Pep Guardiola - 2024/25

[Akira]

Dear fucking me, the state of this thread.

And it's the same posts every time we lose one or two games. Could fill a bingo card at this point.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

On the one hand, we are clearly paying the price for Pep's 'oh I hate leaving players out of the XI so I'd rather just not have any players' philosophy.

On the other hand, this is the first time in nine years that it might genuinely cost us a title. He's earned our trust, surely? Even if I personally would much rather he dealt with a few disgruntled players than this, but clearly his approach works well for the most part.

I agree with the sentiment, but tbf there was a significant difference ahead of this season - both the Champions League and Club World Cup were expanded and involve more fixtures. So whilst Pep’s approach absolutely has worked, I think he should also have been able to adapt and suitably expand his squad in line with the expanding tournaments. His approach works, but for me, the magic number of players to run with has now increased. And not unpredictably so, as we were saying this in the summer before a ball was kicked.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I agree with the sentiment, but tbf there was a significant difference ahead of this season - both the Champions League and Club World Cup were expanded and involve more fixtures. So whilst Pep’s approach absolutely has worked, I think he should also have been able to adapt and suitably expand his squad in line with the expanding tournaments. His approach works, but for me, the magic number of players to run with has now increased. And not unpredictably so, as we were saying this in the summer before a ball was kicked.

This and this and this.
More games per season + same squad numbers = additional player fatigue/injury
More games per season + additional squad numbers = equilibrium

We played 61 games last season, how many this? between 65 and 68?
Its enough to run two teams and keep players relatively satisfied re game time. You need an available squad of say 25 to do that. We are around 3 players short just on simple maths.

 

[Mancini’s Pastilles]

We could lose in the chumps and against Brighton next week and I would still fancy us to be thereabouts come the business end of the season.

Normally yes. But the amount of injuries are too much. We are one of best in world but no team can cope with that many of their players missing. Picture victims without salah van dijk diaz. Ars without rice odegaard saliba.

 

[John Wayne]

Does the answer to this issue not lie somewhere in the middle? Yes, we will be playing more games this season and, yes, Pep likes a relatively small squad. So perhaps just slightly more use of our academy lads at convenient times could go a long way to solving this problem. Were we really in danger of not beating Slovan or Sparta if we'd started McAtee or given O'Reilly minutes?

 

[eastmanc]

Fucking hell

only read this page, but Pep out?

I know.

 

[Blu1]

Sign for 2 years & tell us or go.

Uncertainty is not helping city at the minute.

Love him even if he’s making crazy decisions at the minute

 

[ashleycaulcott1]

Needs to decide whether hes staying or going, so we can commit to a rebuild

 

[red 2 hats]

Got a job on his hands now, players playing shit and low on confidence, he needs to turn it around quickly.

 

[01cravend]

Like he's happy to concede loads of goals as long as we have more possession..Honestly this set-up has been utterly carried by Rodri, no wonder he was never rested. And continuing to play with it without him is borderline moronic at this point.

 

[WestGorton]

Injured player's. Kid at centre half. Look at the facts not the result. Pep is god like.

 

[Goater=Legend]

Not sure how he can play a kid at centre half but not trust Wright in midfield.

 

[Richie Rich]

Injured player's. Kid at centre half. Look at the facts not the result. Pep is god like.

You don't go to jail for criticizing the manager.

Not sure how he can play a kid at centre half but not trust Wright in midfield.

Not sure why Simpson-Pusey started at all. Ake was available.

 

[K-Bo]

This season is a combination of pep getting everything wrong , the worst injury crisis in a decade and a board that wanted to keep a squad beyond its warranty to win the net spend trophy. It’s bad luck compounding bad decisions

 

[WestGorton]

You don't go to jail for criticizing the manager.



Not sure why Simpson-Pusey started at all. Ake was available.

Ake went off injured against Bournemouth. He is not fit. Pep should have put me in the bench rather than take Ake, Walker etc

 

[ID70]

Needs to come up with some new tactics as continuing to play the same way we have done when you haven’t got the players who are capable of performing them is madness

 

[nellyonthewing]

The criticism that used to get pointed at Pep was that he always had great players to work with at Barca ,Bayern and City and that this flattered his actual managerial ability. Well now he's working with some bang average players and this is a very real test for him.

 

[blueparrot]

I said we have a few problems and the best person to turn those problems around, when did I say that ,about this time last year in answer to exactly the same sort bollocks being posted now. Probably by the same posters that seem incapable of learning year to year.

 

[AlexGrimaldo]

This season is a combination of pep getting everything wrong , the worst injury crisis in a decade and a board that wanted to keep a squad beyond its warranty to win the net spend trophy. It’s bad luck compounding bad decisions

Always complaining about the excess of games and the squad keeps getting smaller. Logic? None

 

[Blu1]

Strange interview he didn’t seem arsed v spurs or in this interview. He should be saying this is not good enough