supercity88
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 9 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 13,846
Irrespective of whether we win anything, this season is up there with Pep’s best ever. We have to remember where we were in the first third of the season, maybe even first half of it. Practically the entire team seemed disinterested, the dressing room seemed oddly dysfunctional. Pep has had to dig so, so deep this season, using every tool available to him, psychological tricks, elite man-management, knowing when to go public with things, when to call people out, when not to etc. And now look at us. This is all down to Pep. Any other manager and we are neck and neck with Liverpool this season imo.
Spot on pal. Physically and mentally these players have had to keep going for such a long period of time. Pep knew that he couldn't have any passengers so he made big calls to allow players to leave in the summer, knowing a happy and committed squad was vital if we were to go again. The balance hasn't been there, the mentality hasn't been there and the effort has been lacking at times. He's tried to get a second striker in to support Haaland. He's tried Lewis as an inverted full back to get the balance there. He's benched players who would traditionally have been the first names in the team. He's pushed Cancelo out in January despite the apparent issues at full back. Yet here we are, firing once again and still making huge changes. Haaland and Foden out, no Walker, no Bernie. The majority would have been concerned seeing the lineup before the Liverpool game, yet it was a masterclass.
Hopefully things keep improving as they have done and we can pull Arsenal in and win the league, and also bring home the CL. Tuchel got the better of Pep over the three game run including the FA Cup semi and CL final. We owe him one and I just hope Pep has another masterclass up his sleeve.