Ilkay Gundogan - 2016/17 Performances

[Deleted member 77198]

I believe we should only play two from Silva, Gundogan and de Bruyne.

This. Don't accommodate all of them, play who is in form or who will suit playing the opposition

 

[argyle]

A big disappointment so far.

Not the midfield general, Toni Kroos, type player people said he would be. I suppose him coming back from a bad injury has contributed.

We've started playing badly since Pep tried to shoehorn him into the side.

 

[Mr HJ]

A big disappointment so far.

Not the midfield general, Toni Kroos, type player people said he would be. I suppose him coming back from a bad injury has contributed.

We've started playing badly since Pep tried to shoehorn him into the side.

I actually think Toni Kroos would struggle the way we are playing at the moment. Over 70% possession in games where we end up losing by a two goal margin points to lots of passing backwards and sideways with a lack of finishing. We need to move on from the days of the Yaya, Nasri and Silva tap tap game - even though in their prime it was fun to watch and successful. Other teams grew wise to this. DeBryune should be the number 10 and we should play with Sane and Sterling out wide with Gundogan alongside Ferna when he returns. Unfortunately much as I absolutely love him Silva he is the odd man out.

For me our best 11 with the current squad would be Bravo, Maffeo, Stones, Otamendi, Clichy, (would have liked Angelino here but worried he similarly bombs forward too much at present) Gundogan and Ferna, Sterling and Sane, DeBryune, Sergio. with Jesus/Nolito to come in when Sergio, Sane or Sterling lose form. Navas,Fernando, Yaya and both Sagna and Kolarov should never play for us again!

 

[St.Pauli support]

Some thoughts from Germany here.
Yep, Gundogan is a bit of a summer time player who shines when the team is up by 3.
You won't see much from him when you have to fight to turn a match around.

Gundogan is not a holding DM. He is not physical enough, that's not his game. He has got a brilliant technique, if you give him time and space.
He is most dangerous when he has enough space in front to deliver the ball to the forward line.

He did quite well at Dortmund. But in Germany even lower ranked sides don't park busses. In the EPL Gundogan is missing the amounts of space he has had in the Bundesliga. That's why we don't see so much from him.

I also agree that his type of game is similar to Silva and KDB (Yaya as well): creative OM. I always thought he came to City to share the workload with Silva who always is missing some matches over the season due injury.

Gundogan is a victim of Pep's system, too. If City would play more compact and a bit deeper to pull out deep sitting teams, I am very sure Gundogan as well as KDB would be able to find the likes of Sterling, Sane or Sergio by quick vertical passes into the free space, not directly to the player.

Pep's possession game is highly predictable and easy to defend. Where is Pep's tactical brilliance? What about his cleverness??
If we don't develop strategies to open those free spaces our creative department will never be able to play to their strengths.

I don't understand how Pep cannot see this predictability. He is sticking to his philosophy not caring if his team is able to do so or not.
Pep's pride cost City a bit too much atm.

 

[Hungarian blue]

If we lose him we're truly fucked. Title wise, that is. I know I'm kneejerking but god help us he's not out for long. On the ball, he was fucking colossal tonight.

 

[kaz7]

Hopefully just a knock,we need him on sunday

 

[aguero93:20]

Looked to be just a dead leg, hopefully nothing worse.

 

[RandomJ]

Really hope his knee cap didn't come loose again.

 

[Chi-town blues]

Looked to be just a dead leg, hopefully nothing worse.

Was the knock on his previously injured foot?

 

[Cityisland]

Looked to be crying as he went off. He knows what a long lay off injury feels like. I predict injured until Feb.