24 | Joško Gvardiol - 2023/24

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Yeah...I think he's got good pace, but when he plays left back, he's slow once he's been turned and then has to play catch up.
I like him a lot as a CH, he solid, but prefer Ake over him at left back.

You beat me to the post I was gonna make! :-) I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[Paul1970]

He is not a LB

And he didn’t come here to play that position either .

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

At the moment he's no improvement on Ake at left back ,when he came watched his highlight reel and never seen a defender capable of beating his man and making amazing runs, not seen any of this yet

 

[Drewmanc]

How many if you are sayimg he's not a left back? Are you bonkers? He played for RB there and the NT and now us, yes it's true his position will be centre back once he matures — with the performances he's turning in I doubt we'll get the chance to see him move centrally unless he improves 10 fold. Slow and ponderous with a couple of mistakes a game in him, not what we were sold as the best up amd coming defender I'm europe imho. I believe he will be fine eventually but he's so slow and ponderous I'd rather have Ake in.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

Not great yesterday but it was always a big ask to expect a 21 year old to move to a new league and the best team in it and instantly become a first pick. Dias is vastly more experienced and has had seasons to embed himself and he had a shocker.

He is a fill in LB as his primary position is CB so again we don't have a specialist for this position. Aké is better but again not a specialist. It's very strange that we seem reluctant to buy a LB with the exception of the now unwanted Cancelo.

 

[jrb]

Not his best game. But he’s had plenty of good games. There isn’t a footballer who doesn’t have an off day. People criticizing him need to remember those things. He a very good player who’s still bedding into a new team and a new club.

But I would rather see him play centre half alongside Dias.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

We havent had a decent natural left back since Kolarov , Mendy was signed but we all know what happened there , we have won a dozen trophies under Pep and he has never sorted out the left back issue , its usually centre backs that cover the left side . Pep hasnt done too bad though has he , just imagine if we had a proper world class left back , we might win the quadruple.
Gvardiol is doing a job out of position , Ake , Laporte , Cancelo and others have also manfully tried to adapt , but we will just have to struggle on :)

 

[remember arthur mann]

Thought he was OK, growing with confidence every game.

 

[wolfie1988]

His biggest mistake was taking his eye off the ball. Couldn't adjust his body position because he didn't see the ball until it hit him. A lot of defenders have an obsession with defending their man alone

 

[youngbob]

Having a bit of a bumpy ride after a brilliant start (see: Kovacic) but he's young and it'll come. He'll be incredible in 2/3 years.