Bonucci... But we aren't after him.Turning him into a Boateng would take a miracle. Boateng is perhaps the best "ball playing" defender out there. Have you seen his passing? I can't name a defender with better distribution. Mangala has the physical qualities, but unfortunately lacks the technical aspect.
Pep's job is very much to fix under-performing players, to suggest anything else is ridiculous. That's a managers job - get players performing well, and with that, riase the team's performance.
Guardiola's ability to get the best out of players and to improve them as individuals is a major reason why he's considered the best coach in the world.
Didn't you say this about Fernando until his last few months ?I keep seeing people suggest this, for various people, but it's not Pep's job to fix overpaid and underperforming players.
Turning Mangala into something other than a defensive liability is a distraction that can easily be avoided by replacing him.
Is he? Or is Athletico's defensive style make it easier to look a good defender?He's amazing but will cost shedloads and shedloads and shedloads
Getting the most out if a player does equal fixing a player.
Pep indeed gets the most out of his players, but he's not one to waste the time and resources on a reclamation project.
Is he? Or is Athletico's defensive style make it easier to look a good defender?
Well said!Based on what exactly?
In Pep Confidential, Pep and his team talk extensively about how, if a player is willing to work to improve, Pep will put in just as much effort as the player, and that one of his fundamental beliefs is that a players ability, down to the very basic techniques is not fixed, and can be improved on.
They talk about it in depth, and how Pep worked incredibly hard to turn Eric Abidal, who at the time was a player known only for his pace and physicality as a defender, who was on the brink of being sold, into one of the best left backs in the world, with great ability on the ball.
They stress that as long as the player is determined to improve, Guardiola will be committed to improving them.
And that's before even mentioning the fact that Mangala is not some league 2 player who ended up in our squad. There was a reason the club was prepared to pay so much money for him and why he was one of the highest rated young defenders around at the time.
He had a shit time under Pellegrini - like Nastasic, Lescott, Otamendi and actually Kompany too. If he's still here by September I'm sure he'll be twice the player he was last season, and Pep will put a huge amount of work in with him.
If we get this lad The Laporte collapse may have been a blessing in disguise
Is he? Or is Athletico's defensive style make it easier to look a good defender?