Criticism of Pep

[hilts]

Bayern was just injuries. He got to the semi finals every year and then lost 4 or 5 of his starting 11 each year.

Must be the reason although I remember a quite left field tactic against Barcelona that went a bit Pete Tong.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Honestly, Mr Bites, few if any have said “get rid”. Some - myself included - maintain he’s falling short in a couple of key areas. Most of them - again including me - would still happily agree he’s one of the best managers ever to grace the English game. We’re past the age of being hero worshippers, though, and some of comments from Pep disciples have been cringeworthy.

Like it or not, failure to make an impact in Europe since Barca leaves a gap on Pep’s CV. Fair enough if that doesn’t matter to lots of City fans, who have enjoyed beautiful football in two of his seasons with us. It doesn’t trouble me unduly either. I’ve been around long enough to enjoy the Mercer-Allison and Bobby Manc highs as well as witnessing the delights of Alan Ball & co.

Nevertheless, it will have a major bearing on how his record is judged by impartial observers and by the history books. And, on overall record in England, Klopp is coming up very strongly on the inside lane despite ridiculous protestations from some of Bluemoon’s ostriches.

And, Mr Bacon, there's not a word here I'd take issue with. Pep is brilliant. But stubborn. Stubborn. But brilliant.
(With regard to the get rid posts. I swear I saw some of that, or words to the same effect, after the Palace game, in the post match thread. As I say, it was probably rags expressing what they wish would happen. Or men in post-match vitriol mode, who've had a few more jars than is good for them.)

 

[domalino]

Must be the reason although I remember a quite left field tactic against Barcelona that went a bit Pete Tong.

He was missing Alaba, Robben, Ribery and Lewandowski started but wasn't fit. The formation was pretty normal but he played an insanely high line and man marked Messi, Suarez and Neymar which meant they got in behind a lot and Neuer had to sweep.

Still only lost because of 2 Messi wondergoals.

 

[Withnail]

Pep in the CL sometimes is a little conservative eg Spurs away last season and rotates perhaps too much. Unfortunately, his decision to select Delph backfired and bringing on KDB and Sane in the 89th minute was a strange one in that the changes should have been made a lot earlier.

I certainly don't want him to leave and I hope he extends his contract but he does make mistakes (not many I hasten to add). I am sure he has a plan for the Madrid games let's hope his tactics/team selection are successful

 

[hilts]

Pep in the CL sometimes is a little conservative eg Spurs away last season and rotates perhaps too much. Unfortunately, his decision to select Delph backfired and bringing on KDB and Sane in the 89th minute was a strange one in that the changes should have been made a lot earlier.

I certainly don't want him to leave and I hope he extends his contract but he does make mistakes (not many I hasten to add). I am sure he has a plan for the Madrid games let's hope his tactics/team selection are successful

I was hoping he would have signed or indicated he would by now it doesn’t help that 3 or 4 year cycles have been mentioned by the hierarchy. I would say he was favourite to not sign a new contract. Hope he does mind.

 

[OB1]

Barca and Real haven't really changed.

One still plays attacking football and the other will always go down the Galactico route.

They both will always have one foot in a UEFA final for very obvious reasons as well.

City will be about possession based, attacking football with a high line and defensive press from all the players going forwards and whilst the owner is here and Txiki and Ferran i dont see that changing at all.

Question is how successfully can the next guy along do it?

Not as well as Pep is the answer and its why some on here should be careful about what they wish for.

You are absolutely right about City. We have a strategy for how the team should play, one that Pep suits perfectly but other managers can be recruited who fit the bill. However, the chances of them being as good as Pep are slim to zero. So people should be very careful what they wish for.

 

[Corky]

He was missing Alaba, Robben, Ribery and Lewandowski started but wasn't fit. The formation was pretty normal but he played an insanely high line and man marked Messi, Suarez and Neymar which meant they got in behind a lot and Neuer had to sweep.

Still only lost because of 2 Messi wondergoals.

If Messi is so key he can't get the club to broadcast he is a genius before the match. I doubt any other club has done that, he is nowhere near the likes of Herbert Chapman and never will be.

 

[kaz7]

Pep in the CL sometimes is a little conservative eg Spurs away last season and rotates perhaps too much. Unfortunately, his decision to select Delph backfired and bringing on KDB and Sane in the 89th minute was a strange one in that the changes should have been made a lot earlier.

I certainly don't want him to leave and I hope he extends his contract but he does make mistakes (not many I hasten to add). I am sure he has a plan for the Madrid games let's hope his tactics/team selection are successful

Bringing on kev and sane right at the end was a total pisstake,i have no idea what he was thinking

 

[MeatHunterrr]

Agreed mate - but where Barca and Bayern have struggled is to continue with the same philosophy - football changes and if we only play type of way - issues can arise when there is a need to change as we don't have the necessary personnel

It will be interesting - to say the least. I still think we will win trophies post Pep but the domination he demands of trophies every year may not be a guarantee

Barca have struggled? Fuck me. They are have been sweeping trophies with possession football long after Pep. City will do the same as we keep attracting better players than the rest after Peps gone as well as we are starting to be known as club that plays possession football successfully (did it under Pellegrini too) and that is big pull as it generates prestige + we have the highest revenue in UK from this season onwards. The success will continue.

UCL win would just hammer this home and seal it. City will hire the next best possession coach after Pep. Coach can hit the ground running immediately as everything are in place. Similar to Barca. Thats been the plan all along.

 

[TP2000]

Well said for the best part, and full credit for sticking your neck out to speak as openly as that.

PS, sounds like you are ready to admit to yourself you might now be a city fan bud.

Thanks! Not quite a City fan, but since my team never qualifies for the Champions Leauge I tend to pick a surrogate team to support each year in this competition. Mostly I pick based on the style of football, which is why I've had an interest in City recently.

Great post.

That Barca team was beaten by a relatively unimpressive Chelsea team over two legs and Chelsea played most of the 2nd leg with 10 players. Messi missed a pen. That's football, shit happens. It doesn't happen to Liverpool this season, but it will happen to them at some point too.

Exactly. I'd say Pep's had a bad run of luck in the Champions Leauge; 2012 Semi-Final, Messi missed pen; 2016 Semi-Final, Muller missed pen; 2019 Quarter-Final, Aguero missed pen. Two of those penalties would have sent his team to the final. I suspect if either of those goes in we'd be speaking about a manager that has three Champions Leauge trophies to his name. In this contest the margins are fine and you have to analyze more than the result.

This is spot on, I don't know what's happened with a section of our support. It's been fraying at the edges all season, but completely unraveled in the last week or two. I'm going to put it down to the intensity of last year's run-in, but I think it might have longer and deeper roots.

I think a lot of these issues are also wrapped up in broader English society. People look at results. People look at headlines. The analysis needs to go deeper. Klopp wasn't a failure at Liverpool until they won the Champions Leauge last year.

What kind of weird fucker endures Bluemoon if they're not a City fan?

Tell me about it. It's a strange place, but I find the reactions interesting.

Who do you support?

Villa. Although I moved for work from Birmingham to Vancouver, BC so no longer get to attend matches. On the plus side, I get live access to pretty much every game in Europe via a streaming service in Canada called DAZN.