24 | Joško Gvardiol - 2023/24

[vanchi]

he gets a lot of crap for being slow, but is he really that slow? I think for a CB he seems decently fast. Playing as LB, he’s going to look slow when he’s got to turn around against a pacy winger but most would?

he’s getting crap cause people want a proper fullback, he’s not slow but he’s not kyle walker fast, never was, never will be.

but as long as pep plays him there he will get those comments. i was moaning a lot about him missing the pre-season during the transfer saga, turns out joško himself would agree, ffs he’s hoping they’ll have time to work on his positioning in january.

reading the match thread, many people see his performance tonight as a disasterclass.

131 touches
95% pass accuracy
2 key passes
2/2 long balls
1 big chance created
1/4 ground duels
2/2 aerial duels
1/1 successful dribble attempt
1 assist

just give him a free city bag for his boots and send him back to leipzig i’m sure they can find a place for him on the plane :D

 

[Gabriel]

He split their defence with three passes that were fizzed into feet (Foden, Lewis, Foden) and all could have led to shots on target or goals- the final one did. The first two were squandered with poor touch and lack of control. That's not bad production for a left-back that doesn't get beyond the eighteen-yard line.

 

[supercity88]

His defending for their second was absolutely bobbins, but his passing in the second half got us going again.

Akanji had wandered up the right flank, miles offside leaving Bernie unable to retain the ball. Dias then thought, with Akanji up the pitch diving in but not winning the ball was the best plan and Gvardiol then had to run from the centre circle to try and put pressure on,so was at full pace and easy to then turn. He could have anticipated the move, but it's harsh to blame him.

 

[TrentGrisham]

Not great today for me.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Nothing wrong with him today. I wouldn't go overboard with praise, it was a solid 7/10 performance with some brilliant foreard passing complimenting it, certainly not worthy of being criticised.

I think he's well ahead of where we probably thought he would be at this point. He's 21, new team, new league
new position and playing in a pep defence, probably the hardest position to grasp in the side. He's doing exceptionally well all things considered. He's going to be incredible for us as both a left back and a centre back in the long term, no concerns whatsoever, we got what we paid for with him. Pure class.

 

[Goldust]

Anyone else think he could be a beast in a double pivot with rodri.

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

A bit nervy at the moment. Needs to be more composed

 

[Gabriel]

A bit nervy at the moment. Needs to be more composed

That's currently true of about more than half the team.

 

[Coljj]

 

[merz]

thought he was our only reliable defender yesterday (ake too after being brought on).

did someone watch his press conference interview before the game? I only read the quotes but did he really say he prefers to play lb over cb? (not that he is bad at it, just curious)