10 | Jack Grealish - 2021/22 Performances

[mccity]

Foden was coming through young.

So was Leroy.

So was Jesus.

Mahrez still isn't there yet, and isn't the player we thought we'd bought.

Aguero had little to no difficulties - Pep just messed with him.

I don't recall Kev or Raheem having many either, the later having only developed them of late.

26 years old, 100m pound player. Be honest with yourselves - you should be expecting more.

The Mahrez comparisons are apt. The low baseline he set over his first two seasons made last season look like a stunning success. Now he's back to the bench. Should we not be expecting more from a guy who cost us 60m three seasons ago?

Does he look anywhere like the player he was at Leicester, where he was the big fish in the small pond, ala Grealish at Villa? No

When we saw that team sheet yesterday which listed him on the bench, were we disappointed? No

When we were trying to win the game, were we clamouring for him to come on? No

That says it all to me.

So yeah, they all had difficulties. Aguero included btw, such as the 2016/17 winter problems he had.


As I said, not one attacking player has hit the ground running under Pep and maintained it in that first year.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

It is up to Jack to improve.
His tendency to slow everything down and prefer to wait for the defender to get into position instead of playing a quick pass isn't benefiting the team, even if his 1-1 skills occasionally mean we do craft a chance from this play.

I doubt we will be seeing him back at false 9 any time soon, barely made any runs behind.

Also I disagree with playing him in midfield, we are not a counter attacking team. We need our midfielders to be able to pass quickly, that's how we create chances for ourselves and Grealish isn't at that level currently.

So he just got to rotate LW with Foden/Sterling.

you are completely misreading of how our midfielders play. we have two 8 one speeds up the play KDB another slows down play Bernardo/Gundo, Jack can easily replace one of those.

 

[ninjamonkey]

For those that keep saying he needs to be in the middle, why do they think that when he's currently showing he's incapable of putting in the work rate to play wide left or false 9. If he doesn't put in a shift in the false 9 role like yesterday we lose any bite and give all the time and space the opposition CB's want, it hurts us, if he does that in midfield, we flat out lose the game.

There's no chance in hell Pep puts him in the central heart of the side against anybody we are not expected to batter with 10 men whilst he's trotting around off the ball.

 

[lmhblue1]

Feel like everyone who's played false 9 for us has had a game like that before - KDB and Foden included. Borderline impossible to make your mark in the game playing that role against top opposition... Don't really see the point in drawing any conclusions from it.

Regarding work rate, pressing, etc. - as others have pointed out, I think it may be a fitness thing. This is the most football he's ever played, especially when you take into account the minutes he's getting with England now as well. Hopefully Southgate rests him for a game or two. Would be nice to try him out in midfield against "easier" opposition after the break

 

[Lavinda Past]

Sane, imo looked out of place for at least the first 6 months at City then gradually took some big steps forward. Difficult to compare as I consider Jack as an attacking midfielder and Sane as an old style winger.

The positions don't make any difference. You've picked up on what I was getting at by reference to Leroy taking time to adapt.

I'd just expect Jack to get up to speed quicker than Leroy. He's got a lot more work to do yet!

 

[mccity]

The positions don't make any difference. You've picked up on what I was getting at by reference to Leroy taking time to adapt.

I'd just expect Jack to get up to speed quicker than Leroy. He's got a lot more work to do yet!

Fwiw I don't think age is the only factor in how quickly a player adapts. Grealish will never have played in a team like City before.

Skillwise he's got what it takes, but tactically he's a fish out of water. It's not the overall gameplay that's lacking, it's those little decisions that need to be made from time to time that he hasn't yet got figured out. That can be difficult when you're trying hard to not deviate from your tactical role. Could come out as nervousness which has happened to a few other City players in their early days. In fact every outfielder not named David Silva has had to do some heavy duty adapting in the early days under Pep.

I think his potential is very high for City, and that's a key reason he's being picked consistently, so he gets where he needs to be sooner.

We're probably going to have to wait until January at the earliest to see him really be at his consistent best, but I think some of his ball progression and little through balls have indicated what we know is there.

 

[ws01]

So yeah, they all had difficulties. Aguero included btw, such as the 2016/17 winter problems he had.


As I said, not one attacking player has hit the ground running under Pep and maintained it in that first year.

They haven't. You're literally making that up. And, as explained, different circumstances for other players. You can't expect foreign players coming here in their raw teens and expecting them to gel with the side immediately.

 

[mccity]

They haven't. You're literally making that up. And, as explained, different circumstances for other players. You can't expect foreign players coming here in their raw teens and expecting them to gel with the side immediately.

No they all have. It's literally the truth. You can't just ignore facts because you have a problem with Grealish. And Grealish would have his own circumstances; being English, older, and coming from within the PL doesn't invalidate those.

There is no attacking player (other than maybe David Silva if he counts) that hit the ground running in their first year under Pep and maintained that level throughout the entire season without any periods where they looked out of sorts.

 

[lasereyes]

Grealish is a good player, but his biggest issue is he only plays on the left - and currently Foden is a must-pick as he is simply devastating there. The skill and often the pace of Sane without the inconsistency. Where does Grealish fit in? Left central midfield? We have Bernardo and Gundogan. Right wing? Not sure if he ever plays there, but would have to displace Jesus and Mahrez. Just not sure where he fits currently.

 

[mccity]

Grealish is a good player, but his biggest issue is he only plays on the left - and currently Foden is a must-pick as he is simply devastating there. The skill and often the pace of Sane without the inconsistency. Where does Grealish fit in? Left central midfield? We have Bernardo and Gundogan. Right wing? Not sure if he ever plays there, but would have to displace Jesus and Mahrez. Just not sure where he fits currently.

We play over 50 games a season usually, he'll get his minutes in.