I can actually understand that because Haaland is great at dropping back and helping us defend late in games. Unfortunately that's due to our midfield being absolutely ragged after 60 minutes most games.
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Pep Guardiola - 2025/26
- Thread starter Blue_Lightsaber
- Start date
I will always back the manager as to be completely honest I think he is working miracles with this squad the balance of the squad is an absolute mess.
Our 2 best midfielders both play the same position.
We have one 8 who’s best quality seems to be finishing.
Our best full back options are an academy kid who has only played full back at professional level. A failed cm who is now our starting rb and lb who thrives on the wing or playing in a 5 something we have never played under pep consistently.
#47 and #10 both seem to want to take up the same positions.
We signed one of the best attacking outlets in Europe last season who we quite clearly don’t have a position for and he can’t even get a run out before the 86th minute.
Our 2 best midfielders both play the same position.
We have one 8 who’s best quality seems to be finishing.
Our best full back options are an academy kid who has only played full back at professional level. A failed cm who is now our starting rb and lb who thrives on the wing or playing in a 5 something we have never played under pep consistently.
#47 and #10 both seem to want to take up the same positions.
We signed one of the best attacking outlets in Europe last season who we quite clearly don’t have a position for and he can’t even get a run out before the 86th minute.
You’re only as good as your players. We have a good starting eleven but we lack depth. Besides it’s completely unrealistic to win it every year. Ferguson never did that for example.If he's the best manager in the world he should be able to get more out of the millions we've spent on this "rebuild".
Can't really blame him much for that.
Maybe Doku for Foden rather than Reijnders?
Maybe Lewis for Bernie?
About the only decisions I think differently.
And the squad depth doesnt help him.
And with Gvardiol and Dias' injury looking like a month or so, Viana needs to get him some signings.
Maybe Doku for Foden rather than Reijnders?
Maybe Lewis for Bernie?
About the only decisions I think differently.
And the squad depth doesnt help him.
And with Gvardiol and Dias' injury looking like a month or so, Viana needs to get him some signings.
2 years. 2 years straight of stagnant walking football with the occasional flashes. It's not only about the points. It's about the way we play. I would like to be entertained. Bernardo on the right wing, no though balls to haaland, unbalanced midfield. High line with no pace.Urgh. Yes I'm sure I'll miss him when he's gone, but maybe he's lost his fast ball. You keep believing. I hope you're right.What would 'getting more out of' this squad look like? We have had one fit DM in the last 3 months... And he wasn't even a DM a year ago. Yet we are still in with a chance to win the title.
Arsenal have been building their team for 5 years now, have spent more than us and have won fuck all. Liverpool spent 450m in the summer and are well below us (you didn't expect it, right?).
The idea that the best manager in the world needs just several months to build the best team in the world is rather silly.
citytill1die84
Well-Known Member
All on Pep again I see.
Lol
Anybody would think we lost to Wolves.
Lol
Anybody would think we lost to Wolves.
Catching up here but I agree for today’s squad. What should’ve been done different is how he played folks leading up to this point. CBs should have been rotated. More minutes to air nouri and marmoush. More to Rico Lewis even. You can’t expect players to play every 3-4 days as intensely as they do and stay fit. Now the entire seasons in jeopardy for something that was very clear to begin with.don't blame him today. not sure what else he could have done, squad is that stretched.
Don't worry folks, he's going to run Rodri to the ground again with his suicidal tactics, why can't he tell Bernie to just sit deep in midfield and stop running around like a headless chicken exposing our midfield ? we're tired and gassed ? well drop fucking deeper, play a double pivot and shut out the Chavs, I wouldn't be surprised if Dias got injured because of the constant sprints he had to do in the second half because there was no midfield, utter madness.
He should have made different subs today. But he should have rotated more leading j to January than he did. He can’t play the same eleven every match in November and December. The writing is on the wall for what happens. We just saw it.Can't really blame him much for that.
Maybe Doku for Foden rather than Reijnders?
Maybe Lewis for Bernie?
About the only decisions I think differently.
And the squad depth doesnt help him.
And with Gvardiol and Dias' injury looking like a month or so, Viana needs to get him some signings.
Needed more legs on the pitch today I think that’s fair to say. However we know Pep has trust in certain players and doesn’t change that, Bernardo anyone? We should have been out of sight before Chelsea scraped that
He’s done what the majority of City fans have wanted, play a stable team and it’s got us to where we are. When did we last fucking lose? Give it a rest.He should have made different subs today. But he should have rotated more leading j to January than he did. He can’t play the same eleven every match in November and December. The writing is on the wall for what happens. We just saw it.
I get that, but he doesnt trust alot of them, as others on here have also agreed with.He should have made different subs today. But he should have rotated more leading j to January than he did. He can’t play the same eleven every match in November and December. The writing is on the wall for what happens. We just saw it.
I agree though, we kind of rode our luck with certain players but if Pep doesnt trust them then that's that.
Now his hand is forced, let's see what he does, will he trust Lewis and the kids a little more?
His hand was forced to play Khusanov today and he played well, but he took too long to trust him again.
midfield is not working and in a Pep team thats not a good sign. this Nico, Foden, Cherki midfield trio is levels below to prime Rodri, Gundo, KDB. especially in terms of controlling games, speed of the game, possession. add in Reijnders who aint doing much midfield role but tries to hang around the box like a deep lying striker. but who is gonna put in a shift than in midfield? Cherki? Foden sometimes? thats not enough. we also ask quite impossible role from Bernardo to be RW but also track back instead of everyone and help out Nico deeper as well centrally. doesnt look great tactically overall.
Rodri being back and hoping he can stay fit enough is a big plus but he needs more help. something that aint coming from Foden, Cherki, Reijnders imo.
Rodri being back and hoping he can stay fit enough is a big plus but he needs more help. something that aint coming from Foden, Cherki, Reijnders imo.
That’s on pep then. He is single handedly injuring the players by over use and not rotating. A stable squad is great but you either lose a couple of points in November or you lose the squad in January.I get that, but he doesnt trust alot of them, as others on here have also agreed with.
I agree though, we kind of rode our luck with certain players but if Pep doesnt trust them then that's that.
Now his hand is forced, let's see what he does, will he trust Lewis and the kids a little more?
His hand was forced to play Khusanov today and he played well, but he took too long to trust him again.
Going to need to ride Rodri and Gonzalez from now on unless we can get a robust midfielder in January to rotate or stop fucking about with Bernardo as a winger. Foden isn't consistently going to do the dirty work in the middle, Cherki certainly won't and who knows with Reijnders.midfield is not working and in a Pep team thats not a good sign. this Nico, Foden, Cherki midfield trio is levels below to prime Rodri, Gundo, KDB. especially in terms of controlling games, speed of the game, possession. add in Reijnders who aint doing much midfield role but tries to hang around the box like a deep lying striker. but who is gonna put in a shift than in midfield? Cherki? Foden sometimes? thats not enough. we also ask quite impossible role from Bernardo to be RW but also track back instead of everyone and help out Nico deeper as well centrally. doesnt look great tactically overall.
Rodri being back and hoping he can stay fit enough is a big plus but he needs more help. something that aint coming from Foden, Cherki, Reijnders imo.
Gabriel
Well-Known Member
The club has given Guardiola a larger squad, yet he’s been operating as if we actually have the same smaller squad. Some of that reliance has been forced upon him by myriad circumstances, but the scars from Leverkusen have also left their mark.
Going to be interesting to see both whether we can catch a second wind with the same players, and whether Guardiola can utilise a larger squad once more are fit and return.
Going to be interesting to see both whether we can catch a second wind with the same players, and whether Guardiola can utilise a larger squad once more are fit and return.
His game management this season has been awful.
For nearly ten years on here all I've read of Pep is his game management is awful... I'm amazed he's won anything.
Loves a small squadAll on Pep again I see.
Lol
Anybody would think we lost to Wolves.
SaintColin
Well-Known Member
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Would love him to put more pressure on the board to actually get players who are top quality.