10 | Jack Grealish - 2024/25

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

100%, more so with Rico for me, he would have played as a CM in the second half and he always gets into the area and he has the unteachable talent of attracting the ball when he does.

Absolute madness leaving that back four on yesterday when they had no one up. Arsenal were quite happy letting all of them have the ball.

 

[The Norfolk Blue]

Just coming to terms with the news re: Rodri and it got me thinking ..... can anyone remembers Jack's role at Villa? There is no-one better than receiving the ball and keeping control of it, could Pep turn him into a CDM linking the defence and giving the ball to other ballers like Foden & KDB?

Maybe I'm overthinking it, when we have Kova, Rico or Stonesy, maybe even Gundo who played that role for Germany in the recent Euros?

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Just coming to terms with the news re: Rodri and it got me thinking ..... can anyone remembers Jack's role at Villa? There is no-one better than receiving the ball and keeping control of it, could Pep turn him into a CDM linking the defence and giving the ball to other ballers like Foden & KDB?

Maybe I'm overthinking it, when we have Kova, Rico or Stonesy, maybe even Gundo who played that role for Germany in the recent Euros?

Grealish hasd a free role in attacking midfield at Villa.

I can’t imagine him as a CDM, but Pep is a mad bastard, so who knows?

 

[GaudinoMotors]

100%, more so with Rico for me, he would have played as a CM in the second half and he always gets into the area and he has the unteachable talent of attracting the ball when he does.

Subs were bang on yesterday - timing of them and given the opposition and situation. Arse still had speed for a breakaway - might not have looked like it, but our back 4 nullified that. But the threat was there.
Only questionable points were the starting 11. That 11 only works against an expansive side
Also - not putting Haaland on Gabriel for set pieces.
Referee allowed the game to be disjointed as Arsenal set out to do. That and their non football would have wrecked any game.

 

[Lauz9888]

Just coming to terms with the news re: Rodri and it got me thinking ..... can anyone remembers Jack's role at Villa? There is no-one better than receiving the ball and keeping control of it, could Pep turn him into a CDM linking the defence and giving the ball to other ballers like Foden & KDB?

Maybe I'm overthinking it, when we have Kova, Rico or Stonesy, maybe even Gundo who played that role for Germany in the recent Euros?

I'm reminded of this article from 4 years ago that made an argument for turning him into a number 6.



I think it's an interesting suggestion but I don't see it happening except in a dire emergency.

 

[youngbob]

His involvement in Stones' goal against Arsenal is going under the radar. It's everything he does best. Gets the corner taken quickly before Arsenal can get set, draws three players towards him when he gets the ball back off Gundogan, creating all that space for Kovacic to slam the ball towards goal, and from there it's glorious chaos.

All engineered by Grealish just seconds earlier.

He's always the man with the pass before the assist. We've seen it so many times, he either draws men towards him and flicks it back to the edge of the area for a shot, or he draws men towards him and waits for De Bruyne to make that run to the byline to pass it across for a tap-in.

Need him fit and firing this season now Rodri's goosed.

 

[Platt Lane 59]

Subs were bang on yesterday - timing of them and given the opposition and situation. Arse still had speed for a breakaway - might not have looked like it, but our back 4 nullified that. But the threat was there.
Only questionable points were the starting 11. That 11 only works against an expansive side
Also - not putting Haaland on Gabriel for set pieces.
Referee allowed the game to be disjointed as Arsenal set out to do. That and their non football would have wrecked any game.

Agree that Phil & Jack made a big difference.
But both came on at least 20 minutes too late.
Continuing with Kova/Walker & Dias having the ball in the centre of the pitch, slowed down the attacks.
When either Phil or Jack had the ball in a central position, Arsenal started to panic.
Pep is a maestro, but he delayed for too long the changes against Arsenal...

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Fair enough - not sure the attacks were that "slow".

 

[supercity88]

Subs were bang on yesterday - timing of them and given the opposition and situation. Arse still had speed for a breakaway - might not have looked like it, but our back 4 nullified that. But the threat was there.
Only questionable points were the starting 11. That 11 only works against an expansive side
Also - not putting Haaland on Gabriel for set pieces.
Referee allowed the game to be disjointed as Arsenal set out to do. That and their non football would have wrecked any game.

Rodri's injury changed the game initially. We were absolutely dominant before that, completely battering them and they couldn't get near us. He went off and we lost our heads a bit with the controversial equaliser.

Pep was concerned not only by the counter but by their set piece threat. He couldn't have predicted they'd have been so sterile for the majority of the second half. We'd have all been criticising him had they managed to get the ball up the pitch. You also have to accept that Pep has the utmost faith in his processes, he couldn't have accounted for Kovacic and Dias being so consistently wasteful with the ball, in space, outside their box. Had we scored and taken the lead, he'd then have wanted them on the pitch for control. It's easy to comment in hindsight. He got it right in the end.

I think it was more a case of our players not doing what they needed to. Everyone was a bit scared to be decisive and kept passing it and not making the most of any space. Grealish came on, was direct and incisive and helped create the goal for Stones, who had come on with the explicit instruction of supporting Haaland. That's why Pep is the master.

 

[applejuice]

Pep was concerned not only by the counter but by their set piece threat. He couldn't have predicted they'd have been so sterile for the majority of the second half. We'd have all been criticising him had they managed to get the ball up the pitch.

Pep picked a starting XI with loads of short players. He should have thought of that knowing Arsenal set pieces threat.