Interest in Grealish ahead of Jan

[Dribble]

This was his chance to shine. No kdb, no Rodri, Foden and Bernie not on form.

It was in his grasp to take the midfield role. He didn’t take his chance. I know he was injured but he still had a window to stand up and be counted.

He won’t be sold but will become a bit part player in our the rebuild. Pep calling him out is a big deal. He really doesn’t do that unless he is pissed.

I've seen Pep use Grealish centrally maybe two times, & he seemed more effective there than out wide. Far be it from me to question Baldy, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I'd rather see Jack as a No 6 or a No 8, than watch Gundog being out-stronged & bullied as our elderly No 6.

Kovacic doesn't have the positional awareness to be a No 6, so in my mind a re-imagining of Jack's role is well in order. However, as you've pointed out, Pep seems to have lost faith & patience with him, which doesn't bode well.

 

[wolviedinho]

I've seen Pep use Grealish centrally maybe two times, & he seemed more effective there than out wide. Far be it from me to question Baldy, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I'd rather see Jack as a No 6 or a No 8, that see Gundog being out-stronged & bullied as our elderly No 6.

Kovacic doesn't have the positional awareness to be a No 6, so in my mind a re-imagining of Jack's role is well in order. However, as you've pointed out, Pep seems to have lost faith & patience with him, which doesn't bode well.

You have summed it up perfectly. Why the fuck is pep playing Gundo and kova and ignoring Grealish?

It would suggest pep is not happy with the player.

I still think he would have a better argument for a central role if he was delivering on the left regularly. It’s all about trust and he hasn’t earned it.

Pep only sees him as a lm who is not performing. I suppose the boss could be wrong but we only see a glimpse on match days. He is training the group every day.

Surly someone on the coaching staff would have suggested Grealish for the midfield role instead of the slow players he is using?

 

[Dribble]

You have summed it up perfectly. Why the fuck is pep playing Gundo and kova and ignoring Grealish?

It would suggest pep is not happy with the player.

I still think he would have a better argument for a central role if he was delivering on the left regularly. It’s all about trust and he hasn’t earned it.

Pep only sees him as a lm who is not performing. I suppose the boss could be wrong but we only see a glimpse on match days. He is training the group every day.

Surly someone on the coaching staff would have suggested Grealish for the midfield role instead of the slow players he is using?

I've no idea, but going back to our treble season, a poster on BM claimed he had family who worked at the Etihad, & they told him that during pre-season in Japan, the boys were given a couple of days off & allowed drinks in moderation. Apparently Grealish went on another bender, & the club saw their arses with him.

His form plummeted & he picked up a dead-leg injury that kept him out for weeks, which seems an extraordinarily long time. There were rumours of domestic strife after he was pictured in Ibiza partying with an air stewardess he'd met in Las Vegas a couple of weeks earlier.

It seems things were unraveling for him, so much so, he admitted asking to meet with Pep in private to see what he should do to get his career back on track & get back into the team. Things have been patchy for him ever since.

I like Jack & have always supported him, but his decline at City was self inflicted & it seems it's becoming terminal. Rarely have I seen Pep publicly admonish a player the way he did Grealish during his last press conference.

The saloon Jack seems to be in right now isn't a drinking one, it's the one called The Last Chance...

 

[Kippaxpete]

Rather than fritter away money in January how about give him one more chance for this season?

But in central midfield where he belongs and can (and did, occasionally) demonstrate his true worth to us. My fear is that he moves on in the summer for a fraction of what we paid and blossoms in his natural position.

 

[SWPISHOME]

You have summed it up perfectly. Why the fuck is pep playing Gundo and kova and ignoring Grealish?

It would suggest pep is not happy with the player.

I still think he would have a better argument for a central role if he was delivering on the left regularly. It’s all about trust and he hasn’t earned it.

Pep only sees him as a lm who is not performing. I suppose the boss could be wrong but we only see a glimpse on match days. He is training the group every day.

Surly someone on the coaching staff would have suggested Grealish for the midfield role instead of the slow players he is using?

Agreed.

Gundogan and Kovacic play in deeper roles when they play, We rarely see Gundogan as high up the pitch anymore compared to his previous time at the club as he was the midfielder to run in behind.

We lack seriously legs in midfield, Surely Grealish should get the nod in a central role playing in a more attacking role ahead of Kovavic in midfield.

As you said it would suggest he's not happy with Grealish right now. If he's not getting game time in a central role now when we have injuries and lacking legs to cover ground it's very doubtful he'll ever get the opportunity to play in midfield.

He played centrally against Forest at home and played well, Then we didn't see him play there again.

 

[urban genie]

I actually think Kev could be asked to sit back much deeper like Pirlo in his latter years as a play maker with foden and grealish ahead of him in a 3.

this would require our defence to play a much more flat back 4 role and not as high however.

 

[wolviedinho]

Agreed.

Gundogan and Kovacic play in deeper roles when they play, We rarely see Gundogan as high up the pitch anymore compared to his previous time at the club as he was the midfielder to run in behind.

We lack seriously legs in midfield, Surely Grealish should get the nod in a central role playing in a more attacking role ahead of Kovavic in midfield.

As you said it would suggest he's not happy with Grealish right now. If he's not getting game time in a central role now when we have injuries and lacking legs to cover ground it's very doubtful he'll ever get the opportunity to play in midfield.

He played centrally against Forest at home and played well, Then we didn't see him play there again.

That last part is telling. Pep knows he can play midfield but hasn’t earned it nor deserves it. We only see it from a clinical point. Team is struggle apart put said player in another role. For the boss it’s far more complicated. He has a squad to manage. Jack has lost his trust. I don’t know what he does on his days off so can’t comment.

Something is not right and how that’s resolved is anyone’s guess.

 

[SWPISHOME]

That last part is telling. Pep knows he can play midfield but hasn’t earned it nor deserves it. We only see it from a clinical point. Team is struggle apart put said player in another role. For the boss it’s far more complicated. He has a squad to manage. Jack has lost his trust. I don’t know what he does on his days off so can’t comment.

Something is not right and how that’s resolved is anyone’s guess.

That's exactly it, Pep was really impressed with Jack after that performance against Forest, So whatever has happened after that is anyone's guess.

He did say Jack has had injuries, Along with Peps other comments it proves that it boils down more than just injuries.

As you said we don't know what's going on, Personally when Pep comes out likes he's done I don't think it's looking good for Grealish, I hope I'm wrong and whatever is going on gets resolved as we need players back and back playing at a high level.

 

[RayCTID]

But in central midfield where he belongs and can (and did, occasionally) demonstrate his true worth to us. My fear is that he moves on in the summer for a fraction of what we paid and blossoms in his natural position.

Doesn't matter if we lose out in the summer. Still a valuable squad member for this season.

 

[kaz7]

You have summed it up perfectly. Why the fuck is pep playing Gundo and kova and ignoring Grealish?

It would suggest pep is not happy with the player.

I still think he would have a better argument for a central role if he was delivering on the left regularly. It’s all about trust and he hasn’t earned it.

Pep only sees him as a lm who is not performing. I suppose the boss could be wrong but we only see a glimpse on match days. He is training the group every day.

Surly someone on the coaching staff would have suggested Grealish for the midfield role instead of the slow players he is using?

He is not interested in football so no he wont be trusted in the middle ,he has checked out