Pep Guardiola - 2024/25

[Bluewonder]

I’m also a passionate City fan of some sixty years’ standing. There’s only one thing in serious question here. It’s not Pep’s past superb record, when the stars have been aligned, but his ability to dig himself out of a hole and adapt to much changed circumstances.

Most of his game changers are now gone or finished, whilst every single manager can predict and counteract his once revolutionary tactics. He’s not faced similar circumstances before.

Wow, he must have had some crazy luck for the stars to align for 15 seasons.

Perhaps it's more to do with his ability?

 

[sir baconface]

Wow, he must have had some crazy luck for the stars to align for 15 seasons.

Perhaps it's more to do with his ability?

You must have a degree in selective reading.

He’s been highly instrumental in making the stars align. And also in creating an exhilarating style copied by many. And also won a zillion trophies. No denying any of that.

My argument - as you well know - is that times have changed. The world has caught up. Managers with a fraction of his budget now expose him almost every week and so far he’s had no answers. He’s let the squad deteriorate to a level where serious surgery is required. They look slow, dispirited, predictable, poorly organised and prone to collapse. It’s a first for him.

Everyone runs out of steam eventually.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

I watched an episode of that Amazon documentary on our 17/18 season the other day. If anyone has access to it on Prime, it’s well worth a watch to help judge where we are at the moment.

I know we were arguably in our pomp then, even if we failed to land the CL, but the difference in the speed of our play and the general fitness of the players between then and now is absolutely startling.

People tend to concentrate on the pace of Sterling and Sane in that side, but the speed and strength of running of the whole team was miles ahead of where we are now. Particularly notable was how much slimmer De Bruyne was back then - he must be a good stone, maybe even two stone heavier now.

Personally I think that a good chunk of our current problems simply relate to a lack of fitness, given our tendency to collapse in the second half. I’d love to know how much actual running and fitness work we do in training, because we simply haven’t looked fit at any stage of this season.

I agree. The Brighton match, after we won the league in 2018 at The Etihad Yayas last game. I wasn't sat in my usual place in CB but much lower down near the pitch. The thing that struck me was how FAST all the players were, the game absolutely fizzed and zipped - its only when you saw it up close you realised how fast and slim/ slight they were. Compare and contrast to now, I'm 7 years older and see a difference in myself, so can understand how some of the lads have declined a bit.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

If you looked at the same graph from the past seven years it would look the same

We won six premier league titles in that time

This style has been played from the Dutch teams of the 60/70/80s

Then the Barca teams of the 90/00/10s

To now city of more recent vintage

To say it doesn’t work anymore is a load of old bollocks

If you are to ask Pep what his plan b is , he would say make plan a better

I think we've found out the hard way it doesn't work without world class midfielders.

Because we've made it work without a world class striker in the false 9 season, we've made it work without a good left back forever, we've even made it work with 4 CB's.

 

[Charlesfarsbar]

I think we've found out the hard way it doesn't work without world class midfielders.

Because we've made it work without a world class striker in the false 9 season, we've made it work without a good left back forever, we've even made it work with 4 CB's.

It’s a tired old cliche but games are won and lost in midfield

 

[Bluewonder]

You must have a degree in selective reading.

He’s been highly instrumental in making the stars align. And also in creating an exhilarating style copied by many. And also won a zillion trophies. No denying any of that.

My argument - as you well know - is that times have changed. The world has caught up. Managers with a fraction of his budget now expose him almost every week and so far he’s had no answers. He’s let the squad deteriorate to a level where serious surgery is required. They look slow, dispirited, predictable, poorly organised and prone to collapse. It’s a first for him.

Everyone runs out of steam eventually.

He's had a bad run for the first time in 16 years and you're writing him off.

That is foolish.

 

[AshtonBlueMooner]

Time for him to walk.

Time for you to walk.
Our support was built on supporting our team win, lose or draw.
Plenty of other teams you could choose to follow, should you so wish.

 

[Charlesfarsbar]

You must have a degree in selective reading.

He’s been highly instrumental in making the stars align. And also in creating an exhilarating style copied by many. And also won a zillion trophies. No denying any of that.

My argument - as you well know - is that times have changed. The world has caught up. Managers with a fraction of his budget now expose him almost every week and so far he’s had no answers. He’s let the squad deteriorate to a level where serious surgery is required. They look slow, dispirited, predictable, poorly organised and prone to collapse. It’s a first for him.

Everyone runs out of steam eventually.

I think you are mistaking our players being found out rather than Pep’s tactics

We are in a very similar position to 16/17 & 19/20

In 16/17 we had numerous players coming to the end of their time and the squad needed fresh blood and the average age lowering. We still had a core group that could be built around

In 19/20 we also had a few legends coming to the end and we’d also come off the back of a very grueling season

In 24/25 it’s a mix of both of the above , we’ve still got some world class players to build around and need some younger blood with hunger to take us forward again

This time next season we’ll be glad we backed a sure thing again

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Time for him to walk.

And replaced by whom, exactly?

 

[Macca77macca]

I watched an episode of that Amazon documentary on our 17/18 season the other day. If anyone has access to it on Prime, it’s well worth a watch to help judge where we are at the moment.

I know we were arguably in our pomp then, even if we failed to land the CL, but the difference in the speed of our play and the general fitness of the players between then and now is absolutely startling.

People tend to concentrate on the pace of Sterling and Sane in that side, but the speed and strength of running of the whole team was miles ahead of where we are now. Particularly notable was how much slimmer De Bruyne was back then - he must be a good stone, maybe even two stone heavier now.

Personally I think that a good chunk of our current problems simply relate to a lack of fitness, given our tendency to collapse in the second half. I’d love to know how much actual running and fitness work we do in training, because we simply haven’t looked fit at any stage of this season.

But how realistic is it to maintain that intensity, after many seasons, going deep in every competition (and international tournaments for most players)? I am not remotely surprised they are not fit. They are knackered.