10 | Jack Grealish - 2023/24

[Don Karleone]

A bit of perspective at the end of this interview. We'll come good.

 

[youngbob]

Another one out there today (alongside Rodri, Bernardo, Alvarez, Kovacic, Gvardiol, Ake) who needed to be right up for a scrap and rose to the challenge. Got a bit lucky with the finish but it doesn't matter really, they all count. Pleased that this time his crucial goal ended up winning the game. Would have been two winners in a row if we'd not squandered it against Spurs.

 

[Lauz9888]

So pleased for him to have scored the winner. Easy to see how much it meant to him.

He benefits so much from the freedom to come just a little bit infield.

 

[trueblue1972]

No I disagree. He can hold the ball in the middle which we desperately needed in the previous matches. Some of the pass were good some might not be that inspiring but don't forget this is probably the first time he plays in the middle for quite a long time.

That Grealish move and pass to Alvarez in the first half was also elite. Should get an assist.

Indeed, we are yet to drop a point in any game he's started this season, I believe the control he offers is vastly underrated

 

[teddykgb]

I wonder why we don’t try him RW at least. He’s probably most like Mahrez in slowing things down and retaining possession and quite frankly his cut inside shot is useless as it’s blocked almost all of the time. I’d love for him to stretch the other wide and maybe take it to the goal line on his very preferred right foot

 

[JDV]

Indeed, we are yet to drop a point in any game he's started this season, I believe the control he offers is vastly underrated

Wow

 

[trueblue1972]

Wow

Such an insightful response. Thank you

 

[Keeper!]

So pleased for him to have scored the winner. Easy to see how much it meant to him.

He benefits so much from the freedom to come just a little bit infield.

So true, the only thing lacking in his game is regular goals, he telegraphs his intentions so much when he is shooting.

Would love to see him just instinctively hit the ball and take a chance, he can hit a ball when he wants and could and probably should be contributing far, far more in terms of goals.

But a player with big personality, perfect for games where the crowd and opponents are aggressive.

 

[Lauz9888]

So true, the only thing lacking in his game is regular goals, he telegraphs his intentions so much when he is shooting.

Would love to see him just instinctively hit the ball and take a chance, he can hit a ball when he wants and could and probably should be contributing far, far more in terms of goals.

But a player with big personality, perfect for games where the crowd and opponents are aggressive.

The frustrating thing is that I think his instincts are generally pretty good. It's not like he's trained himself to think his way out of constant mad wayward shots or anything - when he does try something first time it's usually a decent idea.

But he's talked before about Pep telling him to take extra touches etc. and I think that plan sticks in his head, the idea of the priority being to keep possession above all else, especially early in matches. He's a player who keeps turning the screw on grinding the opponent down, and in doing that he balances out the rest of our attacking players, who are mostly much more risk-taking. It stops the team going too gung ho (and thus being more exposed to counter attacks, which are our weakness).

I also think he's suffered from years of rhetoric, especially in the context of the national team, that he's a wild, uncontrollable maverick (Southgate justifying not playing him by expressing a doubt that he could sacrifice his own style in order to fit in with the team tactics) when he's not that at all, he's a selfless and coachable team player who does what he can to enforce the system. It's just that the system when he was at Villa was "give it to Jack and he'll do what he thinks will work".

 

[Akira]

Good performance. 2 goals in 2, hopefully he keeps the productivity rolling. Could have notched a superb assist too if not for Alvarez botching the finish.