Pep Guardiola - 2025/26

The decision to play with CBs across the defensive line paid off big time: we conceded just 5 goals in 13 CL games. Then we added Gvardiol.

Nobody expected captain Walker to fall off a cliff like that. Some things can't be predicted in advance, unless you are a fan on the net and everything looks easy.
Tbh mate Walker was way off if during the last title win and most wanted to leave but we made kept him and to cap it all we decided not to spend any money apart from an unproven kid from Girona and a player who was past it when he went ti Barca . Absolute mess and not the intent from a top tier team who only 2 years ago were head and shoulders the best in the world .
 
Tbh mate Walker was way off if during the last title win and most wanted to leave but we made kept him and to cap it all we decided not to spend any money apart from an unproven kid from Girona and a player who was past it when he went ti Barca . Absolute mess and not the intent from a top tier team who only 2 years ago were head and shoulders the best in the world .

Walker did quite well against the Ballon d'Or candidate Vin Jr at the Etihad in 23/24 showing incredible pace. He was 1/3 the player several months later. That was hard to predict.

Anyway, let's hope we sign a proper RB even though I really like Nunes.
 
Well the decision to actually buy a LB this time suggests to me that he now knows he needs them. I just hope he gets a proper RB in then I think you’ll see a huge improvement and maybe you will understand that round pegs in round holes isn’t rocket science and the ‘fan on the net’ thing I’m not gonna waste my time on. I’m too long in the tooth for that nonsense. Enjoy the season buddy.
Yet square pegs in round holes has won us 18 trophies under Pep

4 centre backs during treble season, midfielders playing as inverted fullbacks, midfielders as false 9’s

In fact, have we ever had a full season without Pep putting square pegs in round holes?

I doubt we would’ve seen huge improvement on 18 trophies on the last 9 years as you suggest, just by buying another fullback mate

I think Pep getting his tactics spot on for the season will be far more influential than buying a RB
 
Yet square pegs in round holes has won us 18 trophies under Pep

4 centre backs during treble season, midfielders playing as inverted fullbacks, midfielders as false 9’s

In fact, have we ever had a full season without Pep putting square pegs in round holes?

I doubt we would’ve seen huge improvement on 18 trophies on the last 9 years as you suggest, just by buying another fullback mate

I think Pep getting his tactics spot on for the season will be far more influential than buying a RB
Buying a RB would be a step towards getting his tactics spot on
 
Yet square pegs in round holes has won us 18 trophies under Pep

4 centre backs during treble season, midfielders playing as inverted fullbacks, midfielders as false 9’s

In fact, have we ever had a full season without Pep putting square pegs in round holes?

I doubt we would’ve seen huge improvement on 18 trophies on the last 9 years as you suggest, just by buying another fullback mate

I think Pep getting his tactics spot on for the season will be far more influential than buying a RB
I think my favourite little Pep tweak was the double false 9s Kev and Bernardo played against them at the swamp a few years ago when we absolutely tatered them
 
Yet square pegs in round holes has won us 18 trophies under Pep

4 centre backs during treble season, midfielders playing as inverted fullbacks, midfielders as false 9’s

In fact, have we ever had a full season without Pep putting square pegs in round holes?

I doubt we would’ve seen huge improvement on 18 trophies on the last 9 years as you suggest, just by buying another fullback mate

I think Pep getting his tactics spot on for the season will be far more influential than buying a RB
I never said a huge improvement on trophies won, I said a huge improvement on our defensive capabilities from last season. He ran all our center backs into the ground and onto the treatment table. And because we didn’t have any full back cover we were resorting to playing not very good midfielders as not very good full backs.
 
I never said a huge improvement on trophies won, I said a huge improvement on our defensive capabilities from last season. He ran all our center backs into the ground and onto the treatment table. And because we didn’t have any full back cover we were resorting to playing not very good midfielders as not very good full backs.
Pah, agree to disagree mate as I thought our defensive fragility last season came mainly from our midfield, not because of our fullbacks
 
Pah, agree to disagree mate as I thought our defensive fragility last season came mainly from our midfield, not because of our fullbacks
Indeed the midfield, the defence, the tactics, were culpable for us being very susceptible to the transitions. Also the mental and physical aspect of the players hitting a brick wall after our unprecedented 4th title in row. Let’s hope we’ve a fresh approach this coming season.
 
Indeed the midfield, the defence, the tactics, were culpable for us being very susceptible to the transitions. Also the mental and physical aspect of the players hitting a brick wall after our unprecedented 4th title in row. Let’s hope we’ve a fresh approach this coming season.
Agree with all of that, especially the bolded part being of huge significance. I thought the majority of our squad looked mentally & physically exhausted last season
 
I have no idea if this is the best place to share (is there a tactics thread or forum on here? Should there be?) but I thought this was a really interesting look at the issues we had last season and what Pep will be working on in the next 2 weeks

Prom doesn't feel there was anything wrong with his tactics so I doubt he'll change them unless he's forced to by the sale of players.
 
He wanted to get rid of keepers as a coach years ago.

The closest he can get is getting rid of right backs.

His tactics always surprise me. The way he looks at game at a completely different angle which I'm far too thick to understand.

The simple tactical approach is probably the one thing I do understand about Pep! Football is a very easy game, and the best players make it look very, very easy.

Pep's basically a 'larger scale' futsal coach. He doesn't obsess over specific positions, and we've seen him quite happy to 'do without' specialist fullbacks, strikers for long periods. Everyone is a midfielder, everyone has defensive and attacking responsibilities, and possession is key. Everything is held together by the 'pivot'.
 
I have no idea if this is the best place to share (is there a tactics thread or forum on here? Should there be?) but I thought this was a really interesting look at the issues we had last season and what Pep will be working on in the next 2 weeks

As we already know, the man doubles up on something that doesn't work, so I can deduce from this article we'll end up with our defence line at some ~40m on average and 10+ counterattacking attempts against us. I cannot wait for the season to start, just kill me!
 
As we already know, the man doubles up on something that doesn't work, so I can deduce from this article we'll end up with our defence line at some ~40m on average and 10+ counterattacking attempts against us. I cannot wait for the season to start, just kill me!
We won’t, we will have a midfield that gets back to cutting out those counters.
 
squad to report to training tomorrow finally. leaves 2 weeks for Pep to prepare for the PL. not a lot, but hopefully nobody returns overweight as it really would piss off Pep now when so little time left until start. and the stuff we worked during CWC hopefully continues albeit (more pressing, more tempo, higher intensity etc)the way the Saudi club fucked us not sure how much we learnt/changed.

he will be in a shock anyway when he sees 33/34 players reporting for training haha. then a bit more once we have Trafford and a new RB hopefully.
busy times for H. Viana to reduce these numbers.
 
squad to report to training tomorrow finally. leaves 2 weeks for Pep to prepare for the PL. not a lot, but hopefully nobody returns overweight as it really would piss off Pep now when so little time left until start. and the stuff we worked during CWC hopefully continues albeit (more pressing, more tempo, higher intensity etc)the way the Saudi club fucked us not sure how much we learnt/changed.

he will be in a shock anyway when he sees 33/34 players reporting for training haha. then a bit more once we have Trafford and a new RB hopefully.
busy times for H. Viana to reduce these numbers.
Are the likes of phillips doyle esbrand etc reporting with first team tomorrow? We wont have room in locker room
 

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