Pep Guardiola - 2024/25

[sir baconface]

Pep and the coaches must have learned something yesterday about speed, energy, directness and unpredictability It’s the way to go!

That said, it’s not every game where we’ll see our two fullbacks as the most advanced players on the pitch. We could have been punished.

But we weren’t. Onwards and upwards!

 

[sir baconface]

The thread isn't busy. The moaners are silenced, at least for a day or two. They couldn't see us not just beating but completely outplaying Chelsea with Kova and Gundo in the middle. Must be in a state of a shock now.

Hope you wiped your keyboard after that.

 

[King Jay]

Unbelievable how much better our wings look especially since they dont need to go 1vs2 all the time Pep! This inverted FB shit is hopefully over now. What a great game by the WB.

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

Don’t know how but he got Bernardo, kovacic and gundogan close together in midfield. Worked really well yesterday

tied them together with a 6ft rope in training to get used to distances.

 

[loio]

Pep shot down Stones as a DM, good. Maybe a DM transfer is more likely then.. or not

 

[Eccles Blue]

I just watched MOTD Highlights and thought Pep was limping as he went over to greet Chelsea’s manager before the game. Did anyone else notice?

 

[Tevez City]

 

[Haaland94]

Sounds a bit racist. What does his nationality have to do with this? Madrid got Vinicius straight trom Brazil and played him. We played Savinho before he knew any English. Why bring Khusanov into this? He doesn't even play the same position. He has a year and a half starting at the top level (top 5 league), including in the CL, and with best stats in Europe for a U20 defender. I would rather question what has Rico Lewis done to deserve so much more game time than the other academy players. That's a valid comparison.

 

[alexmcity]

Pep shot down Stones as a DM, good. Maybe a DM transfer is more likely then.. or not

Playing next to Rodri and playing instead of Rodri are two completely different things.

Stones has been great next to Rodri but he can't replace Rodri. Rodri offers things which are often invisible to nonspecialists, for what he does most of the time looks easy without being easy at all.

 

[alexmcity]

Sounds a bit racist. What does his nationality have to do with this? Madrid got Vinicius straight trom Brazil and played him. We played Savinho before he knew any English. Why bring Khusanov into this? He doesn't even play the same position. He has a year and a half starting at the top level (top 5 league), including in the CL, and with best stats in Europe for a U20 defender. I would rather question what has Rico Lewis done to deserve so much more game time than the other academy players. That's a valid comparison.

I think Rico is more complete than the other academy guys and deserves to play ahead of them. For Pep, he operates in congested spaces better than the other lads. It's questionable whether he deserved to play ahead of Nunes, as the latter has the physical attributes to play at RB. Perhaps Pep got that wrong, but Lewis had a strong start to the season and had experience there from the last two seasons, so it was easy to think he suited the role at RB better than Nunes.

 

[richards30]

Surely its a position thing? What a strange post!

 

[HaalandEffect]

Not really, City does not have much to see back on with homegrown players giving a chance to become future stars.
Net spend we are doing good with youth, but not when you see the squad list, not many homegrown there. Have been more homegrown to fill the bench lately. Guardiola waiting for the unicorn talents (nexgen) to get the chance. Since 2017 only Foden and Lewis have become established?

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

Surely its a position thing? What a strange post!

Position, injury, experience etc etc, its really not hard to figure out. if Stones could play the 90 he would have done,

 

[King Jay]

I guess 1 year ligue 1 and CL is less worth than EDS. Not even same position. I love it. People who just hate to hate

 

[Dobsy]

I guess 1 year ligue 1 and CL is less worth than EDS. Not even same position. I love it. People who just hate to hate

I think the idea that those are the only criteria is what sticks out to me: if you can speak English and your age. By this criteria we shouldn't have wanted to sign a 19 year old Mbappe.

Also a good point on the position. McAtee for example is competing with Bernardo, Foden, Doku, Grealish, De Bruyne and Gundogan. In comparison Khusanov is only competing with Rico who's more suited to being an inverted full back.

 

[KDBPLGOAT]

I think Rico is more complete than the other academy guys and deserves to play ahead of them. For Pep, he operates in congested spaces better than the other lads. It's questionable whether he deserved to play ahead of Nunes, as the latter has the physical attributes to play at RB. Perhaps Pep got that wrong, but Lewis had a strong start to the season and had experience there from the last two seasons, so it was easy to think he suited the role at RB better than Nunes.

Stop. Rico Lewis is not good enough to be even be in Man City squad. He’s played 85 games for city and hasn’t improved at all. His performances vs Feyenoord, Villa, Everton, Spurs were laughable. You talk about Rico being good in congested areas, but vs PSG, joao Neves a lad the same age btw, physically bullied him every time Lewis stepped into midfield, it was like watching Yaya vs Cleverly. Not exaggerating. And no it’s not “questionable” if he deserves to play ahead of Nunes. Youre being extremely disrespectful to Nunes footballing ability. Nunes is better than Rico Lewis at every aspect of football.

 

[HaalandEffect]

 

[Gaz76]

I think the idea that those are the only criteria is what sticks out to me: if you can speak English and your age. By this criteria we shouldn't have wanted to sign a 19 year old Mbappe.

Also a good point on the position. McAtee for example is competing with Bernardo, Foden, Doku, Grealish, De Bruyne and Gundogan. In comparison Khusanov is only competing with Rico who's more suited to being a bus driver

 

[BringBackSwales]

You don’t think it’s ok to have one shit season after everything he has done? I just feel reading your constant criticism you have had enough of him.

He’s never said a positive thing in his life, ignore him

 

[Draikin]

Sounds a bit racist. What does his nationality have to do with this? Madrid got Vinicius straight trom Brazil and played him. We played Savinho before he knew any English. Why bring Khusanov into this? He doesn't even play the same position. He has a year and a half starting at the top level (top 5 league), including in the CL, and with best stats in Europe for a U20 defender. I would rather question what has Rico Lewis done to deserve so much more game time than the other academy players. That's a valid comparison.

I think it was the correct decision to start Khusanov considering the circumstances.
And it wasn't the right choice to start unfit senior players every game instead of introducing academy players during the injury crisis