24 | Joško Gvardiol - 2023/24

[vanchi]

To be fair playing LB for Pep is not really the normal expectation of playing LB.

Gvardiol defends in a back 3 like he's a CB, when he goes forward he's allowed to play in midfield or go wide. There's so much positional flexibility and you see so much of the game's action that I think any footballer would love it.

Marco Rose, his last RB Leipzig coach, likes high and wide fullbacks that stretch the pitch but don't see much of the ball.

joško didn’t play lb for rose.

 

[Middedon]

joško didn’t play lb for rose.

I think he meant more that not every coach would need/use a LB like Josko. As Rose used a different set-up.

 

[OB1]

The new Maldini.

 

[HaalandEffect]

The new Maldini.

The new Darijo Srna

 

[oldius]

I completely forgot that in the West Ham game, for large portions, Josko was playing alongside Rodri as a CDM. I watched his movement and thought that this is the long-term plan: Josko will be the defender who augments the midfield and allows Rodri to become more box to box. If there was a defender born for the role it is Gvardiol.

 

[gman07]

i think it does matter cause pep is a genius. his replacement won’t be.

even in his last interview he talked about his right position. he’s mentioned it in every single interview i saw and i believe i saw most of them.
i agree, he’s happy to work with pep and he will do his best always, with positive attitude and without sulking and complaining.
i also think what pep did was right for the team, not necessarily right for joško, and that’s fine, he’s a paid employee.
in the long run, i think playing fullback is more physically demanding, he was a fast cb, as i said previously, he will never have walker’s pace, that cannot be coached.

i hope pep will give him minutes at cb next season, i don’t want him to get rusty. or pep should just stay and take care of the kids. :D

Pep usually use lb or winger postions to get players up and running with his positional system, to learn the whole thinking that he has.. we have seen several variations of this among wingers and lb. I think he wants his players to understand the team play and positions and at the same time be more versatile for the team by strengething a "new" position for the player. He will have a better understanding of everyones position and their duty by this in the long run which will serve him when he is a cb later on. Or it might just be that he gets to do the dcm role due to his awesome fotball IQ and this first season he has to grasp the system thinking Pep uses.
We rarely see a first seasoner do well but in season2/3 they blossom. Josko is a rare prospect due to he has successfully made a very impressive season unlike Nunes who hasnt really got up in speed as to how he can contribute.

 

[Saddleworth2]

more from the not bad for a useless flop category:

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would the extension be an extra year and more money or?

Both. For a first season under Pep the lad has been magnificent and I think his ceiling is sky high. He is already operating very effectively in all aspects of the game so I’m looking forward to even more from him next season. Not only is he a wonderful player he seems a fantastic personality that has helped him integrate seamlessly into the squad. Both he and Kova have been very astute buys.

 

[The Blue Eh]

Pep usually use lb or winger postions to get players up and running with his positional system, to learn the whole thinking that he has.. we have seen several variations of this among wingers and lb. I think he wants his players to understand the team play and positions and at the same time be more versatile for the team by strengething a "new" position for the player. He will have a better understanding of everyones position and their duty by this in the long run which will serve him when he is a cb later on. Or it might just be that he gets to do the dcm role due to his awesome fotball IQ and this first season he has to grasp the system thinking Pep uses.
We rarely see a first seasoner do well but in season2/3 they blossom. Josko is a rare prospect due to he has successfully made a very impressive season unlike Nunes who hasnt really got up in speed as to how he can contribute.

Agree with everything you said. In addition, playing on the flank affords another benefit to a player learning a new system. He always has a buddy he can count on: the sideline. This halves the offensive and defensive responsibility for the new player.

 

[Jonas.shaffer]

He was really poor. TBF to him, as I said in the PGT, I think Pep is asking too much of him in his first year.

 

[Saddleworth2]

He was really poor. TBF to him, as I said in the PGT, I think Pep is asking too much of him in his first year.

Bollocks. One mistake does not = poor.
He has been one of our best players this season and in his first for Pep that’s really impressive. The first goal was as much on Ortega as it was Guardiol. I am always a believer in gc taking charge of any 50/50. No communication from him at all.