10 | Jack Grealish - 2021/22 Performances

[ChicagoBlue]

This is why he and Foden love the false 9, it let's them essentially play as midfielders and is very flexible.

In the last game, I actually don't even know who the false 9 was. Foden and Grealish interchanged so often that I couldn't make it out, and both love to play wide or center to maximize their skillset used.

With a real striker, Foden cannot do that as much as the striker probably won't be comfortable shifting out wide. So it has it's negatives, although the positive of a strong focal point is worth having.

The beauty of the false nine is it can be either or both!

If you watch closely, when we play the false nine on attack, it’s a front 4, with at least 1 attacking midfielder and two supporting full backs.

When we lose the ball, we press in the 4-2-4/2-4-4 until the ball gets behind the front 4, then collapse into a 4-4-2.

The other thing is the beauty of no egos and everyone pulling for each other. This allows significant rotation and “rest breaks” for players inside the game. Just watch who gets to rest upfront and notice how it changes.

For instance, when Bernardo plays, he can sometimes be found playing as a second, ball playing DM role to bring the ball out of the back, with KDB and Phil playing the false nine role (one goes, one stays, until we are committed to the attack and inside the final third). Other times, that role is swapped with Phil, or KDB. It is essential that whoever plays the play making role DOES NOT LOSE THE BALL, which is why I sometime fear the head down running through midfield of Cancelo and Sterling. Once we commit, we are short handed at the back and often one on one…which is also why mobile, reasonably fast, athletic CBs are required.

Jack has been learning his trade, and was possibly not 100% upto speed, which is why I believe he had been pegged out on the wing, where he can’t damage us. However, against Leeds, he showed the first real signs of having Pep’s confidence to roam a little, be more direct, and have a few pops on goal. He has a cracking shot, and can curl them into the far post like Mahrez does from the right.

For me, Jack’s going to be trading off, on field, in game, with Phil. Their pace and movement would unsettle any defence, especially if they’re interchanging who goes, who stays, who comes inside, who goes outside, and the killer is one is a leftie and the other a rightie, but both can go either way… to get a cross in or have a crack!

Pep likes players who can, and will be asked to, play multiple positions, because they are FOOTBALLERS first and foremost, not just a left back or a right midfielder. Any real footballer can play any position, but some, like Sergio, just have “a special set of skills.”

I think Pep is broadening Greslish’s mind about what a real footballer is, what he does, and most importantly how he does it for his teammates.

City search for footballers with brilliant on field attitude, but often their off field attitude…in the dressing room, on the training pitch, in the cafeteria and on the train to London…is almost as important.

It is an ELEVEN MAN TEAM game, which is why a keeper like Ederson is also a key safety valve. After coming from a one man team (slightly impolite, I know), I think Jack is starting to come to terms with the fact that his job is to protect and serve his teammates, because they’re going to protect and serve him. This brings out the best in each other, and suddenly 1+1+1=4 to the opposition, and even without an extra player you’ve overloaded supposedly “equal” opposition.

I think he’s ready to blossom and I think Pep might be ready to let him off the leash, now that he’s learned his responsibilities. I hope so, because with the likes of Grealish, Foden, Jesus, Mahrez and Sterling running at defences and KDB, Gundo and Bernardo pulling the strings, with even Rodri getting in on the action recently, it can not be anything but terrifying to be an opposition defender!

 

[Lauz9888]

From the sounds of this he wants to be more of a goal threat. If he's working towards that and the club are helping him with it then I think it's only a matter of time before we see that tally creep up.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

The beauty of the false nine is it can be either or both!

If you watch closely, when we play the false nine on attack, it’s a front 4, with at least 1 attacking midfielder and two supporting full backs.

When we lose the ball, we press in the 4-2-4 until the ball gets behind the front 4, then collapse into a 4-4-2.

The other thing is the beauty of no egos and everyone pulling for each other. This allows significant rotation and “rest breaks” for players inside the game. Just watch who gets to rest upfront and notice how it changes.

For instance, when Bernardo plays, he can sometimes be found playing as a second, ball playing DM role to bring the ball out of the back, with KDB and Phil playing the false nine role (one goes, one stays, until we are committed to the attack and inside the final third). Other times, that role is swapped with Phil, or KDB. It is essential that whoever plays the play making role DOES NOT LOSE THE BALL, which is why I sometime fear the head down running through midfield of Cancelo and Sterling. Once we commit, we are short handed at the back and often one on one…which is also why mobile, reasonably fast, athletic CBs are required.

Jack has been learning his trade, and was possibly not 100% upto speed, which is why I believe he had been pegged out on the wing, where he can’t damage us. However, against Leeds, he showed the first real signs of having Pep’s confidence to roam a little, be more direct, and have a few pops on goal. He has a cracking shot, and can curl them into the far post like Mahrez does from the right.

For me, Jack’s going to be trading off, on field, in game, with Phil. Their pace and movement would unsettle any defence, especially if they’re interchanging who goes, who stays, who comes inside, who goes outside, and the killer is one is a leftie and the other a rightie, but both can go either way… to get a cross in or have a crack!

Pep likes players who can, and will be asked to, play multiple positions, because they are FOOTBALLERS first and foremost, not just a left back or a right midfielder. Any real footballer can play any position, but some, like Sergio, just have “a special set of skills.”

I think Pep is broadening Greslish’s mind about what a real footballer is, what he does, and most importantly how he does it for his teammates.

City search for footballers with brilliant on field attitude, but often their off field attitude…in the dressing room, on the training pitch, in the cafeteria and on the train to London…is almost as important.

It is an ELEVEN MAN TEAM game, which is why a keeper like Ederson is also a key safety valve. After coming from a one man team (slightly impolite, I know), I think Jack is starting to come to terms with the fact that his job is to protect and serve his teammates, because they’re going to protect and serve him. This brings out the best in each other, and suddenly 1+1+1=4 to the opposition, and even without an extra player you’ve overloaded supposedly “equal” opposition.

I think he’s ready to blossom and I think Pep might be ready to let him off the leash, now that he’s learned his responsibilities. I hope so, because with the likes of Grealish, Foden, Jesus, Mahrez and Sterling running at defences and KDB, Gundo and Bernardo pulling the strings, with even Rodri getting in on the action recently, it can not be anything but terrifying to be an opposition defender!

Good analysis. But one correction, I do think we actually play in a 4-2-2-2 formation this season. We usually have 2 false 9 instead of one and then two other players holding the width and two players in a more central deeper CM position. we leave the central space vacant so that anyone can move into that space and adapt the formation. but when the opponent park the bus we push everyone up and we have a 2-3-5 instead.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Good analysis. But one correction, I do think we actually play in a 4-2-2-2 formation this season. We usually have 2 false 9 instead of one and then two other players holding the width and two players in a more central deeper CM position. we leave the central space vacant so that anyone can move into that space and adapt the formation. but when the opponent park the bus we push everyone up and we have a 2-3-5 instead.

Tbf, I’ve discussed the 4-2-2-2 formation repeatedly on here, but have noticed a bit of a difference in some recent games.

When Sterling and Mahrez have played, I noticed them sucking back into midfield very quickly, leaving us with the two central pressing false nines.

My brother has talked about it being more of a 4-4-1-1, which I wouldn’t argue once the ball moves forward from the opposition CBs. In fact, at times, we seem to be playing a back 2, a diamond 4, and wingers with two false nine “strikers.”

Tbh, it feels like we are “arguing” about nothing, really, as I think we are both seeing slight variations of the same thing, which itself is almost a variation of Tuchel’s 5-2-2-1, with flying full backs overloading g each line as they float up and down the line.

Pep is nothing if not inventive, and we have almost had him coaching the players long enough for the “formation” to be so fluid as to be almost impossible to nail down once you get forward of Ederson and the two CBs holding down the fort!

The players are so aware of each other’s movement, it really is hard to say, for example, that KDB is playing RM, because he will spend ti r on the right wing, central midfield and then left mid, sliding into a false nine role as someone covers the box he has vacated.

It really is a different level of team play and we should all be sitting back in admiration at it when it works. Cruyff is smiling in his grave!

 

[Agueroooo9320]

Tbf, I’ve discussed the 4-2-2-2 formation repeatedly on here, but have noticed a bit of a difference in some recent games.

When Sterling and Mahrez have played, I noticed them sucking back into midfield very quickly, leaving us with the two central pressing false nines.

My brother has talked about it being more of a 4-4-1-1, which I wouldn’t argue once the ball moves forward from the opposition CBs. In fact, at times, we seem to be playing a back 2, a diamond 4, and wingers with two false nine “strikers.”

Tbh, it feels like we are “arguing” about nothing, really, as I think we are both seeing slight variations of the same thing, which itself is almost a variation of Tuchel’s 5-2-2-1, with flying full backs overloading g each line as they float up and down the line.

Pep is nothing if not inventive, and we have almost had him coaching the players long enough for the “formation” to be so fluid as to be almost impossible to nail down once you get forward of Ederson and the two CBs holding down the fort!

The players are so aware of each other’s movement, it really is hard to say, for example, that KDB is playing RM, because he will spend ti r on the right wing, central midfield and then left mid, sliding into a false nine role as someone covers the box he has vacated.

It really is a different level of team play and we should all be sitting back in admiration at it when it works. Cruyff is smiling in his grave!

yes I would say we are the modern embodiment of total football, we would look back on this time with envy for sure. I do think there has been a evolution in how we play in the last year. we vacate the central zone of the pitch and we use it as a zone to interchange instead of permanently occupying it. like at the start of pep era when 2 of our 8 will start from the middle zone of the attacking territory and then move out, but now it is the reverse they start high or low or wide and then drop into the zone that is a fascinating change by pep.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

yes I would say we are the modern embodiment of total football, we would look back on this time with envy for sure. I do think there has been a evolution in how we play in the last year. we vacate the central zone of the pitch and we use it as a zone to interchange instead of permanently occupying it. like at the start of pep era when 2 of our 8 will start from the middle zone of the attacking territory and then move out, but now it is the reverse they start high or low or wide and then drop into the zone that is a fascinating change by pep.

In effect, he is constantly using the “spare man” to not only be available to be involved in the play, but to shore up our defensive vulnerability given the manner of attack.

Indeed, we know most teams do not play 3 attackers, which means a back 4 isn’t required. It is literally wasting a defender. If you consider the GK to be a defender it is wasting multiple defenders!

Accordingly, Pep developed the “inverted fullback” into a second (and third) midfielder, to supplement an often vulnerable DM. This still leaves FIVE defensive outfielders to snuff out danger (which still often outnumbers the line striker and the few runners that might try a break), allowing our 5 attackers to encircle the area.

One step further than that is pushing up the “on” side FB, and tucking in the “off” side FB, giving us an extra attacker, but still leading to a defensively dominant 2-2 at the back, with Eddie sweeping up the ball over the yop, in behind.

And the ultimate step is when the opposition is in the low block for most of the game, and after about 20-30 minutes of seeing it, Pep releases BOTH FBs, often one into an AM role while the other plays the overlapping/underlapping winger…and even that is dynamic, depending on which side of the field we are attacking! As we attack down the right, the RB becomes the “winger” and the LB tucks in as another midfielder, and vice versa.

It requires two BIG things, though, to achieve;

1) The technical ability to not lose the ball “INTO PLAY.”

2) 11 players understanding their own role, but, more importantly, understanding the role of a player who might be in a weak, possible vulnerable, field position and covering for him when play breaks down, but the ball is still active (see (1) above).

It is absolutely wonderful to watch, and is often like watching a 10-20mph chess match where the opponent knows where the pieces are supposed to move, but doesn’t understand that you’re not just playing the board as it is, but how it is going to be in about 10 seconds (a few moves) without having the normal restrictions on how your Knight can move, or your Bishop, or your King…or even your Pawns. Rather every piece can move into every open position!

We are being treated to pleasures most of us old farts have never seen before in the 50 yrs we have had the pleasure to watch the game. I only hope that the younger generations realize what a special time this is in the game. The speed at which the game is played and the technical ability of even the average players playing today is light years from where it was. Throw in brilliant recruitment and coaching and we are witnessing literal record breaking football almost every season….and the GOOD RECORDS, not the ones we used to get!

I don’t know where football goes from here, because refereeing is struggling to keep up with the technical brilliance of the players, but we may be witnessing the zenith of football globally, right in our own backyard.

These may well be the Good Old Days of tomorrow, and we would do well to remember Martin Tyler’s immortal words and “drink it in!”

 

[DAGW]

The players are so aware of each other’s movement, it really is hard to say, for example, that KDB is playing RM, because he will spend ti r on the right wing, central midfield and then left mid, sliding into a false nine role as someone covers the box he has vacated.

I believe this is a huge part of of the “First season under Pep” syndrome that so many signings have. That understanding of where players will be, and where they expect you to be, is massive in how cohesively a new signing settles into the team.

Dias is the gold standard (Granted CB is probably the easiest to adapt to under Pep) but it’s testament to Jack’s quality that he’s merely seemed quiet, rather than flat out sticking out like a sore thumb like other great players have.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

From the sounds of this he wants to be more of a goal threat. If he's working towards that and the club are helping him with it then I think it's only a matter of time before we see that tally creep up.

Great interview. He talks about Pep with such passion

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

i think the lad is a bit overawed at the situation he finds himself in. he wanted the move and, fair play, he wanted to better himself. seems the MCFC kitchen is a lot hotter than he anticipated.

he will settle into a playing style and position eventually. seems like pep is trying to find the best role for jack and those around him, at the moment.

the problem though is he doesnt show individual flair or trickery right now. he is a solid ball carrier and lay-off merchant so far. but that cant last. if he had taken that chance yesterday i wouldnt be writing this, i would be sat back thinking "pretty damn fine player" but he didnt, and thats the crux of the problem right now. he is getting into decent areas but missing chances or making the wrong choice.

the goal should have been his. the last thing we need right now is another player that needs 25 shots to 1 goal.

i am sure he will be given time to adapt by the club (and me), but still, that should have been a goal for him yesterday.

Just catching up on this thread, but you make some good points.

Grealish is a confidence player who’s never really been challenged tactically as he can win games on his own.

Similar to Mahrez, I guess.

What I have concerns with is his capacity to learn new things.

Theres talk about Bernardo taking a year to bed in.

He‘s mega intelligent and probably didn’t know what a thesaurus was either when first asked, but probably knew what one was in Portuguese.

Jack’s ceiling is as far as his brain can take him. Let’s hope it’s far.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I wonder if grealish was playing for Chelsea. Could he be there hazard. I mean grealish is probably the best player in the world at beating players when he is running with the ball.

Hazard has always been and probably always will be massively overrated.