Lack of pace on the wings

[Gray]

We have played so slowly this season all over the pitch, gives the opposition time to get organised.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

I did. He was a replacement for Sterling and Sane, we moved earlier because we always felt Raheem would not be resigning, and didn't want to risk it.

It was never about Bernie.

it was also about bernie though as he was asking to leave that time. and there were many articles from reputed journalist saying pep wants to use grealish in place of bernardo.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

Would it kill us to give him a run in Kevin's spot here and there to see what he can do while giving KDB an occasional break?What if he steps in there and does a job? Now we have more options across the board including regarding transfer decisions, not to mention getting the better return on a huge investment. Maybe I'm nuts, right?

or why not put him in the position bernardo played yesterday like a midfielder out wide and high put but can come inside when necessary. then put foden in the position jack played. bernardo is not good playing higher up the pitch as he is next to rodri. picking bernardo last game was one of the biggest mistakes pep made.

 

[Norman kneejerk]

Great post mate,our wingers now are all about keeping possession of the ball which mahrez and grealish are good at but it’s now hamstringing our play unfortunately,pep has nearly went the opposite to how he had his teams play in a sense controlled possession at all costs regardless..

Interesting stuff. Be a sad day if this happens. I'm probably old fashioned but I always believed in the Mike Summerbee principle that if you try to get around the outside the worst that can happen is you win a throw in or corner. Doesn't seen that risky.

 

[deano ou812]

Interesting stuff. Be a sad day if this happens. I'm probably old fashioned but I always believed in the Mike Summerbee principle that if you try to get around the outside the worst that can happen is you win a throw in or corner. Doesn't seen that risky.

Or like sane or sterling,pep in my opinion has changed how he wants his teams to play to much overthinking now on possession at all costs in my opinion of course ..

 

[simon23]

Im a critic of Grealish and Mahrez but its not pace they need.

What they need to to be more proactive in the game, more aggressive with the ball at their feet, try to take people on and make forward passes in particular and beat the first man with a cross. They dont/wont take chances in the final third and play way too safe.

Neither of them have performed well this season and for chunks of last season as well

Ultimately I dont think either are good enough at present for a title winning team (and certainly not champs league)..Mahrez is ona downward trend with age but woringly Grealish should be at the top of his game at his age.....I just dont think his top level is good enough full stop and he is and always has been overrated.

People saying its under instruction from Pep are making excuses. He had the best dribbler in the world in his team in Messi, Foden dribbles as does Bernardo.....why would he tell Mahrez/Grealish to do something different. Grealish in particular is not a good dribbler full stop...good baller carrier but thats different.

Would Mahrez or Grealish get into any of the top 4/6 sides

Liverpool - no
Arsenal - no
Newcaslte (at present) - no....the funny thing is what Grealish said about Almiron has spurred him on to be a more effective player this season
Spurs - possibly Mahrez would on the right hand side but Grealish aint getting ahead of Son

Would either get into Utd side ahead of the likes of Rashford or any othe rest....again Im not so sure - Mahrez may do, Grealish i dont see it.

Funnily enough, the only position Grealish would probably get into is Liverpools team at present as they are hugely struggling in central midfield.....Maybe spurs as well?

 

[theres only one carlito]

People saying Phil should start over Grealish are missing the point. Phil has clearly been instructed to keep possession rather than hit the by line. We’ve seen this when he’s played this season, he wouldn’t even take on James Milner ffs!

Wheather it’s Phil or Jack they have been told how to play and I think Pep sees Jack as a better fit for what he wants. I personally have never rated Jack as a top player, he hasn’t the skill set to deliver goals and assists from wide, he’s an average player that’s been hyped up.

I think the earlier post about Control versus Risk is a valid one and definitely a change in principle from Pep this year. I’m not that keen on it and I don’t think it’s productive enough with the likes of Jack, Mahrez, or a Foden on a leash.

 

[simon23]

We are completely devoid of any pace and directness when both Mahrez and Grealish play.

Opponents know neither will go down the outside because they need to chop the ball back or inside, to afford themselves that yard of space to then work in.

Ironically, our goal came yesterday because Mahrez changed the habit of a lifetime by fooling his marker and going on outside.

Sadly, like with all signings we make, we are desperate for things to work out, but I fear Jack is already proving a costly mistake.

He doesn't have the ball skills of Mahrez to beat his man and so he does look clumsy and invariably draws the foul because the first touch out of his feet isn't quick enough.

His reaction to Haaland's first goal at Leeds showed how much it meant to him, even though it was an act of unselfishness which hardly pushed the footballing boundaries, with Pep even suggesting when his head is more confident, he might take those opportunities on himself?

Jack seems a good lad and the manager and players are clearly pulling for him to come good, yet unlike other players we have, he doesn't have the versatility to thrive in other positions.

The £100m fee isn't his fault, but it is the first time I felt we have made a United-type statement signing since Bony, where the public hype train was greater than the talent on display.

Similarly, how the cult of personality created a national group think that Sterling was still operating at an elite level in his final 18 months with City.

Jack wasn't a kid when he joined us, he's had more than a year to show there is more to come, and it still isn't.

Phil is a better fit for the team on the left and even Cancelo and Palmer have shown more threat in those areas of the pitch.

We need Jack to be chipping in with eight or ten goals a season and his record doesn't suggest he has ever been that?

My ideal three would be Foden, Haaland and Alvarez, from an intensity/goal threat perspective and hopefully we get to see more of that in the coming months and in Europe.

Jack isn't going anywhere soon and earns more than most. There comes a point, however, where in the next few weeks he needs to make the ultimate step, or we need to accept City and Pep got this one wrong.

Just as Chelsea did with Lukaku. A good player, yes, but in the wrong team and environment.

I'd have loved City to have been scouting someone like Luis Diaz at £37m :(

It's why, as much as I have loved Bellingham and his energy, I even question if I'm right, in terms of his City fit?

Spot on

My fear with Bellingham to...not sure he is the right fit for us at all. Not sure his ability in tight spaces is there and he looks clumsy at times.

 

[simon23]

Nail on head.

No plasticy overreaction like Pep/ Txiki/ Laporte/ Ederson out.. just astute observations sir!

You're not the only one with Bellingham reservations.. I've questioned it since he berated his own teammates in Dortmund mid game. We have built our team on harmony.. but he seems like too strong a personality and could create factions.

And everyone loves Cancelo but he's had so many mental errors this season.. and is deservingly benched.

But mental errors seems to be a theme this season.. we've given up goals way too easily and opposition teams know they can just park the bus and hit us on the counter for 1-2 goals.

How long has it been since we managed 3 clean sheets in a row ffs?

Seems we need to fix our defensive and midfield before thinking about 100 mil pound players!

As for pace we found Rico in our academy. We have Borges and Mebude and Ndala. I know Pep doesn't think Borges is right but how about the other 2? They have be at the very least better than Sterling!

Spot on again

Cancello gets away with a lot playing in an attacking team and he has improved defensively but there is always that weakness with him.

I too am unsure on Bellingham...i can see his quality but Im not sure he fits with how we play

I said at the time that I didnt think we needed grealish and that I didnt think he was better than anyone we had...and he isnt.....an expensive mistake but Im not sure if City (unlike Chelsea for inastance) will cut their losses on him....Plus who would have him on his wages unless the romantics at Villa want him back and he accepts a pay cut

 

[Craig]

Im a critic of Grealish and Mahrez but its not pace they need.

What they need to to be more proactive in the game, more aggressive with the ball at their feet, try to take people on and make forward passes in particular and beat the first man with a cross. They dont/wont take chances in the final third and play way too safe.

Neither of them have performed well this season and for chunks of last season as well

Ultimately I dont think either are good enough at present for a title winning team (and certainly not champs league)..Mahrez is ona downward trend with age but woringly Grealish should be at the top of his game at his age.....I just dont think his top level is good enough full stop and he is and always has been overrated.

People saying its under instruction from Pep are making excuses. He had the best dribbler in the world in his team in Messi, Foden dribbles as does Bernardo.....why would he tell Mahrez/Grealish to do something different. Grealish in particular is not a good dribbler full stop...good baller carrier but thats different.

Would Mahrez or Grealish get into any of the top 4/6 sides

Liverpool - no
Arsenal - no
Newcaslte (at present) - no....the funny thing is what Grealish said about Almiron has spurred him on to be a more effective player this season
Spurs - possibly Mahrez would on the right hand side but Grealish aint getting ahead of Son

Would either get into Utd side ahead of the likes of Rashford or any othe rest....again Im not so sure - Mahrez may do, Grealish i dont see it.

Funnily enough, the only position Grealish would probably get into is Liverpools team at present as they are hugely struggling in central midfield.....Maybe spurs as well?

Agree with most of what you’re saying but this season in general Foden has barely been taking on fullbacks. I find it hard to believe he’s just suddenly decided to stop that. Bernado dribbles but in a very safe way. The only player really who seems to have permission to take risks is KDB and when he’s as bad as he was against Everton and Brentford it results in 2 very poor team performances.