19 | Julian Alvarez - 2023/24

[Blue_Lightsaber]

I think the time has come for Pep to play him in a certain position and stick to it, not to be running about all match everywhere which he has been doing

If you noticed Pep subbed off Foden first for Rico.. so he obviously thought Foden was doing more things wrong in this game than Julian.

 

[meeesh]

If you noticed Pep subbed off Foden first for Rico.. so he obvious thought Foden was doing more things wrong in this game than Julian.

Yup he must have, why I’m still unsure, maybe it’s because he knows Lewis is more suited on the right than playing behind Haaland, but that’s not the point I’m making is it, Alvarez was playing all over the show, again and cost us a goal with doing so unfortunately

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Chances created is an awful stat because they include set pieces in which Alvarez is taking the vast majority of these days.

Okay lets just re-examine that statement..

Why is he leading the pack here in assists so far this season?



and he's our second highest scorer too:



If anything Pep is justified by trying to play him into form as he's producing!

 

[upb78]

He's having a pretty damn good season so far, he's been playing in this position since the season started, but when he has a bad performance (which i don't think is the case in the game, despite the mistake prior to Tottenham's tie) many people come here to complain that he's not suitable for this position (or even to play as a starter). I think some people are being unfair to Julian.

 

[TFC]

He's having a pretty damn good season so far, he's been playing in this position since the season started, but when he has a bad performance (which i don't think is the case in the game, despite the mistake prior to Tottenham's tie) many people come here to complain that he's not suitable for this position (or even to play as a starter). I think some people are being unfair to Julian.

100%. He's been one of our best players this season. Seems blues have memories like goldfish.

 

[Houseman]

Julian is a born crack. He was known since he was 6 years old, doing interviews and all those things that wonderkids are exposed to because they stand out so much. At age 11, Real Madrid wanted to sign him but couldn't because of age. These things only happen to natural gifted players that display their "specialness" from a very early age.

Let's agree to disagree man, I trully don't see him in the level of Kun or Carlos mentioned priorly or even in the mold what Aimar and to some extent Saviola could do by their own since the very first minute they debuted, these last two sadly lacked the physical attributes players with such style need to survive dealing with the constant hacking, body checks, etc.
In such regard players build like Carlos, Kun, or even geniuses from another planet like Diego and Messi are better suited to deal with pro football constant hacking and pressure.

Yet one great attribute from Julian it's that he is build physically (in terms of body mass, legs) like Kun and Tevez and that helps him a lot but he wasn't born with that extra gear/pace/control while dribbling that the afore mentioned had, or even the more light weight like Aimar and Saviola had too (specially Aimar who mas a magician).

Am I saying that he can't dribble? nope, am I saying that he hasn't pace, power, etc hell no, he has both but for me he is not in the level of the players I've mentioned before.
So as a consequence a team has to understand the best atributes he brings to the table and use them.

For example that initial pressure in the header that ends in the ball that Gvardiol later wins and his instant reading of the gap that he can create with his diagonal at full speed creating the time and space for later calmly deliver the assist to Foden is 100% Julian.
The thing with City is that he doesn't receive THAT TYPE OF ball in those situations as much as City should deliver to him and when he is like lately a bit tired and in his nature not entirely build to receive constantly the ball without advantage in tight spaces, he'll suffer more.
Also his urge of veriticality with his passing it's related to him knowing his best assets and from time to time he'll commit a mistake, comes with the package and more when he is tired after his constant pressing.

He can hold it, he can dribble, but not in the level Kun or Carlos could or like Aimar could easily left anyone in the dust in a split second after receiving it, so he knows that and that is why he is so great, he knows his limitations, that might be few, but because he knows those he looks since first day like the sort of player that evolves into a better player year after year. I leave it here, too many words and seems we would not be in the same page regarding how we see him as a player, all in all like I've said since the beggining, he might end having a better carreer and status when he retires than many players born more talented than him, because he is really really good but even more, he is: intelligent, positive and hardworking and that can take him to a very long carreer at the very very top.

 

[Haaland94]

One of our best players this season. We are overplaying him and in an unnatural position. Can't believe people see him as the problem. He saved our asses a few days ago against Leipzig when he turned the game around, despite being clearly fatigued.

 

[callumcity]

He’s having a great season on the whole but I don’t think he should be playing as deep as he is.

People can point to his assists but we all know if Foden was afforded opportunities in the middle he’d have as many or likely more.

For as much as Pep likes to bang on about Foden not having the positional or defensive sense to play in the middle, we see Alvarez make the same mistakes.

 

[Jwoody19]

Looked absolutely bollocksed against Spuds. He needs a rest that he likely will not get until the new year!

Yes he wasn't great yesterday but he was superb mid week and has been one of our best performers so far this season.

 

[nellyonthewing]

Alvarez, Bernardo and Foden have to run around like headless chickens pressing on the opposition defence often to little effect . They are then out of position and knackered when our midfield gets swamped by teams by-passing that press. Its a crazy tactic imo. Pep tried to get Kun to do the same and I reckon it took 2 years off his career. How much of KDB's injuries came from making him do the same....??
Haaland is having a try at pressing but is too cumbersome. Opponents are now pretty comfortable at playing out and around the press .Meanwhile we are easy meat on the break and our trio of offensive midfielders are burnt out.