Pep Guardiola - 2024/25

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My main issue I don’t understand the team selections, players not getting minutes for games on end then getting shoved in for a couple and then out again.

Why does Grealish start the semi and then get no minutes in the final? Rico not even in the squad, McAtee start against Southampton and not in squad. Echeverria making his first squad and debut in the final. Kev playing practically every minute since announcing he was leaving. Khushanov not seen for weeks, Nunes benched for Akanji.

When we were at our best you could always pick 9/10 of the starters, I can only assume Pep isn’t happy with quite a few of the players and doesn’t feel like he has a strongest 11.
He will make his judgements on what he sees in training, and we are not privy to that. Sometimes, it will baffle us but I guess that is the only explanation.
 
To an extent, but then why take all of your outfield players and camp them in the opponent’s half, particularly in a winner takes all game? Our insistence on pushing the opponent back and not drawing them out, by keeping the ball further from their goal, also feeds into the equation.
I agree that it is dull, but I do blame the opponent as much as ourselves.
They have a right to do what they wish.
It is our responsibility to break it down.
Even if we were wonderful at that, attack Vs defence is not the best watch.
 
I agree that it is dull, but I do blame the opponent as much as ourselves.
They have a right to do what they wish.
It is our responsibility to break it down.
Even if we were wonderful at that, attack Vs defence is not the best watch.
It’s not entertaining, I agree.
 
At least he can still shout from the rooftops about his ‘achievement’ of getting us to 7 consecutive semi finals.

Absolutely irrelevant when we’ve converted just 2 of those 7 into winning it whilst being far and away the most dominant side in the country,
 
Then we will fail as we are talking about Man City one of the biggest clubs in the world being coached by a rookie . We need a top manager and with the World Cup coming up we will prob wait .

Id throw everything at Inzaghi he’s the best tactical manager in football right now. He’s done that with cast offs as well from other teams, No superstars.
 
My main issue I don’t understand the team selections, players not getting minutes for games on end then getting shoved in for a couple and then out again.

Why does Grealish start the semi and then get no minutes in the final? Rico not even in the squad, McAtee start against Southampton and not in squad. Echeverria making his first squad and debut in the final. Kev playing practically every minute since announcing he was leaving. Khushanov not seen for weeks, Nunes benched for Akanji.

When we were at our best you could always pick 9/10 of the starters, I can only assume Pep isn’t happy with quite a few of the players and doesn’t feel like he has a strongest 11.

He’s desperately trying to find a solution. He’s panicking this is exactly like his first season here. In his book it talks about how he didn’t know what to do in that season, how to change it etc so he would do random things.
 
The truth is that he has made some mistakes - so what?
The truth is that the board have made some mistakes - so what?
The truth is that the players have made some mistakes - so what?
That board, those players, and this manager are centurions, treble winners, four-peat winners, fourmidables, record points and record goal scorers. How fickle we can be?
That depends to some degree on how much you believe past performance predicts the future and - crucially - how far you look back.
 
Our tactics enable them

You think teams are stupid and just invote space for Liverpool? No, Liverpool plan allows then to find space because they are direct and pay with pace

Stop enabling shit tactics
You have misinterpreted my post which was in direct response to complaints about how boring the games are/were. My question was about whether we are solely to blame for that, or if our opponents carry their share of responsibility. They can play how they wish, of course, and it is our job to unlock it, but that was not the question posed.

We are talking about the team that we have consistently beaten to trophies and titles, of course.
 
Love him but it’s time to go we need a new start next season.

Pep is exhausted & it’s rubbbing off on all our players not just the old boys.

He can not motivate, organise or inspire now. Halland not taking the penalty just shows it.
Every player inc the new boys who just don’t play are all playing with no energy or confidence.
 
That depends to some degree on how much you believe past performance predicts the future and - crucially - how far you look back.
I think there is credit in the bank.
If we continue the decline next season with new players in the mix, then I think that there will be time to consider a change.
 
It's not a new tactic though is it? Teams have done this in previous seasons yet we've always found a way round it.
Yes, agreed, and I expect we will again. I think the return of Rodri will have a large bearing on that.
I also expect us to replace KDB with someone able to deliver more direct, incisive passes through to runners. As everyone knows, we are allowing determined, athletic teams to get their defence set and that is giving us a real problem. The key is not allowing them to get set by attacking more quickly, moving the ball more quickly, but also cutting out any breakaway earlier by having a strong defensive midfield.
 
That depends to some degree on how much you believe past performance predicts the future and - crucially - how far you look back.
I can guarantee it’s more than just one season when there are other factors to consider, and his record over his career. It won't and shouldn’t cross anyone thoughts anytime before January next season.
At least for everyone at the club and for most fans.
 
Our tactics enable them

You think teams are stupid and just invote space for Liverpool? No, Liverpool plan allows then to find space because they are direct and pay with pace

Stop enabling shit tactics
This. We play into the oppositions hands. We give sides all the time in the world to get behind the ball and set into their ultra-defensive positions. Pep talks about it every week and changes nothing to counteract it. I love Pep and I want him to stay but I expect more flexibility from the best coach ever.
 
Pep needs to accept his previous tactics don't work anymore.
Other teams have adapted to it, in a sense Pep hasn't just improved City, he's changed how other teams play as well. No longer the 90% possession, mesmerising flair 5-0 wins. It's 85% possession, stale passing 1-0 losses.

I wouldn't be calling for him to go, but next season is pivotal; can he adapt a new way of playing that counters the way teams now set up against us? Does he still have the passion to continue? If yes, then by all means he's earned it. But if he can't and the best we can manage under him are trophyless, 4th place targeted finishes, it'll be up to the board to determine if that is where they want the club to be.
 
Yet only 5 of the 11 that started that game were given the nod yesterday. Palace fielded 10 of the same 11.
Yep, and we were also set up completely differently to that game 5 weeks ago. It's almost as though Pep thought "We beat them 5-2 so they'll change the way they play. That means I've got to change the way we play to counter their changes".

It's his classic weakness of overthinking things. Just play the same and let them worry about us.
 
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