10 | Jack Grealish - 2023/24

[Paul1970]

I think i finally get it With Jack. Its not about driving at defenders, its not about personal stats or glory. Its about possession, relentless recycled possession. Yes it boring. Yes he sometimes over does it when hes isolated the defender in a 1v1 And he passes back. But just look at our record when he plays.

It clicked when Doku came on and immediately ran at his defender, got a yard on him and centered it with his left foot to……no one. Huddersfield defender easily intercepted it and played a ball in the channel. Lucky Gvardiol just beat the winger to it or they were away.

exactly like the 3-3, 4-4 games weve had. Doku will bring goals, but we concede them too. For the big games it has to be Grealish for me. Doku as an impact sub or if were chasing it and need penetration.

Another point you could say is if jack was on he wouldn’t have shot when doku scored . Both have strengths but atm grealish is really struggling and he needs to get back to where he was .

 

[TonyM]

We should have signed Greaku and Dolish instead.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I think i finally get it With Jack. Its not about driving at defenders, its not about personal stats or glory. Its about possession, relentless recycled possession. Yes it boring. Yes he sometimes over does it when hes isolated the defender in a 1v1 And he passes back. But just look at our record when he plays.

It clicked when Doku came on and immediately ran at his defender, got a yard on him and centered it with his left foot to……no one. Huddersfield defender easily intercepted it and played a ball in the channel. Lucky Gvardiol just beat the winger to it or they were away.

exactly like the 3-3, 4-4 games weve had. Doku will bring goals, but we concede them too. For the big games it has to be Grealish for me. Doku as an impact sub or if were chasing it and need penetration.

Bingo. He’s not exciting, but he helps us control and win games where we need to keep possession and control.

 

[bluethai]

If it's a big game, I trust Jack.

 

[Craig]

I praise him week-in-week-out, but I thought he wasn't all that today. A healthy competition with Doku will sort that out, though.

Thought he just played how he normally plays. Great control, looks he likes he’s going to take on his man but then plays it inside or backwards most of the time. Keeps the ball well not really bums off seats stuff and Doku is the complete opposite. Good having them both fit again they’ll get plenty of games between them with so many games to come.

 

[Bluewars]

I think i finally get it With Jack. Its not about driving at defenders, its not about personal stats or glory. Its about possession, relentless recycled possession. Yes it boring. Yes he sometimes over does it when hes isolated the defender in a 1v1 And he passes back. But just look at our record when he plays.

It clicked when Doku came on and immediately ran at his defender, got a yard on him and centered it with his left foot to……no one. Huddersfield defender easily intercepted it and played a ball in the channel. Lucky Gvardiol just beat the winger to it or they were away.

exactly like the 3-3, 4-4 games weve had. Doku will bring goals, but we concede them too. For the big games it has to be Grealish for me. Doku as an impact sub or if were chasing it and need penetration.

This might be true, Grealish is a defensive winger, Like Dirk Kuyt,Valencia Park Ji Sung, his main role isn't G/As. I agree that in big games Grealish might get the nod because Peps main thing is control. However if we have the added protection of Stones playing alongside Rodri is prefer to see Doku start ahead of Jack.

I dont think Doku is the reason we concede more. He doesn't lose the ball in bad areas, most of the time its either a cross/pass/shot in the final third and to be honest thats what a winger should Do, trying to create/take risk/make things happen.

againts low-blocks he should always start, in bigger games if he can improve his end-product I think he starts too, until then it will be rotation with Jack.

 

[Blue Steel]

Jack himself has recently said he wants to play in an 8 role, he doesn’t want to be limited to the LW. He’s spot on, he would excellent playing more centrally. He’s not an out and out byline winger and never has been.

What shouldn’t happen is what Pep has been persisting with this season: Grealish OR Doku. It’s a big mistake for me, he should be finding ways to get them on the pitch together. Doku has struggled to date against bigger sides where more defensive work is needed (see Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal) and I still wouldn’t have him anywhere near major games. Doku was also originally bought to play on the RW and bizarrely Pep is averse to playing him there. When Pep takes Grealish off for Doku we lose all of Jack’s attributes in ball retention, work rate and tracking back that are much needed. Fine against Huddersfield but would be mad in a bigger game. Not saying Doku can’t do that in time but he’s a million miles away at the moment.

Jack’s rhythm was broken by the burglary recently, he’d been getting better and better with consistent 90 min runs before that and chipping in with goals. If Pep has any sense he will start incorporating Doku into the RW position rather than wasting Jack’s ability by consistently hooking him at 55 mins after tackling low blocks (read, poorer teams) so Doku can breeze in against tiring opposition. Doesn’t do Jack any favours and also won’t do Doku any favours with regards to his development.

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

Jack himself has recently said he wants to play in an 8 role, he doesn’t want to be limited to the LW. He’s spot on, he would excellent playing more centrally. He’s not an out and out byline winger and never has been.

What shouldn’t happen is what Pep has been persisting with this season: Grealish OR Doku. It’s a big mistake for me, he should be finding ways to get them on the pitch together. Doku has struggled to date against bigger sides where more defensive work is needed (see Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal) and I still wouldn’t have him anywhere near major games. Doku was also originally bought to play on the RW and bizarrely Pep is averse to playing him there. When Pep takes Grealish off for Doku we lose all of Jack’s attributes in ball retention, work rate and tracking back that are much needed. Fine against Huddersfield but would be mad in a bigger game. Not saying Doku can’t do that in time but he’s a million miles away at the moment.

Jack’s rhythm was broken by the burglary recently, he’d been getting better and better with consistent 90 min runs before that and chipping in with goals. If Pep has any sense he will start incorporating Doku into the RW position rather than wasting Jack’s ability by consistently hooking him at 55 mins after tackling low blocks (read, poorer teams) so Doku can breeze in against tiring opposition. Doesn’t do Jack any favours and also won’t do Doku any favours with regards to his development.

Some good points but surely it's to our advantage if Jack tires out the full back and then we unleash Doku? As he's more willing and able to exploit them? It can be boring for an hour but it works.

We don't necessarily need Grealish to be our match winner (though he's shown he can chip in with goals when needed). He's a ball retaining wide man who controls the tempo and drags players around. He opens it up for our more dangerous players. Ala Foden, Haaland, KDB, Alvarez, etc.

 

[blueparrot]

Another point you could say is if jack was on he wouldn’t have shot when doku scored . Both have strengths but atm grealish is really struggling and he needs to get back to where he was .

Don't think he's struggling at all, pretty much doing what he did last year and what's expected of him.

 

[Platt Lane 59]

Jack himself has recently said he wants to play in an 8 role, he doesn’t want to be limited to the LW. He’s spot on, he would excellent playing more centrally. He’s not an out and out byline winger and never has been.

What shouldn’t happen is what Pep has been persisting with this season: Grealish OR Doku. It’s a big mistake for me, he should be finding ways to get them on the pitch together. Doku has struggled to date against bigger sides where more defensive work is needed (see Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal) and I still wouldn’t have him anywhere near major games. Doku was also originally bought to play on the RW and bizarrely Pep is averse to playing him there. When Pep takes Grealish off for Doku we lose all of Jack’s attributes in ball retention, work rate and tracking back that are much needed. Fine against Huddersfield but would be mad in a bigger game. Not saying Doku can’t do that in time but he’s a million miles away at the moment.

Jack’s rhythm was broken by the burglary recently, he’d been getting better and better with consistent 90 min runs before that and chipping in with goals. If Pep has any sense he will start incorporating Doku into the RW position rather than wasting Jack’s ability by consistently hooking him at 55 mins after tackling low blocks (read, poorer teams) so Doku can breeze in against tiring opposition. Doesn’t do Jack any favours and also won’t do Doku any favours with regards to his development.

Agree with wanting City to be an attractive, attacking team.
But, can you have both Jack & Jeremy in the same team ?
If you move Doku, as suggested, to the right wing, where does Bernie play ?
The bigger conundrum is playing both Kev & Phil in attacking central (#10) roles ? If they are both playing, then is Alvarez dropped, if keeping the
4-3-3 formation ?
If there are 5 attacking roles, who gets omitted ?
City have 7 amazing attacking players (not including Nunes) - Pep has an interesting dilemma...