the opposition gives up to fight for the ball...



It is not a winning guarantee. Bayern did not really convert all of their chances and later in the match you had your comeback. The problem Bayern somehow had was that they could not always keep that up for 90 minutes.

The head is important, too. Not just the feet. The goal is to always be some steps ahead - knowing already what happens next before you even receive the ball. If you first get the ball and than have to look to who you can pass it to it is easy for the opponent to fight you. The better a team is with their heads the faster and more one touch it can play...

The problem of the EPL is in my eyes that the fans are too much into "hero-football". But a good functioning team with clear structures, an idea and good footballers will always be better than some individuals.

What Pep for sure will enhance is the passing quality - to pass in the right speed into the "good" foot of the fellow player etc.

 

[Itsaar]

That clip of Bayern was mesmeric, lovely to watch from a Bayern pov. I noted also City we're trying to press them back but to no avail. IF we can adapt to this Pep Football, what a joy it will be to watch, win or lose. The future is Blue my Friends, the future is BLUE.

 

[decmancity]

Was it in one of Mancini's first sessions someone flew into him and left him on the floor? I wonder if anyone dared with Pep.

I've watched it a few times and were they simply just practicing the keeper passing out from his 6yrd box to a defender and the other teams rushing to close it down? or am I missing something.

 

[Clercqs]

Was that Brandon Barker in goal at the end?

I think it was Ian Lawlor. Barker was on the pitch as and outfield player though.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

@Maldeika Thanks for posting the Youtube link, really interesting to see a Pep team in action to that extent.

From a City perspective the video is frustrating, we can't get near Bayern and they seem to have so much time on the ball, it's like a training game for them!

I hope that under Pep City will be better equipped to play against high pressing teams. Last season the games against Liverpool stand out, as their midfield stifled ours and we had no answer for it. Liverpool are not a better team, nor do they have better players but when teams adopted that approach we struggled. Hopefully that will be a thing of the past.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Atleast it took them a long time to do it in the way until Mr. Perfection was satisfied - but I think that Pep never was really satisfied.

Training at Bayern started June 24th 2013.
The match against City was October 2nd.

Remember that match? That was 3 months after the training started.
You see that nobody is really running with the ball - and that the one who has the ball has always a player or more available to pass, too. Somewhen the opposition gives up to fight for the ball...



It is not a winning guarantee. Bayern did not really convert all of their chances and later in the match you had your comeback. The problem Bayern somehow had was that they could not always keep that up for 90 minutes.

The head is important, too. Not just the feet. The goal is to always be some steps ahead - knowing already what happens next before you even receive the ball. If you first get the ball and than have to look to who you can pass its easy for the opponent to fight you. The better a team is with their heads the faster and more one touch it can play...

The problem of the EPL is in my eyes that the fans are too much into "hero-football". But a good functioning team with clear structures, an idea and good footballers will always be better than some individuals.

What Pep for sure will enhance is the passing quality - to pass in the right speed into the "good" foot of the fellow player etc.

Thanks for posting that. Its difficult to compare squads on a like for like basis but given that Bayern started from a 'treble' position, its probably fair to say that both technically and having a strong mentality, the Bayern squad was a level above ours at the moment. Two or three more new players this transfer window will obviously help.

Did you have players that didn't flourish under Pep? What were the reasons do you think?

 

[Fat Chance]

We can't help ourselves can we, we complain that the media are snidey and having digs all the time yet our own fans are far worse. He won the league, we were the best team over 38 games, why not just enjoy that fact? He didnt 'just about win the league', he won it. Brought an amazing season to the fans where we scored the most goals in PL history.

I thought we trumped Traffords 60 yr record

 

[Maldeika]

Thanks for posting that. Its difficult to compare squads on a like for like basis but given that Bayern started from a 'treble' position, its probably fair to say that both technically and having a strong mentality, the Bayern squad was a level above ours at the moment. Two or three more new players this transfer window will obviously help.

Did you have players that didn't flourish under Pep? What were the reasons do you think?

Bayern started to transform with van Gaal in 09/10 - he cleaned out the bad apples and started position play. And Heynckes just build on van Gaal's ideas, implemented a sweeper and especially emphasized the relationship to the players. From that time on Bayern did smart transfers as the players weren't just bought for the name or individual qualities but it was important that they match to the system and into the dressing room.

So yes - the starting position was just different. I do not just see the problems coming with the system but with some players that might not cooperate - and when at the beginning not everything runs smooth it will cause some trouble.

The advantage at Bayern is the dressing room and that their is players that are very disciplined and still hungry for success. The backbone of that team are the former Bayern youngsters and Neuer who are absolute teamworkers. And Pep got Robben and Ribery at a stage when they already adapted and were individuals just on the pitch but not in the dressing room.

The players with problems:
Mandzukic because of his character. And Götze and Shaqiri - but there it probably is because the hype they got as youngsters. Shaqiri lacks the match intelligence. Götze might not have been able to cope with the whole rival situation at Bayern.

 

[Centurions]

Atleast it took them a long time to do it in the way until Mr. Perfection was satisfied - but I think that Pep never was really satisfied.

Training at Bayern started June 24th 2013.
The match against City was October 2nd.

Remember that match? That was 3 months after the training started.
You see that nobody is really running with the ball - and that the one who has the ball has always a player or more available to pass, too. Somewhen the opposition gives up to fight for the ball...



It is not a winning guarantee. Bayern did not really convert all of their chances and later in the match you had your comeback. The problem Bayern somehow had was that they could not always keep that up for 90 minutes.

The head is important, too. Not just the feet. The goal is to always be some steps ahead - knowing already what happens next before you even receive the ball. If you first get the ball and than have to look to who you can pass it to it is easy for the opponent to fight you. The better a team is with their heads the faster and more one touch it can play...

The problem of the EPL is in my eyes that the fans are too much into "hero-football". But a good functioning team with clear structures, an idea and good footballers will always be better than some individuals.

What Pep for sure will enhance is the passing quality - to pass in the right speed into the "good" foot of the fellow player etc.

Got to love the way that Samir decided to 'tackle' the problem, was that Kroos he left on the deck?

 

[Maldeika]

Got to love the way that Samir decided to 'tackle' the problem, was that Kroos he left on the deck?

What scene do you mean? Kroos is the 39.

Oh - last scene. Yes. You could really feel his frustration...

 

[Centurions]

What scene do you mean? Kroos is the 39.

Last 'kick' of the clip bud. I think Samir was perhaps a little frustrated.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Bayern started to transform with van Gaal in 09/10 - he cleaned out the bad apples and started position play. And Heynckes just build on van Gaal's ideas, implemented a sweeper and especially emphasized the relationship to the players. From that time on Bayern did smart transfers as the players weren't just bought for the name or individual qualities but it was important that they match to the system and into the dressing room.

So yes - the starting position was just different. I do not just see the problems coming with the system but with some players that might not cooperate - and when at the beginning not everything runs smooth it will cause some trouble.

The advantage at Bayern is the dressing room and that their is players that are very disciplined and still hungry for success. The backbone of that team are the former Bayern youngsters and Neuer who are absolute teamworkers. And Pep got Robben and Ribery at a stage when they already adapted and were individuals just on the pitch but not in the dressing room.

The players with problems:
Mandzukic because of his character. And Götze and Shaqiri - but there it probably is because the hype they got as youngsters. Shaqiri lacks the match intelligence. Götze might not have been able to cope with the whole rival situation at Bayern.

The way I see it, to flourish under Pep requires three things 1) Do they have the footballing 'intelligence' to quickly understand his concepts, tactics and methods 2) Do they have the technical skills to implement those concepts consistently 3) do they have the mindset and work ethic to accept and implement his concepts.

Whilst I think we have a core of players who meet all three criteria, we have a fair number who will fail on one or more. He will improve us enormously, I just think it will take time and a reasonable influx of new blood before we are at the top level with Bayern, Barcelona and Real.

 

[skillman]

Atleast it took them a long time to do it in the way until Mr. Perfection was satisfied - but I think that Pep never was really satisfied.

Training at Bayern started June 24th 2013.
The match against City was October 2nd.

Remember that match? That was 3 months after the training started.
You see that nobody is really running with the ball - and that the one who has the ball has always a player or more available to pass, too. Somewhen the opposition gives up to fight for the ball...



It is not a winning guarantee. Bayern did not really convert all of their chances and later in the match you had your comeback. The problem Bayern somehow had was that they could not always keep that up for 90 minutes.

The head is important, too. Not just the feet. The goal is to always be some steps ahead - knowing already what happens next before you even receive the ball. If you first get the ball and than have to look to who you can pass it to it is easy for the opponent to fight you. The better a team is with their heads the faster and more one touch it can play...

The problem of the EPL is in my eyes that the fans are too much into "hero-football". But a good functioning team with clear structures, an idea and good footballers will always be better than some individuals.

What Pep for sure will enhance is the passing quality - to pass in the right speed into the "good" foot of the fellow player etc.

Don't want to nitpick but 'Bayern did not really convert all of their chances and later in the match you had your comeback.' - the comeback match [Aguero's hat trick] was 14/15 but the game in the video was 13/14. They tore us a new arsehole at our place in October 2013 whereas we beat them December 2013.

Might be me getting confused by the wording, though, so apologies if so!