24 | Joško Gvardiol - 2023/24

[lunebleu]

Can’t really make my mind up about this lad. Got loads of skill ,but to me doesn’t really convince as left back and not obviously dominating as a centre back. If we had a proper proven left back I don’t think he’d be a first name on the team sheet. I prefer Ake at left back.
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[ninjamonkey]

He was superb throughout apart from getting done once at the very end which ended up costing us a goal and suddenly he's dogshit. Could have done better for that, should have done better but the 90 minutes beforehand he was excellent. I'm still staggered everytime I see mentalist questioning him, he's superb already and the ceiling for him is astronomical.

 

[Silva2021]

Can’t really make my mind up about this lad. Got loads of skill ,but to me doesn’t really convince as left back and not obviously dominating as a centre back. If we had a proper proven left back I don’t think he’d be a first name on the team sheet. I prefer Ake at left back.
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Gvardiol first season is shaping up a lot better then Ake’s first season (who has turned out to be a great signing).

I think he’s got a really high potential for us for 10+ years. He could improve each season for next 4-5 seasons and his current ability is very good.

Whilst nothing is a guarantee, it is something to be excited about and part of why we paid such a high fee.

Pep has previous of improving defenders to new heights.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

He was superb against Burnley but he got skinned by their forward for the Burnley goal , a top class left back does not allow that to happen , and that's because he is a top class centre back filling in at left back.

 

[Leroy Leroy Leroy]

If people thought Laporte was bad they're in for a rough time with Gvardiol, he's an inferior version, doesn't matter if its LB, LCB or CB the same deficiencies will show, weak in the duels, overplaying instead of keeping it simple and poor one-on-one defender.

This will age well

 

[oldius]

If people thought Laporte was bad they're in for a rough time with Gvardiol, he's an inferior version, doesn't matter if its LB, LCB or CB the same deficiencies will show, weak in the duels, overplaying instead of keeping it simple and poor one-on-one defender.

A 'surprising' analysis for many.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

He was definitely shit when he made that last ditch tackle to stop an open shot! Sheesh!

 

[urban genie]

He was superb against Burnley but he got skinned by their forward for the Burnley goal , a top class left back does not allow that to happen , and that's because he is a top class centre back filling in at left back.

Youth cateer started as a left back, was used as both a left bacck and centre back.
most of his liepzig time he was used as a left back, wide left CB in a back 3, Left wing back or a left sided CB.

He isn't a centre back out of position he is a 22 yer old lad in a new club who can play left back comfortably as he has done all his short career but still has to weed out his tendancy to switch off at times, something he will learn to do.

And too early imho to say he is top class just yet, not anywhere near as good as Stones or Ake, who both have the same atributes as him with possession and passing.


He cannot be judged on this season though like some are, on the whole has played well, just needs to up his concentration to the full 90 mins

 

[Bluewars]

A 'surprising' analysis for many.

I rarely get it wrong when judging a player, he's a good footballer, just don't think he's good enough as a defender, would be happy to be proved wrong.

 

[The Norfolk Blue]

If people thought Laporte was bad they're in for a rough time with Gvardiol, he's an inferior version, doesn't matter if its LB, LCB or CB the same deficiencies will show, weak in the duels, overplaying instead of keeping it simple and poor one-on-one defender.

I also think he lacks pace to recover and am dreading a one on one v Salah at Anfield which could cost us the game (like Cancelo last season).

That said, Pep seems to rate him highly as do many others on here so it appears we are in the minority … I’m still disappointed re: Aymeric who also chipped in with a goal from a corner now and then.

 

[MikeF]

I rarely get it wrong when judging a player, he's a good footballer, just don't think he's good enough as a defender, would be happy to be proved wrong.

Modest to boot!

 

[Bluewars]

I also think he lacks pace to recover and am dreading a one on one v Salah at Anfield which could cost us the game (like Cancelo last season).

That said, Pep seems to rate him highly as do many others on here so it appears we are in the minority … I’m still disappointed re: Aymeric who also chipped in with a goal from a corner now and then.

Aymeric was imperious before his MCL injury and still a top CB after, albeit a little less mobile. People are giving Gvardiol a pass because he's playing out of position at LB, I'll remind them that Laporte played LB early in his City career, even playing a blinder in that 2-1 classic vs Pool, do people think Gvardiol can keep Salah quiet at Anfield in March? No chance.

He played well yesterday from an offensive point of view, the good thing about his poor defending for the goal is that he'll probably be dropped for while and we can actually see our best defenders starting, Akanji, Dias, Stones and Ake.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Aymeric was imperious before his MCL injury and still a top CB after, albeit a little less mobile. People are giving Gvardiol a pass because he's playing out of position at LB, I'll remind them that Laporte played LB early in his City career, even playing a blinder in that 2-1 classic vs Pool, do people think Gvardiol can keep Salah quiet at Anfield in March? No chance.

He played well yesterday from an offensive point of view, the good thing about his poor defending for the goal is that he'll probably be dropped for while and we can actually see our best defenders starting, Akanji, Dias, Stones and Ake.

Ake is our best left back and has kept Salah and Saka quiet in recent games , Gvardiol is a decent player its just finding his best position , i think he would be good on the left of three centre backs like he played at Leipzig but we have a lot competition at centre back , we are indeed blessed.

 

[Gorbachev]

I don't want to sound too harsh because it is his first season, but whilst we might win the league with him at LB, we won't win the CL with him there.

It is a fragility that the top teams are going to expose.

 

[havefaith]

Played at centre back the boy will shine, Ake at left back. We bought him as a centre back, he should have been given the chance whilst Dias has been a bit hit and miss (although I get the feeling he's going to rise to the occasion as we get to the business end of the season).
Either way the boy will come good.

 

[supercity88]

He'll rightly be criticised for the goal, he should have done better and it's an easy excuse to say he's not a left back - you'd expect any defender to deal with that situation better. But overall his quality shines through again and after a season of adapting to the league and style of play he'll probably switch to his preferred position. He's 22 and going to be a world class CB, it remains an excellent signing by the club.

 

[Blu1]

We hardly had much defending to do v Burnley & he gave the ball away far too much. In big games I would not be playing him & in my opinion he’s no upgrade on cancelo or Laporte.

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

We hardly had much defending to do v Burnley & he gave the ball away far too much. In big games I would not be playing him & in my opinion he’s no upgrade on cancelo or Laporte.

Hate to tell you but with 96% success rate (104 passes) he had the best pass completion of the night! As a comparison Ake 95% (110 passes), Stones 92% (106 passes), Rico 88% (72 passes), Rodri 87% (113 passes) and KDB 88% (57 passes).

 

[vanchi]

We hardly had much defending to do v Burnley & he gave the ball away far too much. In big games I would not be playing him & in my opinion he’s no upgrade on cancelo or Laporte.

this is simply not true.

he lost possession 8 times, i believe only ake was better with 6.

he had 120 touches. pass accuracy 96% 100/104 passes. best passing accuracy in the whole team yesterday

you can dislike him and think of him what you want of course, but these are facts.

 

[vanchi]

Hate to tell you but with 96% success rate (104 passes) he had the best pass completion of the night! As a comparison Ake 95% (110 passes), Stones 92% (106 passes), Rico 88% (72 passes), Rodri 87% (113 passes) and KDB 88% (57 passes).

some people just have an anti gvardiol agenda, not the first time he’s “wrongly accused” of something like that.