Many are still attempting to justify the shite they were spouting in the transfer forum.People saying we need to be "patient" with Grealish like he hasn't hit the ground running. He's been playing some absolutely tremendous stuff so far. Yeah, he's had two below-par performances this week - probably because he was playing in a slightly new position after starting every single game this season (save for Wycombe).
I've just looked back through the "Man of the Match" threads from each game this season.
Spurs (A) - Grealish MOTM
Norwich (H) - Grealish 3rd place, goal
Arsenal (H) - Grealish 7th place, assist
Leicester (A) - Grealish 4th place
Leipzig (H) - Grealish 2nd place
Southampton (H) - Grealish MOTM
Chelsea (A) - Grealish 6th place
PSG (A) - Grealish 7th place
Liverpool (A) - First time Grealish receives 0 votes
Clearly our fans think he's done a bloody good job up to now.
I think it was worth a try to keep Foden and Jesus in their best positions. Without a striker, the formation is inevitably going to be fluid and with so many games, I believe Pep is trying to create a versatile setup where players can play in several positions, allowing him to rotate the squad without losing effectiveness. In that context, Grealish only playing on the left is a problem - and I expect we will see him tried in other positions (right wing, central midfield) to see where else he can be effective.Looked a bit gassed the last couple games, mostly due to having to play every game imo.
Played him in a position he hasn't played before in quite possibility the hardest game to do it in, pep doing pep things. However I actually think he did his job well, and that was to occupy the CB's allowing foden basically free reign at Milner. I don't think he played that well, mostly due to being gassed and out of position, however strangely I do feel like his job was just to occupy players.
You're still missing my point. I haven't reached any conclusions on Grealish. My comments are based on the factual statement that he has only played in one position (Anfield aside); and the fairly indisputable observation that Foden is better in that particular position. And that's based on numerous games for Foden and the whole season to date for Grealish (not one game as you incorrectly say).You are jumping to conclusions on the basis of one game, and that game was at Anfield. If you had to judge Aguero, Kompany or Fernandinho on the basis of their performances at Anfield, I'd dread the conclusion you'd arrive at.
The assumptions you make are dubious. You are conflating your own interpretations of Pep's reasons to play Grealish at false 9 with his real reasons. Chelsea and Liverpool are utterly different teams. Foden did a great job at Chelsea (judge his performance relative to the team performance, not relative to individual stats), we were absolutely fantastic there!, but Pep decided that against Liverpool/Milner he would be more useful on the left. Too early to tell whether Pep will continue to play Foden on the left and whether Grealish can(not) excel in midfield or as a false 9.
It's Pep Guardiola who determines what our best XI is, not guys on the internet. As long as Grealish features in the starting XI in the biggest games and we play well, he's part of our best XI. It's as simple as that. To think about our players in terms of a priori fixed roles (e.g. false 9 or left winger) is something many posters here do, but not the best manager in the world. Relax and leave it to him to decide how to use both Foden and Grealish, he's likely to come with good solutions.
I think they haven't read the posts tbh. Majority of posts are not bashing Grealish at all. They are making observations based on his first few games as to how he can be most useful to the team. All opinions. If people are not interested in different opinions, beats me why they are on a public forum99% of the posts here are people complaining at an imaginary "bashing" of grealish. we get it.
The posts are there to see. About a handful from the same people who didn't want him in the first place and have now decided to let us know after every game what he didn't do well and not worth the fee.99% of the posts here are people complaining at an imaginary "bashing" of grealish. we get it.