Pep Guardiola - 2024/25

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Ajm1985 said:

Interesting analysis of how shite our press was vs Madrid and in the CL games in general
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Sums up the season really. Knackered players being asked to press equals a disorganised press equals an exposed midfield equals a fragile defence. Teams like us defend from the front. We'll be back again when we've got lads who are under 30 and can stay fit.
 
King Jay said:
I am serious confused by the fact that he is mad at the schedule but always refuses to sub. It makes no sense. How about using all your players like teams in other sports do?
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Forget teams in other sports, teams in this sport use the players available through subs. He started the season out with well planned and timed subs, but that's all gone out the window the last few months.
 
King Jay said:
I am serious confused by the fact that he is mad at the schedule but always refuses to sub. It makes no sense. How about using all your players like teams in other sports do?
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Guardiola has been stubbornly insistent on having a three-goal cushion before risking’ younger players from the bench, and we have also fallen into the bizarre situation of either not taking a full quota of substitutes to games, whilst still accommodating two goalkeepers, or stacking the bench with players who are carrying knocks and have zero likelihood of playing.

After this week coming, our remaining 11 fixtures are all winnable, and it would be encouraging to see the above habits ditched ahead of next season. It might unsettle Guardiola and put a few noses out of joint, but after this season none of them can have reason to complain.
 
Interesting that he's called a few out today in terms of fitness. Maybe the penny has finally dropped after Wednesday, or he's decided he doesn't need to protect them any more. Either way, it bodes well for some much needed ruthlessness
 
Gabriel said:
Guardiola has been stubbornly insistent on having a three-goal cushion before risking’ younger players from the bench, and we have also fallen into the bizarre situation of either not taking a full quota of substitutes to games, whilst still accommodating two goalkeepers, or stacking the bench with players who are carrying knocks and have zero likelihood of playing.

After this week coming, our remaining 11 fixtures are all winnable, and it would be encouraging to see the above habits ditched ahead of next season. It might unsettle Guardiola and put a few noses out of joint, but after this season none of them can have reason to complain.
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This tendency to have injured players on the bench is one of the stranger things to have happened in a strange season.

I can’t see how it can be anything but counterproductive; it seems that Haaland was never going to play against Madrid, so I would think that he would have been much better served staying in Manchester and either resting properly or having treatment, rather than sitting on a plane and hanging around hotels for a couple of days.
 
sir baconface said:
I know. I’m also from Manchester originally but one of my grans was a fine Cornish woman. Survived all 4 sons and lived to 96.

Save me a pastie and I’ll call in next time I’m there. ;-)
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absolutely - no problem - though i know its a sin but Im not a massive fan of pasties!!!! dont hate them but wouldnt choose to eat them
 
Father Paul said:
My view is that if you are not deemed good enough to fill in when players are injured or out of form you should not be in the squad. What is the fuckin point in having O'Reilly and the like if they never get a chance even though we have been beyond shite in a lot of games.
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I agree but its also a hard balance to achieve. Players that are good enough to put on the pitch are going to want to be exactly there...on the pitch!
Look at what happened with Alvarez - way too good to be sat on the bench half the time and not play a central role but when you have Haaland that is what is going to happen and he knew that he wasnt going to get on the pitch - well not in his natural position.
OReilly - as much as we want all the EDS lads to succeed most wont. I have no idea whether OReily will or wont at present but unless its an absolute necessary/emergency they aint going to get on the pitch unless its at the end of games where we are comfortable. There is the other side in that you dont want to play young lads and wreck their confidence.
Really hard balance
 
Brewster's millions said:
This tendency to have injured players on the bench is one of the stranger things to have happened in a strange season.

I can’t see how it can be anything but counterproductive; it seems that Haaland was never going to play against Madrid, so I would think that he would have been much better served staying in Manchester and either resting properly or having treatment, rather than sitting on a plane and hanging around hotels for a couple of days.
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If it’s an attempt at subterfuge, then it’s futile, as I think it will be common knowledge in the football community who is injured and who is not. I can somewhat understand it in terms of encouraging a sense of togetherness, but, as you say, it would be better if they healed at home.
 
Ajm1985 said:
We wanted Phillips, worked on him when we thought we could get him cheaper (relegation clause) and then carried on pursuing him when it was going to cost more.

View attachment 147513

The Bielsa nod was in reference to Pep being part of the transfer decision.

Not every transfer is a winner but we shouldn't reframe Phillips as being a panic buy or bottom of a list. Pep was also clearly part of it.
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Im nto sure how that says one way or the other if thats a Pep or Txixi signing - he just doesnt seem to me to be a Pep player - anywhere near...and then look at Peps behaviour towards him - he didnt just put him int he team...he clearly had doubts about him right from the off whereas others have been put in the team straight away...now you could argue that is because of necessity and the position he is playing (ie less risky to start a new player as a winger than as a DM) but overall it just doesnt feel like a Pep player at all....Doku again for instance doesnt.....too risky type player...(whom I love btw so its no criticism of Doku)
 
Blue2202 said:
Nowhere in the previous post I replied to did you lay any fault with pep? You talked about his admission of wishing he'd rebuilt last summer and then defended it by saying he was covering for the club? Which makes absolutely no sense.

So you're telling me you have no expectations of Pep or city then? And you're content with Wednesdays performance? Leyton orient competed better against us than we did against Madrid the other night, there's absolutely no doubt about that.

We have the lowest points total at this stage of a premier league season since 2008 - that is not competing.

Also, not to be pedantic but this never actually happened. As much as I hate them you've made it up. Which makes me think you'll say pretty much anything to back up your points with things that arent true.
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Fair enough on the liverpool bit - however let me correct you on something...it wasnt made up...it was a genuine mistake - they were down really low that season but finished 5th - i have no problem admitting I got a fact wrong but I dont lie about stuff to prove to faceless people that I am right....

In regards to your first point -it was more a reference to others saying this.

My expectations on going into that game was that we would get beat and in the fashion we did.....I thought it would actually be worse.
Am i content with the performance...yes - its the level we are at at present - we have been there for large parts of the season - do i like it - no but i fully expected it as I can see the level we have been, We havent got the physicality to play at the level and intensity needed...
I fully expect similar vs Liverpool and even Aston Villa (the only difference is that we are at home and we might get a reaction from the defeat). We are competing at the level we are capable of...we cant go further at present with this squad of players some of whom are done - and its the main core of the groups that have driven us to those heights...
Stones - off after 5 mins? - all season this has been the case with him.
KDB - even when on the pitch he is nowhere near the levels needed and previous.
Gundo (and this is on Pep and Txixi) has fallen as far as KDB,
Foden - dropped off a cliff (something outside of football is going on - same as Grealish)
No Rodri (we know)
Bernardo - fallen off a cliff - he is knackered either short term and potentially long term
No Haaland -
Ake is also fucked you can see it in how he is running (or struggling to)
Walker gone

Any team in that situation missing those players struggles. All of them at the peak get into nealry ever team in world football
Rodri starts for Madrid and any other team in the world
Walker in peak form starts for 99% of other teams in world football
Stones does as Walker does
KDB starts for any team in the world
Haaland does start for 99% of teams -maybe only madrid as they have Mbappe - but they wanted him
Bernado in peak form starts for 95% of teams (maybe not Madrid) but certainly Barca and any team in the prem league
foden starts in peak form for 95% of teams in world football

All of these players are either done completely (KDB, Gundo, Walker, Stones, Ake) or werent available (Haaland and KDB) or for unknown reasons form has gone completely (Foden)

Pep cannot do anything about it at present - he knows it. Unless you play the young lads....and that is a huge risk

I said in October we would struggle to get top 4 and I was shouted down by the vast majoirty on here...I could see what was happening with the players and it want a reaction to losing rodri. I also said I didnt think there was anything that Pep could do about it even back then as the problem was bigger than Rodri.

I said last summer we needed to replace KDB and got the same reaction so I get the frustration but I also accept the reality of it that cycles comes to an end and it will take time to come back
 
I met two blokes in a pub once who said they'd become City fans because they love pep and they support the team he's in charge of. I thought that was fucking weird. I'm wondering whether they're on this forum
 
simon23 said:
Fair enough on the liverpool bit - however let me correct you on something...it wasnt made up...it was a genuine mistake - they were down really low that season but finished 5th - i have no problem admitting I got a fact wrong but I dont lie about stuff to prove to faceless people that I am right....

In regards to your first point -it was more a reference to others saying this.

My expectations on going into that game was that we would get beat and in the fashion we did.....I thought it would actually be worse.
Am i content with the performance...yes - its the level we are at at present - we have been there for large parts of the season - do i like it - no but i fully expected it as I can see the level we have been, We havent got the physicality to play at the level and intensity needed...
I fully expect similar vs Liverpool and even Aston Villa (the only difference is that we are at home and we might get a reaction from the defeat). We are competing at the level we are capable of...we cant go further at present with this squad of players some of whom are done - and its the main core of the groups that have driven us to those heights...
Stones - off after 5 mins? - all season this has been the case with him.
KDB - even when on the pitch he is nowhere near the levels needed and previous.
Gundo (and this is on Pep and Txixi) has fallen as far as KDB,
Foden - dropped off a cliff (something outside of football is going on - same as Grealish)
No Rodri (we know)
Bernardo - fallen off a cliff - he is knackered either short term and potentially long term
No Haaland -
Ake is also fucked you can see it in how he is running (or struggling to)
Walker gone

Any team in that situation missing those players struggles. All of them at the peak get into nealry ever team in world football
Rodri starts for Madrid and any other team in the world
Walker in peak form starts for 99% of other teams in world football
Stones does as Walker does
KDB starts for any team in the world
Haaland does start for 99% of teams -maybe only madrid as they have Mbappe - but they wanted him
Bernado in peak form starts for 95% of teams (maybe not Madrid) but certainly Barca and any team in the prem league
foden starts in peak form for 95% of teams in world football

All of these players are either done completely (KDB, Gundo, Walker, Stones, Ake) or werent available (Haaland and KDB) or for unknown reasons form has gone completely (Foden)

Pep cannot do anything about it at present - he knows it. Unless you play the young lads....and that is a huge risk

I said in October we would struggle to get top 4 and I was shouted down by the vast majoirty on here...I could see what was happening with the players and it want a reaction to losing rodri. I also said I didnt think there was anything that Pep could do about it even back then as the problem was bigger than Rodri.

I said last summer we needed to replace KDB and got the same reaction so I get the frustration but I also accept the reality of it that cycles comes to an end and it will take time to come back
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I think everyone knows we were far too complacent in the Summer with our very limited transfer activity. We were all crying out for another DM to limit the workload for Rodri and then our worst nightmare happens and he gets an ACL. Stones and Ake are very injury prone and the club were very naive/stupid not to strengthen the defence last Summer. Finally we have the ageing midfield and whilst Gonzalez is a welcome addition we still need some fresh legs and energy.

As long as we qualify for the CL and there is still a possibility of a FA Cup win, I can live with that. Vital this Summer we bring in a Kdb replacement and a new rb.
 
Xhavenjoe said:
I criticised him earlier in the season and a poster, a young lady I think, accused me of being racist.
He's not our worst signing but far from our best.
Has scored some crucial goals for us but there is something lacking.
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if you’re talking about me, where did i call you racist?
 
Txiki Txiki Bang Bang said:
Your argument doesn't actually defend Pep, if anything those points mentioned puts him in a bad position. He is the manager, meaning he manages the team and oversees the decisions made by or for the team.

If I was going to make a counter argument, I would ask:

why has the manager failed to move the players you mentioned on if they are no longer able to perform at the required level?

Why did the manager decide to bring a player back from a much less physical league in Spain to an aggressive league that requires a lot of physicality and athleticism?

Why did the manager approve the signing of a player who has underperformed through out his time here for such an astronomical amount?

I understand the need to defend Pep and I also made a post about it a few weeks ago, but if you are going to defend Pep then at least provide a better argument. Your argument is similar to me buying a car then complaining that I can't drive it as it is too fast and I had no idea how fast it was.

Saying Pep is not to blame and then placing the blame on the team management/ Transfer market decision that he has made makes Pep look inept.
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"why has the manager failed to move the players you mentioned on if they are no longer able to perform at the required level?"

Because the manager was going to leave in the summer along with the DOF?

I think this was probably going to happen and the club/execs fely Viana/new manager should be picking the new players.
 
simon23 said:
I agree but its also a hard balance to achieve. Players that are good enough to put on the pitch are going to want to be exactly there...on the pitch!
Look at what happened with Alvarez - way too good to be sat on the bench half the time and not play a central role but when you have Haaland that is what is going to happen and he knew that he wasnt going to get on the pitch - well not in his natural position.
OReilly - as much as we want all the EDS lads to succeed most wont. I have no idea whether OReily will or wont at present but unless its an absolute necessary/emergency they aint going to get on the pitch unless its at the end of games where we are comfortable. There is the other side in that you dont want to play young lads and wreck their confidence.
Really hard balance
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I get all that and accept it in normal circumstances. But as the current perception seems to be that players are adding to the list of missing due to over exertion one would think we go deeper than normal. Surely it's been a resource issue at times this season and player confidence should be a secondary concern.
 
Father Paul said:
I get all that and accept it in normal circumstances. But as the current perception seems to be that players are adding to the list of missing due to over exertion one would think we go deeper than normal. Surely it's been a resource issue at times this season and player confidence should be a secondary concern.
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I think thats exactly what we have to do (go deeper in the transfer window than normal). I think this summer is possibly the most important summer we have had ever in terms of transfers...certainly the biggest in Sheik Mansours ownership....bigger than the ones with Mancini.

We need to get the quality as well - we are needing to replace elite players and if you do that with squad players (remember the summers of Maicons, rodwellss et al!!!) then we will fall further behind....

Replacing KDB is THE biggest transfer in the prem league not just for us.
Stones - looking at Peps comments I think the club will look to replace him - again a Rolls Royce of a defender - extremely hard to replace.
Bernardo - he is a unicorn of a player who can play almost anywhere (and has done for us) - Pep rates him so highly that he once said B.Silva would be at the club as long as he was
Gundo - treble winning captain - we didnt replace him when he left for Barca - we are going to struggle to replace him now
Ake - a great defender - intelligent, pace, leader....quality individual off the pitch as well - very hard to find.
Grealish - is anyone actually going to want to buy him with his wages - we are going to take a significant hit on him financially

We wont get a lot of money for those players.
Gundo may go to someone in Turkey - fenerbache or Galatasaray? - he will go for free
KDB - will go for free
Stones -I doubt with his injury record we will get anything for him and coming off the back of the latest injury we may not even be able to sell him. I can acutally becau of this still see him being here.
Bernardo - not sure how long he has on his contract but at his age we may get a nominal fee (10-20m?)
Ake - 10-15m tops depending on what his contract is - probably the easiest to sell
Grealish - wages could be an issue selling him...probably be quitea few teams midtable would want him however but it will be a reduced fee

I think we know we are going to go back for Cambiaso

This will all have to be done on the back of whatever the decision around the 115 charges is as well. Even if its just say a financial fine for non compliance (which I think is the least it will be and I think everyone knows we are going to get hit with at least that) then does this affect our ability to buy players or even worse could there be a transfer ban as part of a fine (doubt it as its never been mentioned but you never know)

We also have to get top 4 as all of that becomes increasingly harder without it
 
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