Pep Guardiola - 2024/25

[Goater=Legend]

That's a chicken and egg thing isn't it,theres no doubt though teams adapted to stop that Sane/Sterling thing. Are people really saying they haven't enjoyed watching us since 2019, that's mad.

I enjoyed it as much as anyone, but the players can't play the system anymore, and the players weve signed and look to be signing are more attacking rather than possession based

 

[BillyShears]

I agree with your post, but nothing whatsoever explains yesterday’s utterly abysmal selection and performance.

He’s left all of the “top players” out plenty recently, yet chose yesterday of all days to play every single one of our slow, out of form midfielders. Fucking mental.

He played them a week ago against Bournemouth. He has left them out a lot in the last couple of months, but going back to the Warnock interview, it was never realistic that he'd leave them out for the rest of the season. I just don't think I can kill him for wanting to be loyal and wanting those lads to show that they are better than they have been. The same lads who he picked last week, he also said "turned up wearing flip flops" for the league game earlier in the season. So he was warning the they had to play better, and they did. I honestly had a feeling going into yesterday that he'd play a team similar to Bournemouth. He'd expect the same experience to get him through the game.

EDIT:

And to be clear mate, I am not saying he's right in any of this. Personally I think it was a piss poor team selection and also a bad mistake to think United would press us the way Bournemouth did. The tone was set in the first 40 seconds when United won the ball, waited for City to press, and when we didn't, they hoofed it over the top for Garnacho. I knew then it was going to be a LONG 90 minutes.

 

[BillyShears]

Just as you feel “entitled” to disparage Blues with a different view from your own.

How the fcuk can it be “entitled” to think Pep’s been overtaken by others? Or to worry that he’s past his best? Those are valid opinions whether they meet your own high and mighty approval or not.

Take the blinkers off and give others a bit more room. Blind loyalty, hidden behind multiple scathing judgements, butters no parsnips.

Personally I don't think it's valid to say that the manager whose team got 91 points last season and is still the current PL holder is past his best. It definitely stinks of something, and if it isn't entitlement then it is a severe lack of perspective. Especially if you're also saying the players are past their best.

 

[Bluewonder]

No, they’re not entitled, they just have a different opinion than yourself.

People can very plausibly believe that football has indeed evolved, that Pep has been out of sorts for many, many months and they can also plausibly question whether he is properly committed given his preference for 12 or 12+12 month contract extensions. Another angle is whether he’s going to be fully committed or indeed happy to be working with a new sporting director who he doesn’t really know from Adam.

All valid opinions even if you disagree with them.

He's literally never signed a 12 month extension in his time at City, so it's hardly a valid opinion.

 

[blueparrot]

I enjoyed it as much as anyone, but the players can't play the system anymore, and the players weve signed and look to be signing are more attacking rather than possession based

That's true, but I think Pep will alway want a posession based system even when we had Sane and Sterling it was about not losing the ball.But yes, we may play quicker and take more risks, but then KDB was always allowed to play that way, and so was Silva in a different way.

 

[eastmanc]

Personally I don't think it's valid to say that the manager whose team got 91 points last season and is still the current PL holder is past his best. It definitely stinks of something, and if it isn't entitlement then it is a severe lack of perspective. Especially if you're also saying the players are past their best.

So you're still backing Pep Ashan.

 

[Pedestrian]

We’re obviously limping through to the end of the season. It’s definitely time for a change then. There’s a lot of the old guard that need to go and the manager is part of that. I don’t think we’ll get top 5 or the cup.

 

[Mcfc1.9.8.0]

The tide is starting to turn for Pep this season is the beginning of the end for him

 

[BillyShears]

So you're still backing Pep Ashan.

I am genuinely surprised it’s even a question. I wouldn’t swap Pep for any manager in the world and consider him to be by some distance the best manager in the world. Also he’s young by managerial standards and a born winner who hates losing.

 

[Bluewonder]

Most people are unwilling/unable to acknowledge that every team Pep has ever had ‘should’ have won what he has, because they’ve generally been the best players in the leagues he’s won, while in ours and Bayern’s case he’s underachieved in Europe.

Now he’s got more mediocre players to work with, he’s going to finish in a mediocre position in the league. His entire career to this point has been impossible to properly judge, because managerial greatness is defined by overachievement, and he’s never had the capacity to do that with the default level of talent he’s always had.

What I will say is, now that our recruitment and overall quality is diminishing, it’s time to get a proven overachiever in to manage the club, because that’s what it’s going to take to keep us competitive over the next few years.

This been copied and pasted from RAWK?

 

[eastmanc]

I am genuinely surprised it’s even a question. I wouldn’t swap Pep for any manager in the world and consider him to be by some distance the best manager in the world. Also he’s young by managerial standards and a born winner who hates losing.

Me too. I find it bizarre that after all he's done for this club, some on here are wanting him out.

 

[Bluewonder]

Me too. I find it bizarre that after all he's done for this club, some on here are wanting him out.

Imbeciles and rags, mostly.

 

[Pedestrian]

Imbeciles and rags, mostly.

Nah. Just folk who see things differently to you.

 

[pbueno16]

He’s never getting the sack. I’d hope the club aren’t that reactionary unless they have assurances on who they’d want to come in being available.

The question mark is whether he walks because he feels like he’s burnt out or doesn’t want to commit anymore.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I am genuinely surprised it’s even a question. I wouldn’t swap Pep for any manager in the world and consider him to be by some distance the best manager in the world. Also he’s young by managerial standards and a born winner who hates losing.

100% with you on this mate. Hope you're well.

 

[eastmanc]

He’s never getting the sack. I’d hope the club aren’t that reactionary unless they have assurances on who they’d want to come in being available.

The question mark is whether he walks because he feels like he’s burnt out or doesn’t want to commit to anymore.

Or doesn't feel wanted.

 

[Dazzle84]

The new relationship with Viana might be the invigoration he needs - Txiki has delivered some astounding success in his role, but he clearly feels like he's done his bit now. Viana will hopefully provide the healthy challenge Pep needs. And maybe even find a left back somewhere.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

To me, it really looks like both Txiki and Pep were planning to call it a day at the end of this season, and that's why they wanted to go again with basically the same squad and let the new guys lead the refresh. Once the wheels came off, Pep refused to leave us in a mess, and the rebuild began early with the January signings (and the non-renewal of De Bruyne)

For me, the biggest disappointment from Pep this season hasn't been his unwillingness to experiment, as we have actually seen a fair bit of that (the midfielders currently playing as fullbacks, more minutes for the young lads, the more direct style in some games, Grealish in the middle etc.). It's the refusal to lean into these experiments when they prove successful and the constant return to his comfort blanket players and tactics that are manifestly not working for us

I never thought my biggest criticism of the most innovative football manager of his generation would be his risk aversion, but that's where we've ended up. Whether this retreat into conservative thinking is his coping mechanism for an unprecedented run of underperformance, I can't really say, but hopefully the combination of Viana, new blood in the squad, and maybe a shake-up of backroom staff will help reinvigorate Pep and allow him to find his mojo again

 

[daztrueblue91]

Most people are unwilling/unable to acknowledge that every team Pep has ever had ‘should’ have won what he has, because they’ve generally been the best players in the leagues he’s won, while in ours and Bayern’s case he’s underachieved in Europe.

Now he’s got more mediocre players to work with, he’s going to finish in a mediocre position in the league. His entire career to this point has been impossible to properly judge, because managerial greatness is defined by overachievement, and he’s never had the capacity to do that with the default level of talent he’s always had.

What I will say is, now that our recruitment and overall quality is diminishing, it’s time to get a proven overachiever in to manage the club, because that’s what it’s going to take to keep us competitive over the next few years.

I don’t even know where to start with this post other than state that I pretty much disagree with everything you’ve said.

For a start, do other sides in the PL or Europe not have top squads with the same ambitions as City?

The hardest thing to accomplish in football is sustained success at the top. There can only be one champion and Pep has been dominant in his time here.

The idea that Pep should have achieved 100 points, a domestic treble, Four-in-a-row, a proper treble as well as 6 PL titles in 8 years just shows why he is the best.

No other manager is held to the same level of scrutiny as him.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

Most people are unwilling/unable to acknowledge that every team Pep has ever had ‘should’ have won what he has, because they’ve generally been the best players in the leagues he’s won, while in ours and Bayern’s case he’s underachieved in Europe.

Now he’s got more mediocre players to work with, he’s going to finish in a mediocre position in the league. His entire career to this point has been impossible to properly judge, because managerial greatness is defined by overachievement, and he’s never had the capacity to do that with the default level of talent he’s always had.

What I will say is, now that our recruitment and overall quality is diminishing, it’s time to get a proven overachiever in to manage the club, because that’s what it’s going to take to keep us competitive over the next few years.

I'm not happy with Pep, to the point I'd find a new manager refreshing but that is a crap take. He shouldn't have won anything, you win what you earn and what he won was mostly won in some style too.