Pep Guardiola - 2025/26

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

Wow there’s a lot of doom and gloom on here…..yes we’re clearly not functioning at Prem winning standards as yet and not making moves to solve it (right back, defensive midfielder capable of playing in Rodri role, striker to challenge Haaland) but we’ve got a good squad, a great manger (denying is the height of stupidity) and I feel we will improve as the squad gels more.

Are we going to win the Prem this season, I highly doubt it with some glaring deficiencies.

Are we going to battle for the top 4 - yes and let’s get behind the team and enjoy that battle - Pride in Battle is for the team and the fans !!!

3 games in and we are still warming up - didn’t have a great preseason whatsoever and our start might be impacted by the cwc and the fact we played hardly any warm up games. We had little to no rest before the cwc, came back and didn’t do enough work or games after it and now we’re in a new season……I’m keen to see how we shape up this season and hopefully we’re planning to resolve our issues in Jan / summer.

Winning 4 in a row was insane and to expect that to continue is equally insane……this isn’t Scotland or Germany.

I believe if we give Pep the players and the time then he will guide us back to the top of the league.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

There's no mad new plan needed, just some commonsense decisions. One is treating every player equally. Players are not stupid. Ya can't have too many players feeling shortchanged while they sit and watch others doing fuck all. It will eventually destroy the team. A perfect example is Bernardo, who is one of my all-time favorites, getting the nod over Nico G. yesterday. Nico comes into the weekend having won the most ground duels in the Prem, something we desperately need, a high pass completion rate and a relatively low turnover rate. Bernardo comes into the weekend off genuinely the worst I've ever seen him play when he came on v. Spurs. Yet Pep goes with Bernardo. I'm not saying Bernardo lost us the game, but we did in fact lose. Then Pep adds insult to injury by bringing on Nico O. who did fuck all the previous week off the bench. Anyone who doesn't think players pay close attention is fooling themselves. There are credibility issues forming. Not because I say so. The players are basically saying so with their performances.

I used the term mad plan as the previous poster said that. The mad plan is finding a solution to the right back area. Finding a solution to our defensive issues, that high line amongst other things. A solution to the way we play considering the change in keeper. Some of it is obvious as you say but there may be some madness needed for some of it too.

The problem with Bernardo is Pep made him captain so he will no doubt play a lot, which I do agree with to a degree that your club captain should be starting. It is why Rodri should have been made captain though, showing him his importance to us and him being a player that will play every week once fit. I agree with him stinking the place out against Spurs and is then rewarded with a start the next game. Pep playing favorites was a contributor to last seasons stinker.

 

[mdj0520]

Dunno where else to put this and I don't think Pep would do it at all and maybe I'm just getting super nostalgic...

But I'd really like it if we went for a 2011-12 style 4-2-2-2. I think our players are suited for it (except maybe a right back, but if that's our concern we should go back to the champs league final 3-2-4-1 with stones stepping up and a cb on the right most spot.

Stones ---- khusa ---- gvardiol ---- Ait Nouri

-----------------------------Rodri --------------

-------------Nico-----------------------------------

-------Foden--------------------- Reijnders-----

--------------------------- marmoush-------------
---------------------Haaland---------------------

Ait nori can get up and down with 3 CBs covering, Stones only steps up if ait nori steps forward. Nunes or Rico only play if Ake or Gvardio play at left back and then we inverse the formation.

Marmoush plays as a second striker. At the moment Haaland is actually taking down balls or recieving passes but he has no one to play it off to. Having Marmoush and Haaland as an old fashioned strike partnership would benefit both of them similar to Dzeko-Aguero or Negredo-Aguero.

Our wingers are completely ineffective. Having Foden and Reijnders roam and interchange across the middle and provide width if needed with occasional help and overlaps from stones and ait-nouri gets two creative 10s in the side. Cherki and Bobb can both play here.

Nico and Rodri as the Gareth barry - Yaya style midfield pairing. Imposing, robust. Noth the most pace but with Foden and Reijders roaming there's legs there. Another bonus would be throwing on a bernardo or someone to stand next to Nico and psuhing Rodri forward like we used to do the de jong to push yaya forward.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

Wow there’s a lot of doom and gloom on here…..yes we’re clearly not functioning at Prem winning standards as yet and not making moves to solve it (right back, defensive midfielder capable of playing in Rodri role, striker to challenge Haaland) but we’ve got a good squad, a great manger (denying is the height of stupidity) and I feel we will improve as the squad gels more.

Are we going to win the Prem this season, I highly doubt it with some glaring deficiencies.

Are we going to battle for the top 4 - yes and let’s get behind the team and enjoy that battle - Pride in Battle is for the team and the fans !!!

3 games in and we are still warming up - didn’t have a great preseason whatsoever and our start might be impacted by the cwc and the fact we played hardly any warm up games. We had little to no rest before the cwc, came back and didn’t do enough work or games after it and now we’re in a new season……I’m keen to see how we shape up this season and hopefully we’re planning to resolve our issues in Jan / summer.

Winning 4 in a row was insane and to expect that to continue is equally insane……this isn’t Scotland or Germany.

I believe if we give Pep the players and the time then he will guide us back to the top of the league.

You need to put some distance between supporting the team and pointing out our failures and weaknesses on an internet forum. I was there yesterday, cheered them to the last whistle, clapped them off and started my journey home stating how shite it was and how I don't think Pep is up to it anymore. Everyone is behind the team every week they play, in a safe place of your own clubs forum we are allowed to voice concerns.

You are repeating the same nonsense many have about thinking we expect to win the title every season. WE DO NOT. We expect a world class manager, with world class players who gets backed every window to improve to put in good performances. Win, lose or draw. If we play well, put the same level of effort in as the opposition and fall short, no dramas. Playing like yesterday, the week before and most of last season is simply not good enough.

 

[decmancity]

Thank God it's not people like you making decisions for the club.
You just want to throw the baby and the bath water out just because of a difficult challenge.
Victory is sweet only if you know what it means to lose.

Yeah the current crop done a fantastic job in the past 18mths.

Maybe changes are required.

It didn’t need to be a difficult challenge though. We needed to be smart with transfers and contracts, stop loyalty to those clearly past it.

 

[JewelZee]

We were the best team in 2H of last season and beat Chelsea, Villa and Newcastle without which we wouldn't have got CL football. There is a lot of work to do but to say we have made no progress based on 1 game and 30 mins after virtually no pre-season is a wild over reaction.

We also were completely uncompetitive v. both Arsenal and Liverpool and drew nil-nil v. ManUre and Southampton during that 2H. The same Tottenham that got played off their own park Saturday cruised past us at the Etihad the week prior. Where exactly is this progress? I must be watching something else...

 

[Craig]

Wow there’s a lot of doom and gloom on here…..yes we’re clearly not functioning at Prem winning standards as yet and not making moves to solve it (right back, defensive midfielder capable of playing in Rodri role, striker to challenge Haaland) but we’ve got a good squad, a great manger (denying is the height of stupidity) and I feel we will improve as the squad gels more.

Are we going to win the Prem this season, I highly doubt it with some glaring deficiencies.

Are we going to battle for the top 4 - yes and let’s get behind the team and enjoy that battle - Pride in Battle is for the team and the fans !!!

3 games in and we are still warming up - didn’t have a great preseason whatsoever and our start might be impacted by the cwc and the fact we played hardly any warm up games. We had little to no rest before the cwc, came back and didn’t do enough work or games after it and now we’re in a new season……I’m keen to see how we shape up this season and hopefully we’re planning to resolve our issues in Jan / summer.

Winning 4 in a row was insane and to expect that to continue is equally insane……this isn’t Scotland or Germany.

I believe if we give Pep the players and the time then he will guide us back to the top of the league.

How much more money or new players do you think we need? This isn’t a utd situation (or it shouldn’t be) where a new manager is starting from scratch. This is down to terrible decisions on when players are past their best or which players to bring in. Walker should have been replaced 2 years ago he was made captain and still hasn’t been replaced. Bernardo should have been replaced and has been made captain. None of these things were hindsight they were glaringly obvious at the time.

The other things mentioned are also true that we have nobody to deputise for Rodri or Haaland. We’ve spent a shitload on players who can’t do either job though.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

We were the best team in 2H of last season and beat Chelsea, Villa and Newcastle without which we wouldn't have got CL football. There is a lot of work to do but to say we have made no progress based on 1 game and 30 mins after virtually no pre-season is a wild over reaction.

You must need laser eye. Throw in another cup final in when talking about the end to last season

 

[JewelZee]

You need to put some distance between supporting the team and pointing out our failures and weaknesses on an internet forum. I was there yesterday, cheered them to the last whistle, clapped them off and started my journey home stating how shite it was and how I don't think Pep is up to it anymore. Everyone is behind the team every week they play, in a safe place of your own clubs forum we are allowed to voice concerns.

You are repeating the same nonsense many have about thinking we expect to win the title every season. WE DO NOT. We expect a world class manager, with world class players who gets backed every window to improve to put in good performances. Win, lose or draw. If we play well, put the same level of effort in as the opposition and fall short, no dramas. Playing like yesterday, the week before and most of last season is simply not good enough.

The angry clappers keep falling back on the same tired "you can't win the title every year" nonsense. Who exactly has said we should be. I won't speak for others but for me there's an enormous gap between playing good football and living up to certain standards and being outright shambolic. Losing 0-4 at home to Spurs. Blowing a 1 goal lead at home in a derby in the 90th and beyond. Losing 1-4 at Porto. Losing 1-5 to the Arse. Losing twice to Liverpool without scoring a goal. Blowing a 3-0 lead at home in the last 15 minutes of a CL game v. Feyenoord. Losing to fucking Al Hilal while conceding 4. Drawing 0-0 away to a Southampton on the verge of being the Prem's worst team ever. Losing consecutive FA Cup finals with 2 virtual no shows. Blowing a 2-1 advantage on 86 minutes v. Real Madrid at home in the CL. Surrendering 4 unanswered in 30 minutes v. PSG blowing a 2-0 lead. My apologies but that is absolutely diabolical. 1 or 2 of those can and do happen to everyone. Not all those and others in 15 months.

 

[EdersonsSmiley]

Only time can tell, but I rate the potential of the team quite highly. Let's see what happens.

I don't know if this is unpopular or not, but I think we have played well so far this season until we conceded a goal.

The massive issue currently seems to be confidence, as once we have the set back of conceding, the team just implodes.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

The angry clappers keep falling back on the same tired "you can't win the title every year" nonsense. Who exactly has said we should be. I won't speak for others but for me there's an enormous gap between playing good football and living up to certain standards and being outright shambolic. Losing 0-4 at home to Spurs. Blowing a 1 goal lead at home in a derby in the 90th and beyond. Losing 1-4 at Porto. Losing 1-5 to the Arse. Losing twice to Liverpool without scoring a goal. Blowing a 3-0 lead at home in the last 15 minutes of a CL game v. Feyenoord. Losing to fucking Al Hilal while conceding 4. Drawing 0-0 away to a Southampton on the verge of being the Prem's worst team ever. Losing consecutive FA Cup finals with 2 virtual no shows. Blowing a 2-1 advantage on 86 minutes v. Real Madrid at home in the CL. Surrendering 4 unanswered in 30 minutes v. PSG blowing a 2-0 lead. My apologies but that is absolutely diabolical. 1 or 2 of those can and do happen to everyone. Not all those and others in 15 months.

Yep, all from the position of strength being the current Champions on top of that. It isn't good enough. A downfall was expected at some point. The disaster that followed wasn't. It's ok though, we won the second half of the league form table. Get the open top bus ready.

 

[JewelZee]

I used the term mad plan as the previous poster said that. The mad plan is finding a solution to the right back area. Finding a solution to our defensive issues, that high line amongst other things. A solution to the way we play considering the change in keeper. Some of it is obvious as you say but there may be some madness needed for some of it too.

The problem with Bernardo is Pep made him captain so he will no doubt play a lot, which I do agree with to a degree that your club captain should be starting. It is why Rodri should have been made captain though, showing him his importance to us and him being a player that will play every week once fit. I agree with him stinking the place out against Spurs and is then rewarded with a start the next game. Pep playing favorites was a contributor to last seasons stinker.

The biggest problem I have with Bernardo being made captain is twofold. For one, he wasn't voted in by his teammates but more importantly, he is on his last season and on the way out. Hopefully Rodri will be here cooking for at least another 5 years. He 100% should have been made captain. And as I've stated Bernardo is one of my all-time favorites.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

The biggest problem I have with Bernardo being made captain is twofold. For one, he wasn't voted in by his teammates but more importantly, he is on his last season and on the way out. Hopefully Rodri will be here cooking for at least another 5 years. He 100% should have been made captain. And as I've stated Bernardo is one of my all-time favorites.

I don't buy in the being voted in bollocks. The manager needs to make that decision and I am glad he has this season. I just think it has gone to the wrong man. Players on their way out seem to get the nod through their experience I imagine but you are correct, Rodri should have been appointed. Really weird he wasn't.

 

[JewelZee]

Dunno where else to put this and I don't think Pep would do it at all and maybe I'm just getting super nostalgic...

But I'd really like it if we went for a 2011-12 style 4-2-2-2. I think our players are suited for it (except maybe a right back, but if that's our concern we should go back to the champs league final 3-2-4-1 with stones stepping up and a cb on the right most spot.

Stones ---- khusa ---- gvardiol ---- Ait Nouri

-----------------------------Rodri --------------

-------------Nico-----------------------------------

-------Foden--------------------- Reijnders-----

--------------------------- marmoush-------------
---------------------Haaland---------------------

Ait nori can get up and down with 3 CBs covering, Stones only steps up if ait nori steps forward. Nunes or Rico only play if Ake or Gvardio play at left back and then we inverse the formation.

Marmoush plays as a second striker. At the moment Haaland is actually taking down balls or recieving passes but he has no one to play it off to. Having Marmoush and Haaland as an old fashioned strike partnership would benefit both of them similar to Dzeko-Aguero or Negredo-Aguero.

Our wingers are completely ineffective. Having Foden and Reijnders roam and interchange across the middle and provide width if needed with occasional help and overlaps from stones and ait-nouri gets two creative 10s in the side. Cherki and Bobb can both play here.

Nico and Rodri as the Gareth barry - Yaya style midfield pairing. Imposing, robust. Noth the most pace but with Foden and Reijders roaming there's legs there. Another bonus would be throwing on a bernardo or someone to stand next to Nico and psuhing Rodri forward like we used to do the de jong to push yaya forward.

We'd need to bring back Bobby Manc... : )

 

[alexmcity]

I don't know if this is unpopular or not, but I think we have played well so far this season until we conceded a goal.

The massive issue currently seems to be confidence, as once we have the set back of conceding, the team just implodes.

I agree. Thought we were the far better team in the first 60 minutes yesterday.

Confidence is probably an issue, but our fitness levels might be not good enough yet due to the short pre-season.

 

[Paul1970]

Keep seeing the same we won 4 in a row and a treble and countless other trophy’s but that’s now gone and in years to come we can all watch the Repeats and rejoice as will united fans who basked in the oast and we ripped them for it but it’s the here and now what’s important and we have fallen. So far from the perch and we are unrecognisable so much that every team will be wanting a crack at us and pep will just keep pitting the sane team and sane tactics hoping for a miracle change which ain’t coming . We will stick with pep until he walks of sees his contract out but his isn’t gonna get better and we will become an easy fixture for the top clubs which will be see the first half out and then make changes and do us on the break . Upsetting seeing what’s happening as we had in our hand and we fucked it up .

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Something I don't believe (because I'm not so shallow) is that pep suddenly can't manage a winning team.

It's not something you learn, or lose. It's more about managing people, inspiring them, than juat tweaking tactics and having magical players.

But I think the drive is gone, from the club maybe because its from the manager. Maybe anyway. If be amazed if Pep can turn this around.

Whatever though, it's going to make zero sense sacking him in his last year when he's setting us up for the next guy.

 

[oldius]

The angry clappers keep falling back on the same tired "you can't win the title every year" nonsense. Who exactly has said we should be. I won't speak for others but for me there's an enormous gap between playing good football and living up to certain standards and being outright shambolic. Losing 0-4 at home to Spurs. Blowing a 1 goal lead at home in a derby in the 90th and beyond. Losing 1-4 at Porto. Losing 1-5 to the Arse. Losing twice to Liverpool without scoring a goal. Blowing a 3-0 lead at home in the last 15 minutes of a CL game v. Feyenoord. Losing to fucking Al Hilal while conceding 4. Drawing 0-0 away to a Southampton on the verge of being the Prem's worst team ever. Losing consecutive FA Cup finals with 2 virtual no shows. Blowing a 2-1 advantage on 86 minutes v. Real Madrid at home in the CL. Surrendering 4 unanswered in 30 minutes v. PSG blowing a 2-0 lead. My apologies but that is absolutely diabolical. 1 or 2 of those can and do happen to everyone. Not all those and others in 15 months.

But how many times does this need repeating?
WE KNOW THESE RESULTS. WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST SEASON. IT IS DONE, OVER, FINISHED.
The club (Pep) has admitted that they made a mistake in trying to get one more season out of the legends of the club. It is a matter of public record - the club got it wrong.
Now they are trying to put it right with a new DOF, new coaches and new players. They know that they are behind the curve so they are investing in high potential.
Going over old ground again and again, ad nauseam, is futile.

 

[VYisaBLUE]

Dunno where else to put this and I don't think Pep would do it at all and maybe I'm just getting super nostalgic...

But I'd really like it if we went for a 2011-12 style 4-2-2-2. I think our players are suited for it (except maybe a right back, but if that's our concern we should go back to the champs league final 3-2-4-1 with stones stepping up and a cb on the right most spot.

Stones ---- khusa ---- gvardiol ---- Ait Nouri

-----------------------------Rodri --------------

-------------Nico-----------------------------------

-------Foden--------------------- Reijnders-----

--------------------------- marmoush-------------
---------------------Haaland---------------------

Ait nori can get up and down with 3 CBs covering, Stones only steps up if ait nori steps forward. Nunes or Rico only play if Ake or Gvardio play at left back and then we inverse the formation.

Marmoush plays as a second striker. At the moment Haaland is actually taking down balls or recieving passes but he has no one to play it off to. Having Marmoush and Haaland as an old fashioned strike partnership would benefit both of them similar to Dzeko-Aguero or Negredo-Aguero.

Our wingers are completely ineffective. Having Foden and Reijnders roam and interchange across the middle and provide width if needed with occasional help and overlaps from stones and ait-nouri gets two creative 10s in the side. Cherki and Bobb can both play here.

Nico and Rodri as the Gareth barry - Yaya style midfield pairing. Imposing, robust. Noth the most pace but with Foden and Reijders roaming there's legs there. Another bonus would be throwing on a bernardo or someone to stand next to Nico and psuhing Rodri forward like we used to do the de jong to push yaya forward.

Wonderful idea that will never happen

I'd love to see Pep do something like this, we know he has it in him, but just dont see it happening now for whatever reason

 

[JewelZee]

But how many times does this need repeating?
WE KNOW THESE RESULTS. WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST SEASON. IT IS DONE, OVER, FINISHED.
The club (Pep) has admitted that they made a mistake in trying to get one more season out of the legends of the club. It is a matter of public record - the club got it wrong.
Now they are trying to put it right with a new DOF, new coaches and new players. They know that they are behind the curve so they are investing in high potential.
Going over old ground again and again, ad nauseam, is futile.

Fair enough but then can we focus on what needs to be done in the context of where we are without constantly bringing up the treble, the 4 in a row, etc., etc. That is just as irrelevant and futile in terms of us getting our shit together.