I agree with a lot of what you say BUTI think he’s had a very decent start to his City career. It’s a very big jump from Villa to the champions league and top of the Premier. I thought he was a bit overwhelmed yesterday, he couldn’t have played in as big a game/atmosphere before.
He’s s ready for a rest and will come back stronger.
Really good post Dax ....well putOkay, there are 3 separate issues here and it will do us all some good if we stop conflating them.
1. Is a question of Jack's performed well in an individual game. Analysis and or even criticism of his performance in a game should be taken as just that. An analysis of his performance in "X" game.
2. Is the question of whether he makes us better or whether he is worth 100 million. This is a different and separate issue and shouldn't be conflated with the first. And to this issue, retorts of "some will never learn and are too quick to write a new player off" are appropriate.
But For the record, I've seen very few comments that makes an issue of this... Thus, I find the retort that claim other fans will never learn to often be a bit disingenuous. Most fans, including this criticizing his performances have not written him off. Period!
3. Whether he cost us getting a stud striker. Now this issue can be summarily answered... NO! He didn't.
Now back to the analysis. He did not not do a good job aiding our press. Almost worse than Aguero at Aguero's worst. That's would not work.
Either he improves or he drops onto the middle 3. You simply cannot be a non-presser in the front 3. Sorry! Love Grealish. Think he is mustard on the ball. But failing to press consistently is a No No. Lest anyone forgets, Mahrez too is mustard on the ball. But he is not the presser Gabby is, and thus he is unlikely to start ahead of Gabby in a big game.
One option is to switch bhim and Bernado. But that would be disrespectful and might weaken us. Soooooooo.... Get better Jack! We need your genius on the field. But you gotta press. It's useless playing any other way.
Well put, great post.Okay, there are 3 separate issues here and it will do us all some good if we stop conflating them.
1. Is a question of Jack's performed well in an individual game. Analysis and or even criticism of his performance in a game should be taken as just that. An analysis of his performance in "X" game.
2. Is the question of whether he makes us better or whether he is worth 100 million. This is a different and separate issue and shouldn't be conflated with the first. And to this issue, retorts of "some will never learn and are too quick to write a new player off" are appropriate.
But For the record, I've seen very few comments that makes an issue of this... Thus, I find the retort that claim other fans will never learn to often be a bit disingenuous. Most fans, including this criticizing his performances have not written him off. Period!
3. Whether he cost us getting a stud striker. Now this issue can be summarily answered... NO! He didn't.
Now back to the analysis. He did not not do a good job aiding our press. Almost worse than Aguero at Aguero's worst. That's would not work.
Either he improves or he drops onto the middle 3. You simply cannot be a non-presser in the front 3. Sorry! Love Grealish. Think he is mustard on the ball. But failing to press consistently is a No No. Lest anyone forgets, Mahrez too is mustard on the ball. But he is not the presser Gabby is, and thus he is unlikely to start ahead of Gabby in a big game.
One option is to switch bhim and Bernado. But that would be disrespectful and might weaken us. Soooooooo.... Get better Jack! We need your genius on the field. But you gotta press. It's useless playing any other way.
Always though he, Grealish would play more centrally for us, he has to be involved in the game constantly, he fades out far too easily on the flank."He'll get better once he settles in"
... I mean, yeah. Obviously. Issue is that even after he improves he still won't start over Foden, who is already (I believe) better than Grealish will be at his best. Hardly Jack's fault that he's not as good as one of the top five players in the entire league right now.
If either of them are going to move permanently to midfield then it's a different question, but looking at Bernardo's performances against Chelsea and Liverpool, asking Foden or Grealish to fill that same role would be like asking Walker to play DM. They may have some of the necessary qualities but we'd be better off getting someone with the complete skillset.
I agree with a lot of what you say BUT
"he couldn’t have played in as big a game/atmosphere before."
Stop it, big players rise to the occasion, Foden, Rodri, Bernardo and Walker, Grealish went MIA yesterday, I can understand the difficult strange position he had to play, but flat footed, no anticipation and lack of energy desire?
I don't think he needs any slack cutting, no one is giving him abuse, he has our total support.What I was trying to convey was that we should cut him a bit of slack. He’s done well for us so far.
We’ve had far more experienced players fill their trousers at Anfield in the past. He had a poor game but the reason I mentioned the first big game was that it was always going to be hard for him. I’d say the majority of our players probably froze in similar ways when they first had that experience.
He’ll learn from yesterday and realise he’s got to work like he’s never worked before.
Bad signing is harsh, a luxury signing for me, and despite been a very good player, he is not a City players, far too one paced to be a serious threat against the very best sides.Yesterday's game illustrated perfectly why Grealish was a bad signing. He's a very good player but he's not better than the two left sided forwards we already have in Sterling and Foden.
Foden's performance was so good that Foden really needs to start games on the left hand side. We'd get more goals if we play him there.