It was a long shot hoping for anything like prime Kev to return this season after having half his thigh stitched back together. Replacing him or even getting close was probably not possible last summer or we’d probably have done itHe may not be anymore.
Only has an hour in him nowadays, we know it, he knows it and Pep knows it so why is Pep leaving him on for so long? Tonight played put exactly as I argued it might and why it would be better bringing him on rather than starting. If he's got an hour in him max, no point wasting most of that hour having him chasing the ball getting very little impact from him, bring him on after 60 minutes when hopefully the opposition are starting to tire, we might get more of the ball and he has more opportunities to make an impact.
Kdb has a role here still, A big one but it has to be correctly managed.
Personally, I think Pep has killed KDB’s career at City in his 30s by pushing him into the second striker role and having him press like a maniac. I think it has both brought on and exacerbated his injuries, and I believe it has helped create an atmosphere of “too old” around possibly the best player to ever pull on the shirt!Kdb pressing is better than anyone in the team last night he covers the ground closes the player down better than anyone last night the rest are half hearted !
I would be curious how Ancelotti would set up our team if he was our manager.Personally, I think Pep has killed KDB’s career at City in his 30s by pushing him into the second striker role and having him press like a maniac. I think it has both brought on and exacerbated his injuries, and I believe it has helped create an atmosphere of “too old” around possibly the best player to ever pull on the shirt!
KDB is a midfielder who needs the freedom to move at will, to create the opportunities for passes, crosses and shots that have defined his career as world class. Sadly, I think Pep believes that is a luxury we can’t afford, so he flogs him like a dead horse and wonders why he can’t play 90 minutes or looks shattered at 70-75 mins.
I hate that Pep has done this, but I think KDB understands the game (that Pep is playing!) and will milk it for all it’s worth to provide for his family.
For me, Pep has literally shortened KDB’s City career and I can only hope it’s not an exercise in hoping to move him on and redistribute the £400,000/week. I wish I could be sure.
I agree. If you think of prime Gerrard he was playing where Kev is now a lot.By the time he was at Kev’s stage now he was playing much deeper and just getting on the ball. Not running like fuck for half a game pressing fullbacks and closing down the keeper. It’s no wonder KDB ends up fucked. He’s wasting the limited energy he has by playing so far forward.Personally, I think Pep has killed KDB’s career at City in his 30s by pushing him into the second striker role and having him press like a maniac. I think it has both brought on and exacerbated his injuries, and I believe it has helped create an atmosphere of “too old” around possibly the best player to ever pull on the shirt!
KDB is a midfielder who needs the freedom to move at will, to create the opportunities for passes, crosses and shots that have defined his career as world class. Sadly, I think Pep believes that is a luxury we can’t afford, so he flogs him like a dead horse and wonders why he can’t play 90 minutes or looks shattered at 70-75 mins.
I hate that Pep has done this, but I think KDB understands the game (that Pep is playing!) and will milk it for all it’s worth to provide for his family.
For me, Pep has literally shortened KDB’s City career and I can only hope it’s not an exercise in hoping to move him on and redistribute the £400,000/week. I wish I could be sure.
I'd love to believe this is true but the truth we couldn't even bother looking for a Gundogan replacement when he handed us the opportunity to move forward himself, instead choosing to just bring him back after he had given another team a season of football into his aging legs.It was a long shot hoping for anything like prime Kev to return this season after having half his thigh stitched back together. Replacing him or even getting close was probably not possible last summer or we’d probably have done it
I can think of 2 players that could possibly get near Kev's standard but still different players and they are Musiala and Wirtz. Saying this there are many that can do better than current day KevI'd love to believe this is true but the truth we couldn't even bother looking for a Gundogan replacement when he handed us the opportunity to move forward himself, instead choosing to just bring him back after he had given another team a season of football into his aging legs.
Txiki and probably Pep had totally checked out off anything aking to proper succession-planning after the treble, until our reality check this season
He would be insane to take that and honestly it would be a disrespectful offer to probably the best player we have ever had.would keep him on another season as a bit part player, reduced terms like a pay as you play deal. Around the squad he will be a great help
The score was 2-1 when he was on the pitch
He would be insane to take that and honestly it would be a disrespectful offer to probably the best player we have ever had.
He would have the option to either become inhumanely wealthy in Saudi Arabia or Dubai in a league where he would still likely dominate, or continue to earn top dollar in the US in a league he probably also would still dominate. Both more sensible than staying here and not playing as much football as he could elsewhere. And let's be real, if KdB is at the club Pep will play him. At a level he has fallen behind.
Cheer him off like a legend, make him club ambassador but the club need to move on now. If we were as ruthless as we needed to be Walker and Gundo would have left permanently after the treble, Bernardo, Ederson and maybe Stonesy would have left last summer and Kev would have left the coming summer. The fact that we probably need to get rid of them all in the span of 6 months instead of 3 seasons is down to pure stupidity and arrogance and doesn't change the fact that it needs to be done as fast as possible to get the revolution under way
He was fucking awful we was winning despite of him. How anyone could watch that match and have any praise for his performance is insane. He killed us and his attitude looked awful throwing his arms around and walking back. Should have been subbed way earlier, Pep needs to make him play deeper he isn't a runner anymore.