People don’t half have the inability to see the variations we can play and Grealish, who I was no fan of, has proven that one of his main skill sets is controlling tempo; he’s also just won a treble because of it and suddenly he’s surplus to requirements…
People, year on year, have failed to see that Pep stays ahead of the curve and teams haven’t a scooby on how to deal with the variations we possess, become less rigid and embrace it ffs, he’s not gonna be here forever…
I’d also say that Foden should be the one looking over his shoulder, Grealish will play more centrally at times this year and Alverez isn’t letting up!!
Perhaps Pep has different requirements to different players? And maybe even different requirements to the same player in different matches?I don’t think that’s slagging off Grealish at all. I don’t even think it’s about Grealish, it’s more of a note to City fans who think Pep wants his wingers to just keep possession because that’s a line many are always saying.
In Pep’s own words yesterday about Doku, ‘I told him, be yourself, if you have the chance to go one-against-one - go - if you lose it you lose it … every time he was an incredible threat, at the byline, incredible, the movement, this is a winger, a proper winger that we are looking for’… would suggest that all those City fans saying that Pep instructs Grealish to recycle possession aren’t right, but it’s not a slight on Grealish.
While Grealish did play well from the World Cup onwards and did start the big games last season, he didn’t actually play well in the FA Cup final or CL final, nor the Community Shield or Super Cup this season.Assuming full fitness & form for me Jack is always a starter on the left in our best team together with KDB plus one of Alvarez, Phil or Doku. Bernie & Rodri are also automatic first choices alongside Erling, Dias, Walker, Stones & Eddie. Then just add one of Josko/Ake/Akanji - picking City is easy with Kova/Nunes/Lewis etc in reserve ;-)
Kina think Jack should have been playing in the middle anyway. But I doubt It will affect Foden. My sense is Foden will be dominant this season and force his way onto the 11. Either in the middle or wide.People don’t half have the inability to see the variations we can play and Grealish, who I was no fan of, has proven that one of his main skill sets is controlling tempo; he’s also just won a treble because of it and suddenly he’s surplus to requirements…
People, year on year, have failed to see that Pep stays ahead of the curve and teams haven’t a scooby on how to deal with the variations we possess, become less rigid and embrace it ffs, he’s not gonna be here forever…
I’d also say that Foden should be the one looking over his shoulder, Grealish will play more centrally at times this year and Alverez isn’t letting up!!
I think Grealish suffers from a lack of self belief. He comes across well in interviews, but on the pitch he repeats what he knows he can do without doing too much outside of that.While Grealish did play well from the World Cup onwards and did start the big games last season, he didn’t actually play well in the FA Cup final or CL final, nor the Community Shield or Super Cup this season.
Like Pep said back in April, ‘Yeah, he’s playing really good this season. But at the same time, like he knows, we want more’.
I reckon, if Pep doesn’t get more from him, he’ll be rotated more than he was last season with a genuine goal and assist threat cutting inside from the left in Doku, may we even see Grealish in attacking mid at all? As Pep also said of Grealish a while ago, ‘I have to find his best position’.
I actually hope he’s back for tomorrow night. Wouldn’t mind seeing what the balance is like with him left and what Doku is like on the right (more suitable for him there to get to the byline and cut balls back with his right foot?).
Actually I think that he suffers from a lack of fitness. The turning point was the injury after the Real Madrid game. The current injury sounds to be the same area? So I actually think that Grealish should have some rest and Doku can have some more opportunities.While Grealish did play well from the World Cup onwards and did start the big games last season, he didn’t actually play well in the FA Cup final or CL final, nor the Community Shield or Super Cup this season.
Like Pep said back in April, ‘Yeah, he’s playing really good this season. But at the same time, like he knows, we want more’.
I reckon, if Pep doesn’t get more from him, he’ll be rotated more than he was last season with a genuine goal and assist threat cutting inside from the left in Doku, may we even see Grealish in attacking mid at all? As Pep also said of Grealish a while ago, ‘I have to find his best position’.
I actually hope he’s back for tomorrow night. Wouldn’t mind seeing what the balance is like with him left and what Doku is like on the right (more suitable for him there to get to the byline and cut balls back with his right foot?).