Pep Guardiola - 2020/21 Performances

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I think the time of 'shit or bust' is fast approaching for Pep. I know what he's acheived, and all the brilliant tactical football we've seen, (largely off the back of Mancini's signings btw) but I feel as though he is struggling to find his plan B now we've been sussed.

The game on Saturday was there for the taking and we could and Pep should have beaten the rags had he made vital substitutions which he failed to. And his post game interview left me feeling further underwhelmed tbh. I think he's confusing himself now with bizzare formations and team selections and Lyon last season and Arsenal cup game stand out. Using 2 DMs(of late) is all well and good in shoring up the back line but it's stifling creativity and midfield drive, to me he's become ultra cautious and scared of losing.

It seems like jobs for the boys most of the time. No Foden Bernado or Torres and only 1 sub made? Baffling. Blowing hot hair about wanting 5 subs yet not at any time this season has he made more than 3.(iirc) I can't understand. And then bigging up young players and not giving game time to any in a top spot sewn up dead rubber, I just can't work out.

I'm sorry but I didn't get any sex wee in my knickers when Pep signed a contract extension because I felt that he may be becoming that lovely bottle of wine that is near to corking. Did great at Barca. Well a lot of managers would with Messi xavi and iniesta, Busquets etc. Did well domestically at Bayern too. And he's improved on what we had but is his time coming to an end or can he evolve and rebuild.

And rebuilding has surely got to be youth getting proper game time to be mentored by experienced players without it affecting performance and success. Well I think a few youngsters would improve our performance at the moment because they have energy and the will to prove themselves, but we don't know if they have desire yet, and we won't unless he brings them off the bench and takes a chance. I think Pep's reluctance to play young players is the pressure of winning the CL this season. I think Khaldoon has sat him down and told him that the token league cup win and runners up spot will not appease the boss Sheikh Mansour this season. I think failure to win the CL will see him gone and if Pep feels as though he is burnt out needing another sabbatical he needs to be honest, because if he leaves us before he gets(IF) sacked then his integrity and credibility will remain intact. I hope he still has the motivation and drive to kick on but we shall see.


If he doesn't have the heart and desire I think Pep should quit now and take the 'Spaffia' with him.

And if he stays hoping to sign a world class player in the Twilight of his career and almost 34 will rekindle the flame of past times, well is no guarantee of anything apart from attracting more gloryhunters and selling merchandise. It could do more harm than good.

 

[FantasyIreland]

I just don't understand most of his recent decisions. The lack of subs is so baffling as it is infuriating.

We are definitely on the same page.

 

[Goater=Legend]

0 goals for Mahrez and Sterling against Spurs, Liverpool and United.

How long until Pep realises he can't rely on these two to take their chances in the big games?

 

[christened at st marks]

He needs to understand and get it.

1) beating rags and not negotiable
2) winning the league
3) beating red scouse
4) beating cockneys (Spuds, Arse and Chelski)
5) wiping the smirk off vardy's face




somewhere 20-25) winning the fuckin corrupt chumps league

 

[OrigamiNinja]

Pep on the CB situation:

"What they (Ake/Laporte) have to do is work harder, better and the moment will come. When the moment comes, have a good performance. Every player has incredible skills but its about how you perform now. John and Ruben performed brilliantly, they play"

Now I cannot disagree with a word of this. Even as someone who had written Stones off and thinks that our best CB partnership would be Dias and Laporte. I am happy to concede that Stones has been faultless and it is impossible to argue with the clean sheets and how comfortable we look at the back.

Where I do take issue with the statement, is that this selection criteria is not applied evenly across the rest of the side. Pep has no justification for continually picking Mahrez and Sterling if selection is based on current performance level.

 

[lightning Rodri]

He has a problem to solve.
433 wasn't working due to a combination of losing Dave (+Fern) and teams getting better at playing against it. Even replacing both like for like(which is impossible) wouldn't have solved the issue. I believe even with them at their 17-19 form we would have been susceptible to counter attacks more and any team with three quick forwards and two good finishers would do us, which is all top teams plus rags imo. So Pep solve this by adapting 4231. It would also be safer this season with all that's happening and lack of pressing and fitness.
Now we have four attacking players where we had 5 plus whatever our fullbacks contributed and thus unable to create as many overloads. Our forwards who fed on overloads are starving opportunities, are asked to do too much and hence struggling. We get behind defenses less often, only time Sterling did that was when he was able to a quick 1-2 with KDB.
Imho solution or part of it would be to have fullbacks more involved in attacking buildup with the confidence of having two DMs. Cancelo can do it on right I'm reasonably confident. If Mendy can also be integrated to this system well and stays fit we will create more.

 

[decmancity]

The lack of subs is frustrating but once again he is being let down by the players who are on the pitch. Mahrez and Jesus should have scored, end of. Pep can't put the ball in the net for them.

 

[Craig]

The lack of subs is frustrating but once again he is being let down by the players who are on the pitch. Mahrez and Jesus should have scored, end of. Pep can't put the ball in the net for them.

Neither chance was a sitter and if that’s all we can create in 90 minutes against that shower it’s pitiful

 

[domalino]

I just don't understand most of his recent decisions. The lack of subs is so baffling as it is infuriating.

The lack of subs is frustrating but once again he is being let down by the players who are on the pitch. Mahrez and Jesus should have scored, end of. Pep can't put the ball in the net for them.

I think the lack of subs is partly due to a change in strategy in resting players.

We seem to be more interested in rotating players game to game than taking them off for 15-20 minutes at the end of a specific one. KDB has basically been playing every other game for 2 months now.

Klopp's said he can't use subs because he's expecting someone to get injured, so he's only using 1 or 2 to make sure he's not short handed, so the system we've used of alternating players makes more sense. Also Pep's been talking about needing to improve fitness without preseason, so I think he's making people play 90 mins to build that up.

Lastly I think Pep has a very different idea of when a game is going well to a lot of fans. In the United game we dominated possession, conceded almost no chances and created 4 or 5 goalscoring chances. To Pep, that's a game going according to plan, so when he made a change it was a simple like-for-like with Torres and Mahrez. He didn't want to change the game, he just wanted the players on the pitch to execute better.

As ever with Pep, I wish he'd communicate these kind of things to the fans better but I suppose he's got no responsibility to keep us in the loop.

 

[Sir peace frog]

I think the lack of subs is partly due to a change in strategy in resting players.

We seem to be more interested in rotating players game to game than taking them off for 15-20 minutes at the end of a specific one. KDB has basically been playing every other game for 2 months now.

Klopp's said he can't use subs because he's expecting someone to get injured, so he's only using 1 or 2 to make sure he's not short handed, so the system we've used of alternating players makes more sense. Also Pep's been talking about needing to improve fitness without preseason, so I think he's making people play 90 mins to build that up.

Lastly I think Pep has a very different idea of when a game is going well to a lot of fans. In the United game we dominated possession, conceded almost no chances and created 4 or 5 goalscoring chances. To Pep, that's a game going according to plan, so when he made a change it was a simple like-for-like with Torres and Mahrez. He didn't want to change the game, he just wanted the players on the pitch to execute better.

As ever with Pep, I wish he'd communicate these kind of things to the fans better but I suppose he's got no responsibility to keep us in the loop.

this post is far too good for a simple like.

absolutely spot on