10 | Jack Grealish - 2024/25

[WallyA]

He was much more involved in the second half playing more centrally.

Those 4 behind Erling are now on Pep to combine:

Doku-Jack-KdB-Bobb
Jack-Phil-KdB-Bernardo
Phil-Bernardo-Bobb-Savio
Doku-Bernardo-KdB-Bobb

It is literally Pep’s wet dream and I really hop he doesn’t make a overthinking brain fahrt out of it playing Rico on those positions :)

One of those 2 middle players has to play next to Rodri in the middle. Lewis is a great candidate for this and is great in between the lines.

Your first 2 line ups dont work for that reason, unless Jack or Phil sits deep next to Rodri when we defend.

 

[It'sBlue93:20]

Think Pep will try something different with Grealish next season with more wing options in the team.

Think he’d be more effective centrally imo.

 

[clarion]

One of those 2 middle players has to play next to Rodri in the middle. Lewis is a great candidate for this and is great in between the lines.

Your first 2 line ups dont work for that reason, unless Jack or Phil sits deep next to Rodri when we defend.

I think that Rodri will get support from the defensive line. Stones or Akanji

 

[Damanino]

big big season for him. I also cannot see him all of a sudden bring in goals and assists at a much higher rate than before. well even a low rate would be something after last season. (3 G + 3A in a PL&CL for 23/24, hasnt scored in current calendar year yet)

strange thing is seemingly Pep may want that extra input in G+A from the wing. we became bit slower recently, hold the ball more, press less, but Pep aint stuck at one way, he may want to bring back previous styles.

while Girona plays differently and obv they dont face as many parked buses, but Savinho closed La Liga season with 9G + 10 A, very much likes to dribble as Doku...
hope it means we may want similar numbers from wing rather than turn Savinho into someone who has 2 goals and 2 assists but holds the ball well. the more defenders start to shit themselves of danger out wide the more space will be there for Foden, KDB, Haaland or overlapping fullback...

 

[WallyA]

I think that Rodri will get support from the defensive line. Stones or Akanji

Thats in possession.

Im saying in rest defense.

 

[clarion]

Thats in possession.

Im saying in rest defense.

Unless the team we play against break the lines, we defend with almost 10man.
Gundo played behind Erling and he was also the partner for Rodri. The same I expect from Jack.

 

[WallyA]

Unless the team we play against break the lines, we defend with almost 10man.
Gundo played behind Erling and he was also the partner for Rodri. The same I expect from Jack.

Thats what I was saying, they have to partner Rodri in the middle.

Im fine with Jack evolving to that, but we have never seen Pep do it.

 

[Keeper!]

Love to see him given a chance in the middle of the park, but no sign Pep thinks the same.

 

[bennyboy]

Love to see him given a chance in the middle of the park, but no sign Pep thinks the same.

Hope it does not happen.
It means KDB,Rodri,Bernardo,Phil and Kovacic are all out
Let's get him back to form on the left before trying anything out on Jack.

 

[St.Pauli support]

I find it quite strange to suggest Jack in our creative mid when we have seen hundreds of times what he does when he turns inside:

he doesn't have his head up to screen the pitch 360,
he can't decide quick enough to pass or to shoot,
he isn't aggressive enough to get into the box as he doesn't trust his own finish or
he runs across the field or back to defence with no impact to then do a 5 yard pass and stroll back to where he came from.
Pep must have seen it in training a thousand times.

He doesn't have the vision nor the quick decision making you need in a tighter mid vs deep sitting and pressing teams. We know all that. He cannot change anymore, it's not realistic to set your hope on that.

He will have to do what no other winger for us can do to keep his minutes up:
use his strong body, play with high work rate and high control at the same time. Those are his assets and he should focus exactly on that. We have seen how good and important he is when he does that. We have others to score.