Except apparently we haven't got the athletes capable of implementing Pep's pressing tactic. So combine that with us not having players who can pass well enough and you'd be led to believe we have a squad of pub team players.Totally agree. Too many athletes and not enough footballers.
Exactly. Let's face it, if the footballer is say 26 years old, you can probably guarantee he's been involved in academies\youth teams, so has been playing the game at a decent level for about 15 years. If they aren't comfortable on the ball then they've probably just been going through the motions in training for years, comfortable in the knowledge that all is well. Well thats now changed, you've got to start working on your game, put extra work in, improve yourself...........it'll be interesting to see which ones actually put the work in and which ones will sulk.It's akin to saying Lewis Hamilton's not comfortable parking.
I mean even your average kid playing in the street (if they did that anymore) would kick a ball against a wall. We aren't talking 40-50 yard incisive balls here, we're talking a 40ft pass. I reckon the groundsman could manage it.
It's hard to imagine how you can spend at least a couple of hours a day at a football club and not be comfortable with a ball at your feet.
It's the defenders he wants to be comfortable on the ball. We've got plenty of players who are great with the ball at their feet, so why can't they pass some of that knowledge onto others? As for the closing down, well they haven't done it for a couple of years, so that's going to be a culture shock for quite a few of our midfielders, and to be fair the forwards as well. Our defenders have had no cover for a couple of years, I'm glad that'll be changing.Except apparently we haven't got the athletes capable of implementing Pep's pressing tactic. So combine that with us not having players who can pass well enough and you'd be led to believe we have a squad of pub team players.
Don't ask me, I genuinely don't understand the game anymore, it all seems to have got very complicated. My view was always that a good manager would bring in a few players to put his stamp on things at a new club but by and large would use tactics that would suit the players at his disposal and get the best out of them especially if the squad he was inheriting was reasonable. Seems that's all very passé now. All I know is that we have a squad that most of the outside world would say is probably in the top 2 or 3 in the country. Last year most people made us favourites due to the strength of our playing squad (it certainly wasn't due to having a good manager). But all I read on here is that Pep can't possibly get us functioning because the midfielders aren't athletic enough, the defenders aren't good enough footballers and the keeper who has played a huge part in almost everything we have won in the modern era is shit. Either Pep isn't as good a manager as people say he is or lots of people are talking bollocks. Just my opinion, obviously.It's the defenders he wants to be comfortable on the ball. We've got plenty of players who are great with the ball at their feet, so why can't they pass some of that knowledge onto others? As for the closing down, well they haven't done it for a couple of years, so that's going to be a culture shock for quite a few of our midfielders, and to be fair the forwards as well. Our defenders have had no cover for a couple of years, I'm glad that'll be changing.
Spot on, mate. Too many players are just athletes now.For the love of God can someone please tell me what we pay coaches to do? I keep hearing about football players, professional football players, who aren't 'comfortable' on the ball. WELL FUCKING PRACTICE MORE YOU ****. Try doing a 4 hour working fucking day instead of 2, spend time after training just passing the fucking ball to each other. I've never heard anything like it. They are at the very to of their profession yet can't do the basic thing that their profession requires......pass the ball. It's like gerring an electrician in to do some jobs on your house, then him saying 'I'll flick the switches on the consumer unit, but you'll have to do the rewiring yourself as I'm not that comfortable with that side of the job'.
Fucking unreal.
Within reason, and maybe he did. He had to ensure that whoever he bought, Pellers could get the best out of them too else we may have even struggled further
It must be a record for a pre season friendly. I comfort myself in that people who try to predict seasons form on the basis of a friendly game are always wrong61 pages
And 608 replies later and its still going
Cant wait for Saturday!!!
Don't ask me, I genuinely don't understand the game anymore, it all seems to have got very complicated. My view was always that a good manager would bring in a few players to put his stamp on things at a new club but by and large would use tactics that would suit the players at his disposal and get the best out of them especially if the squad he was inheriting was reasonable. Seems that's all very passé now. All I know is that we have a squad that most of the outside world would say is probably in the top 2 or 3 in the country. Last year most people made us favourites due to the strength of our playing squad (it certainly wasn't due to having a good manager). But all I read on here is that Pep can't possibly get us functioning because the midfielders aren't athletic enough, the defenders aren't good enough footballers and the keeper who has played a huge part in almost everything we have won in the modern era is shit. Either Pep isn't as good a manager as people say he is or lots of people are talking bollocks. Just my opinion, obviously.
Been sacked everywhere hes been since he left usAin't you both a ray of sunshine..
I'll carry on saying it to anyone, and not dragging up old stuff but it's my humble opinion, never should have binned off Mancini. Especially for Pellers. That's a downgrade. Onwards and upwards, now we've got the most coveted manager in the game and some decent signings, the league is ours for the taking this season. Bring it on!!
So what? Club legend in my eyes and I know I'm not alone.Been sacked everywhere hes been since he left us
Mostly every manager is eventually sacked. That or they eventually leave.Been sacked everywhere hes been since he left us
It's the defenders he wants to be comfortable on the ball. We've got plenty of players who are great with the ball at their feet, so why can't they pass some of that knowledge onto others? As for the closing down, well they haven't done it for a couple of years, so that's going to be a culture shock for quite a few of our midfielders, and to be fair the forwards as well. Our defenders have had no cover for a couple of years, I'm glad that'll be changing.
Quite possibly. He certainly didn't need to say what he said.So maybe just a storm in a tea cup with Hamman giving it a good stirring?
Absolutely correct. Agree 100%I think, and hope, that one of the greatest outcomes of the Pep era at City will be, finally, the dawning realisation on our players that they no longer run the club, the manager does.
And not a day too soon.
I honestly believe Joe hart for example, yesterday, was trying it on, testing the water so to speak. A case of "listen you ****, I've been here for years, I've seen off Mancini, and Pellegrini, and if I want to see you off too then I will, and if I want to hoof the ball out of defense then I will do exactly that. I'm Joe hart. I make adverts for cheap shit shampoo. And I dye my eyelashes with permanent mascara. Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough"
Joe may turn out to be the first 'first name on the team sheet type player' to be shown the door. And if it is done soon enough the rewards will be reaped fast and hard when the rest of the squad realise that they are the tail, not the dog after all.
Honestly, if that is all Pep achieves (and it won't be of course) then he will be a success.
The one constant at city the last few years, that has caused me more anger and frustration than any other is the knowledge that some of our players still believe they are doing us a favour playing for us. Finally they have met their match. Bring it on and fuck some of them off. Whomever they may turn out to be.
And start with hart.