Pep Guardiola - 2023/24

[Gorbachev]

He clearly hasn't worked out what to do in the big games without Gundogan.

His tactic last night and against Arsenal of playing walking football to start the game is certainly not the answer I can tell you that.

Last night reminded me of Pep's last season at Barca where it just became pass for pass sake.

I agree. I think he and the club have underestimated how much of an impact Gundogan was in this team, and also how big Mahrez was as an impact player.

Many forget Mahrez got 15 goals and 13 assists last season and wasn't even a regular. Everyone outside of Foden and Haaland could only dream of getting those numbers.

We have been lucky Foden stepped up this season, without him I think we would have been way back in 3rd and maybe even looking over our shoulder at 4th spot.

Phil has been a revelation this season, a real coming of age year for him.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

He clearly hasn't worked out what to do in the big games without Gundogan.

His tactic last night and against Arsenal of playing walking football to start the game is certainly not the answer I can tell you that.

He clearly needs 2 midfielders who can take the spots of Gundogan and Stones.

As crazy as this might sound.. I still think Perrone is a City midfielder once he bulks up. He's done quite well in La Liga for a fresh talent. So if he can play DM we might have the luxury of pushing Rodri further forward!

 

[Gabriel]

He clearly needs 2 midfielders who can take the spots of Gundogan and Stones.

As crazy as this might sound.. I still think Perrone is a City midfielder once he bulks up. He's done quite well in La Liga for a fresh talent. So if he can play DM we might have the luxury of pushing Rodri further forward!

He needs a season more in Spain, somewhere he can gain Champions League experience, and then he can be considered for the next step. Girona? We probably don’t need ‘development’ players in midfield next season.

 

[Sir peace frog]

He clearly hasn't worked out what to do in the big games without Gundogan.

His tactic last night and against Arsenal of playing walking football to start the game is certainly not the answer I can tell you that.

do you think we deserved to win last night ?

his tactics played madrid off the park, i haven't heard one person say we weren't the better team, that was down to pep and his "walking football" our biggest weakness is the counter attack, the "walking football" is to stop us giving the ball away in bad areas, areas where we can be got at, that actually worked last night, KDB smashes that shot in and people would be saying masterclass from pep,pep did his job ,sadly we couldn't put the ball in the net, and that isn't peps fault, we controlled that game last night, madrid couldn't get out of there own half, they were saying on tv that madrid has not had a shot at goal since the goal itself and when rudgier had a shot near the end, we created 30 odd shooting opportunities .

as for "hasn't worked out how to play without gundo, we sit at the top of the league , we've got an fa cup semi at weekend , and if we had put away 1 of the many chances we created last night we would be going into another semi, im sure gundo was offered the chance to stay and without doubt we've missed his influence, but we are doing ok without him.

 

[EdersonsSmiley]

do you think we deserved to win last night ?

There's no such thing as deserving to win outside of incorrect refereeing decisions. The fact is we didn't win, just like we haven't won the vast majority of big games this season.

And I clearly said it hasn't worked without Gundogan IN THE BIG GAMES. We are having a brilliant season overall but have been largely poor in the big games.

Do we want to become like Wenger's Arsenal where we have tons of lovely possession but create very little and end up losing against anyone decent? I don't!

 

[Kamaro011]

Got the tactics alright but will have to shoulder some of the responsibility. Too many players are running on empty because the small squad philosophy needs a rethink and because he's been badly, badly let down by those in charge of recruitment.

I can somewhat understand of why Pep prefer small squads based on my experience training bunch of kids in football for months. Let me tell you it's absolute headache, it's not all about to train them in football but also dealing their personal issues and needs that must to be take care off both in field and off fields.

I know it's not the exact same thing me training a bunch of amateur kids compared to Pep coaching a professional world class player. But i can still imagine the headache managing a large squad and why Pep prefer managing small squad over large squad.

 

[Gabriel]

I can somewhat understand of why Pep prefer small squads based on my experience training bunch of kids in football for months. Let me tell you it's absolute headache, it's not all about to train them in football but also dealing their personal issues and needs that must to be take care off both in field and off fields.

I know it's not the exact same thing me training a bunch of amateur kids compared to Pep coaching a professional world class player. But i can still imagine the headache managing a large squad and why Pep prefer managing small squad over large squad.

Managing any group of people requires tact and judgement. It's simply the fact that they so much in the public eye that makes managing footballers especially challenging. At the same time, there is sufficient money to hire the appropriate support for them.

Guardiola went with a squad of 23 this season, of whom 3 were basically covering slots and would rarely play (Phillips, Carson, and Gomez), two were untested kids (Lewis, Bobb), one was a last-minute purchase (Nunes), one was new to the country and league (Doku) and two had a proven history of injuries and prolonged absence (Stones, de Bruyne). If I use my fingers and toes, that means from the 23 we went into the season with, we kind of knew we could only fully rely on 14 players. On the back of the amount of football played in the last three seasons, and especially last year, that was folly. When we add other injuries (Grealish, Haaland) and suspensions (Rodri) to the mix, we've not been operating with a small squad but a very small squad. Little wonder players are saying they are tired.

 

[Kamaro011]

Managing any group of people requires tact and judgement. It's simply the fact that they so much in the public eye that makes managing footballers especially challenging. At the same time, there is sufficient money to hire the appropriate support for them.

Guardiola went with a squad of 23 this season, of whom 3 were basically covering slots and would rarely play (Phillips, Carson, and Gomez), two were untested kids (Lewis, Bobb), one was a last-minute purchase (Nunes), one was new to the country and league (Doku) and two had a proven history of injuries and prolonged absence (Stones, de Bruyne). If I use my fingers and toes, that means from the 23 we went into the season with, we kind of knew we could only fully rely on 14 players. On the back of the amount of football played in the last three seasons, and especially last year, that was folly. When we add other injuries (Grealish, Haaland) and suspensions (Rodri) to the mix, we've not been operating with a small squad but a very small squad. Little wonder players are saying they are tired.

Regardless the quality player we have right now, there's still no sign of him to change his preferances for small squad anytime soon.

We may think he will done this in previous season yet he still same as ever not enlarging the squad despite each passing season our team schedule is increasingly more hectic.

 

[Gabriel]

Regardless the quality player we have right now, there's still no sign of him to change his preferances for small squad anytime soon.

We may think he will done this in previous season yet he still same as ever not enlarging the squad despite each passing season our team schedule is increasingly more hectic.

I think he will have to. He doesn't need to work with a significantly bigger squad in terms of numbers, but he needs one that has greater quality and dependability.

 

[Saddleworth2]

do you think we deserved to win last night ?

his tactics played madrid off the park, i haven't heard one person say we weren't the better team, that was down to pep and his "walking football" our biggest weakness is the counter attack, the "walking football" is to stop us giving the ball away in bad areas, areas where we can be got at, that actually worked last night, KDB smashes that shot in and people would be saying masterclass from pep,pep did his job ,sadly we couldn't put the ball in the net, and that isn't peps fault, we controlled that game last night, madrid couldn't get out of there own half, they were saying on tv that madrid has not had a shot at goal since the goal itself and when rudgier had a shot near the end, we created 30 odd shooting opportunities .

as for "hasn't worked out how to play without gundo, we sit at the top of the league , we've got an fa cup semi at weekend , and if we had put away 1 of the many chances we created last night we would be going into another semi, im sure gundo was offered the chance to stay and without doubt we've missed his influence, but we are doing ok without him.

I can see it from both perspectives. I can’t argue with anything you have said but I am still left with the feeling we are a step or two down just now. Gundo/Mahrez not replaced, Haaland not as lethal, defence not as sure footed. It’s small margins. Yes we were the better team against RM, Arsenal, Liverpool this season but we drew 5 and lost 1. That says a lot. Sad to say that Johnny boy and Father Ruben are no longer the dependable pairing they once were. Walker is suffering far more brain farts. We don’t have a left back. That needs sorted.