19 | Julian Alvarez - 2023/24

[Phil1]

I'm sorry you think I'm brushing off Pep's success. I'm just trying to keep a more realistic perspective. I'm fully aware of the many who do less with more...

It’s no biggie. It’s a subject worth talking about due to the fact a lot of us don’t see it working.
It’s just which side of the argument you fall on after that.

(Talking about the Alverez experiment)

 

[JewelZee]

I don’t know what’s going on, has it proven to be successful? Again don’t know how many games have we won v lost playing them,that’s okay I don’t need to know. Pep knows and whatever it is will be fine in the end. You say he can see it’s not working but you don’t know what he wants so you can’t say that.
He doesn’t pick players or systems that he thinks will cost him and his team trophies, he certainly doesn’t repeat it regularly without good reason, so if he’s doing it he has very good reasons to, whether you, me or anyone can see it has no relevance. Why would he repeat a mistake you think he can see ?

Hard to know in light of no one in the UK media ever asks questions directly to the top managers relevant to actual coaching decisions. It's always some crap about refereeing decisions, VAR, something someone said, crowd atmosphere, FFP, PSR, and, in our case, charges.
"Pep, why did you go with Alvarez on the left wing over Foden or Bernardo with Kovacic in the middle?" Is that not allowed or against some kind of English etiquette? Just asking...

 

[St.Pauli support]

As long as Jack is injured, Pep simply might like to have Julian's work rate (esp vs tough opponents) and also goal threat and fighting spirit on the pitch and accepts his deficits in accuracy and control,
as our current alternatives even offer less: Doku, Nunes, Bobb.

At Anfield I think Pep wanted to have Bernardo's control in the centre and being wasted out on the wing, remains Phil on one wing and as said above Julian on the other. Jm2c.

 

[applejuice]

Pep simply might like to have Julian's work rate (esp vs tough opponents) and also goal threat and fighting spirit on the pitch.

I did not see any evidence of his work rate or fighting spirit in this game. Might be enough as a striker but far from what required to be a winger or midfielder. He let that TAA mini kid flying up and down without marking properly. Left Ake exposed entirely for the 1st half. (No wonder Ake made a huge mistake later on). Could not defend property around our box because he does not have position awareness despite pep invested half season of minutes on him in deeper roles (Salah double strikes).

And it is not the first case. He was horrible in defensive sense facing Chelsea Liverpool and Spurs at home. How on earth can he be defensive enough at Anfield?

He is a proper striker and a proper 2nd striker. But no matter how hard working strikers are, the defensive shift for a winger or midfielder is much much heavier than strikers.

 

[applejuice]

I don’t know what’s going on, has it proven to be successful? Again don’t know how many games have we won v lost playing them,that’s okay I don’t need to know. Pep knows and whatever it is will be fine in the end. You say he can see it’s not working but you don’t know what he wants so you can’t say that.
He doesn’t pick players or systems that he thinks will cost him and his team trophies, he certainly doesn’t repeat it regularly without good reason, so if he’s doing it he has very good reasons to, whether you, me or anyone can see it has no relevance. Why would he repeat a mistake you think he can see ?

Pep did it with Cesc Fabregas and Eric Garcia.

He has blind spot like all the other coaches.

He just doesn't do it as often as other coaches but it does not mean he never made mistakes.

 

[Shirley]

Hard to know in light of no one in the UK media ever asks questions directly to the top managers relevant to actual coaching decisions. It's always some crap about refereeing decisions, VAR, something someone said, crowd atmosphere, FFP, PSR, and, in our case, charges.
"Pep, why did you go with Alvarez on the left wing over Foden or Bernardo with Kovacic in the middle?" Is that not allowed or against some kind of English etiquette? Just asking...

I reckon most of these hacks have never played football even at school so wouldn’t have a clue…

 

[St.Pauli support]

I did not see any evidence of his work rate or fighting spirit in this game. Might be enough as a striker but far from what required to be a winger or midfielder. He let that TAA mini kid flying up and down without marking properly. Left Ake exposed entirely for the 1st half. (No wonder Ake made a huge mistake later on). Could not defend property around our box because he does not have position awareness despite pep invested half season of minutes on him in deeper roles (Salah double strikes).

And it is not the first case. He was horrible in defensive sense facing Chelsea Liverpool and Spurs at home. How on earth can he be defensive enough at Anfield?

He is a proper striker and a proper 2nd striker. But no matter how hard working strikers are, the defensive shift for a winger or midfielder is much much heavier than strikers.

Ah ok, you think any of the alternatives (Doku, Nunes, Bobb) would have had a higher defensive work rate? That was the point.

 

[JewelZee]

I did not see any evidence of his work rate or fighting spirit in this game. Might be enough as a striker but far from what required to be a winger or midfielder. He let that TAA mini kid flying up and down without marking properly. Left Ake exposed entirely for the 1st half. (No wonder Ake made a huge mistake later on). Could not defend property around our box because he does not have position awareness despite pep invested half season of minutes on him in deeper roles (Salah double strikes).

And it is not the first case. He was horrible in defensive sense facing Chelsea Liverpool and Spurs at home. How on earth can he be defensive enough at Anfield?

He is a proper striker and a proper 2nd striker. But no matter how hard working strikers are, the defensive shift for a winger or midfielder is much much heavier than strikers.

!000% spot on...

 

[JewelZee]

Ah ok, you think any of the alternatives (Doku, Nunes, Bobb) would have had a higher defensive work rate? That was the point.

Bernardo certainly would while Kovacic played next to Rodri in behind KDB...

 

[Pep Guardiola]

Julian Álvarez is like those good supporting actors who will never be the protagonist of the movie.

Don't wait the killer and the idol in him. He is just a good player to support Haaland or 9 reference star.