Pep Guardiola - 2020/21 Performances

[blueparrot]

He's quite a good manager, isn't he?

He is this week, wait until we next drop points he’ll be a busted flush again :)

 

[OB1]

He is this week, wait until we next drop points he’ll be a busted flush again :)

Seriously though, that's one of the big problems when trying to discuss performance of players, manager and team: far too much emphasis on the short-term and maybe emotional reaction to anything less than wonderful.

Also, our support has always had a tendency to seek scapegoats (don't care what other supporters do). That goes back to my early days as a supporter, when, IIRC, players such as Joe Corrigan, Paul Power and Kevin Bond took massive stick at some point and then at a later one got voted our player of the season.

We have a truly brilliant manager.

We have a squad that actually has nothing but very talented players.

The team performs to a level week in week out that most clubs can only envy: what is often described by some of our supporters as gash or shite actually isn't relative to the competition; it's just a variation in performance that is the lower end of our very high standard.

We are now back to being the best performing team in the league and if we maintain some consistency, we can have a superb season and we have plenty of reason to be optimistic because the team has been on a steady upward trajectory for most of the season as it implements a few tweaks that Pep has introduced.

Things could go to shit because that is the world that we currently live in but we should stay calm and believe that game by game Pep will push this team forward over the longer term.

 

[rapidCT]

I was one of those who thought he is mentally exhausted and we should move on with another manager. I was so so wrong and I apologise. But, let's keep in mind that he is now doing what most of us, who thought he is done, were asking: stop playing Mahrez, more minutes for Foden, stop playing Gundogan and Rodri as 2 DM. Now I understand that he was just trying different things to get players used to it. I have no problem admitting that I was wrong, but that's why we are fans and he is the manager: we are entitled for an opinion as well, even though a wrong one. Happy to be proven wrong.

 

[01cravend]

Superb sub decisions

 

[Feed the Elk]

Brilliant manager but cannot understand his perseverance with Garcia

 

[WNRH]

Brilliant manager but cannot understand his perseverance with Garcia

Jo puc.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Pep making us sweat , makes two subs and we win the game , does he pick Garcia specifically to wind our supporters up or the management ? apparently Garcia will be accepting a contract offer from Barca which is well below what he has already turned down from us , Barca are skint and going nowhere at the moment.But if Garcia stayed he is 4th choice , so maybe he thinks he will walk into Barca's current team , remember Diaz did when he signed for Madrid , how did that work out ?

 

[domalino]

if Garcia stayed he is 4th choice

He's 5th choice (Dias, Stones, Laporte, Ake) and he'll be probably be starting in the Barca side next season.

He'd be an absolute fool not to go there.

 

[nellyonthewing]

We play a team of giants- let's give Garcia a run out. Plonker.

 

[Larry Stranger]

Brilliant manager but cannot understand his perseverance with Garcia

Not many options. Stones and Dias needed a break. Ake and Walker also out. I don't know who else he could have played.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

He's 5th choice (Dias, Stones, Laporte, Ake) and he'll be probably be starting in the Barca side next season.

He'd be an absolute fool not to go there.

True , Barca are not the team they were , dont think its anything to do with money , he wants to go home and he has a far better chance of game time at a declining Barca.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

True , Barca are not the team they were , dont think its anything to do with money , he wants to go home and he has a far better chance of game time at a declining Barca.

The move is perfect for him.....and us. He is a decent player who has a real chance of forging a good career in La Liga. I don’t think he ever looks top-class in the Prem.

 

[lmhblue1]

Brilliant manager but cannot understand his perseverance with Garcia

Ake injured, Stones needing a rest, no Walker to play as a CB unlike the last round... Only other option would've been to play Ferna there, but then that would have left nobody available to play DM.

Use him to give the important players a rest, I don't really think it's that big of a deal tbh

 

[FantasyIreland]

Took a chance......but credit for trying a few kids while resting a few key players and no new injuries.......I'd say it was a decent gamble and outcome.

 

[Feed the Elk]

Not many options. Stones and Dias needed a break. Ake and Walker also out. I don't know who else he could have played.

Ake injured, Stones needing a rest, no Walker to play as a CB unlike the last round... Only other option would've been to play Ferna there, but then that would have left nobody available to play DM.

Use him to give the important players a rest, I don't really think it's that big of a deal tbh

Play harwood bellis there with Laporte and put cancelo in at full back

 

[Larry Stranger]

Play harwood bellis there with Laporte and put cancelo in at full back

1. I feel that Cancelo could have used a break also. Since Walker is injured he may need to play more. Also may be a need for him to play midfield for KDB if necessary.
2. Pep will usually play the CB with good ball skill in the middle of a back 3. I don't think he'd trust THB on the ball. Just like Walker, THB needs to play on the right. Don't want them getting caught on the ball in the middle of the park.

 

[radcliffe1309]

We play a team of giants- let's give Garcia a run out. Plonker.

He had a midget to mark all game, THB Laporte Ferni and the keeper are perfectly capable of handling a couple of players on set pieces....one of their main threats in the air had to take the throws !

 

[Withnail]

Considering our packed schedule in the League, I had no complaints about the starting 11. I would like to have seen Palmer given an opportunity but I am not sure he is fit yet bearing in mind he has had Covid.

 

[buckshot]

Pep has them playing like a mixture of Bobby Manc's and Pellegrini's styles. The defense is impenetrable the attacking talent is deep and is rounding into form. Their defense cost them at least a CL final last year and Pep did exactly what the best manager in the world should do. He revamped the defense and made it the best in the league. He also realized that Rodri is not Dinho so he had to come up with a way to play w/ 2 holding midfielders with one having the freedom to go forward when needed.

So we started with new CB pairings, new CM formation and injuries to both strikers and have gelled into the hottest team in England for sure and possibly also in Europe. I can't wait for Aguero to get his shooting boots on to complete the Death Star. This seems like the year we start christening new legends.

Here are three that who I think we'll be calling legends in the next couple years:
Cancelo
Torres
Stones

They'll still have KDB an by the end of this year Foden will be well on his way. Either way the statue makers better be talking to these guys and watching them for when they have to capture their souls.

Also, my edible kicked in right around the time I mentioned the Death Star.

 

[Ribchester]

Impressed me in the last few weeks, clearly seen Mendy for what he is, gives him a chance in a cup game v Tier 4 team and subs him, like to think he has dropped Sterling too, think he now needs to gives Torres and Phil a good run and forget about ffs.