Pep Guardiola - 2025/26

[JewelZee]

The highline requires switched on defenders which we don't have either. Sunday it was handled better but Brighton was crap and we still somehow lost. That high line is suicide with the current city team

And Pep continues to do it...???

 

[Gordyola]

If you believe Pep did a good job last year I'll just say we have different standards and leave it there...

Nothing about standards, you are not taking into consideration for the number of injuries or loss of form with key players due to the monumental and unprecedented effort of winning the 4 PL titles etc The mistake that the club made in general in poor recruitment, hopefully a lesson learnt
So, who do you think would have done a better job to match your standards, in identical circumstances?

 

[JewelZee]

Nothing about standards, you are not taking into consideration for the number of injuries or loss of form with key players due to the monumental and unprecedented effort of winning the 4 PL titles etc The mistake that the club made in general in poor recruitment, hopefully a lesson learnt
So, who do you think would have done a better job to match your standards, in identical circumstances?

My standards?

 

[Gordyola]

My standards?

So who could have done a better job than Pep to match your standards?

 

[Withnail]

I am referring directly to those performances. I've never once said finishing third was not OK. Those are two mutually exclusive points for me.

In terms of shambolic Spurs at home, Feyenoord in the CL and Arsenal away spring to mind.

 

[JewelZee]

So who could have done a better job than Pep to match your standards?

Pep!

 

[JewelZee]

In terms of shambolic Spurs at home, Feyenoord in the CL and Arsenal away spring to mind.

Sporting in the CL too.

 

[Withnail]

Sporting in the CL too.

Second half definitely.

 

[blueparrot]

Agree about the cups but I don’t think it will happen this season as pep is too stubborn to adapt and will just carry on regardless week in week out

He already has adapted you just haven’t caught on yet.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

Hope you stayed to applaud the boys. The City stands were half empty by the time the final whistle went let alone when the players came across. By law of averages some of the folks taking potshots here were among the exodus gang. Drives me nuts.

To your points:
1. Our back 5 on Sun was plenty young and plenty quick. So that wasn't the issue

2. Right back. Well duh. Real question is who? Would you pay 80 mill for Livremento? I certainly wouldn't.

3. Play better football. No shit. Our style under Pep hasn't changed in the past 5 years. We won umpteen titles with slowish possession based football. We haven't had fast pace since 2017-19 when Sane was flying and KDB was at his peak. Look at the 2022 run-in and the game against Villa. Identical. We just had better players. We are a team in transition. It would be wonderful to have a magic wand and make is pass better and quicker, find space, cross better, press better, finish lethally, etc etc. But life ain't that easy. It's going to take time. Too many spoilt fans on here who think we have a divine right to rule the roost forever. Prob akin to Red Cafe circa 2013-2015.

4. Buy proven PL players? Again that is super generic. Back to #2. Who will you buy at what prices? And they have to want us over others. And with PSR looking large also?

Would you rather they stay and boo? A 10 plus hour commute to watch that shit I don’t blame anybody who left. I was there and stayed until the end thanks.

1. I am not talking just Sunday. I am talking in general. Our back 4 in general is slow. Stones and Dias are very slow. I am talking walker level pace to recover if we want to continue with the suicidal high line.

2. Again a fan is being asked for a transfer target. If you are telling me there isn’t a right back in world football better than what we have then it’s a pointless conversation.

3. Our style hasn’t changed bang on. What you are ignoring is the players have changed. The players we are asking to play the same way as treble winning sides or centurion sides are not up to it. We don’t attack quick and with purpose, we can’t defend, we can’t control the ball and a match like we used to so what do you do. You adapt with what you have. You try be defensively more sound. You attack with purpose to hurt the opposition. You do not pass it 35271 times before you cross the half way line. Isn’t being spoilt asking a billion pound side to at the very minimum be a bit entertaining is it.

4. Yes, but proven prem players. Players that can slot straight in and help develop these younger players with potential. We’ve gone from Mahrez, walker, stones type signings to current day and we are suffering. We could get Munoz from palace (solves the right back issue) Eze, a quality prem proven player just sold from a great price. Geuhi would have been a good signing. That’s just once club with a few players that would improve us, know the league and excel in it currently.

You can pick holes where you want. You wanted solutions and you’ve been given them.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

He already has adapted you just haven’t caught on yet.

Haha, Specsavers advert in the making you

 

[JewelZee]

He already has adapted you just haven’t caught on yet.

You know who has caught on? Spurs and Brighton...

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

You know who has caught on? Spurs and Brighton...

Attention seeking isn't attractive , and adds nothing to a supposed discussion.

 

[Paul1970]

He already has adapted you just haven’t caught on yet.

Could have fooled me

 

[blueparrot]

Could have fooled me

Think he has we are stting up and have bought players and coaches very different to the old team and last season. Is is all clicked in place yet no , expecting it to be is a you problem not a Pep problem.

 

[lasereyes]

Would you rather they stay and boo? A 10 plus hour commute to watch that shit I don’t blame anybody who left. I was there and stayed until the end thanks.

1. I am not talking just Sunday. I am talking in general. Our back 4 in general is slow. Stones and Dias are very slow. I am talking walker level pace to recover if we want to continue with the suicidal high line.

2. Again a fan is being asked for a transfer target. If you are telling me there isn’t a right back in world football better than what we have then it’s a pointless conversation.

3. Our style hasn’t changed bang on. What you are ignoring is the players have changed. The players we are asking to play the same way as treble winning sides or centurion sides are not up to it. We don’t attack quick and with purpose, we can’t defend, we can’t control the ball and a match like we used to so what do you do. You adapt with what you have. You try be defensively more sound. You attack with purpose to hurt the opposition. You do not pass it 35271 times before you cross the half way line. Isn’t being spoilt asking a billion pound side to at the very minimum be a bit entertaining is it.

4. Yes, but proven prem players. Players that can slot straight in and help develop these younger players with potential. We’ve gone from Mahrez, walker, stones type signings to current day and we are suffering. We could get Munoz from palace (solves the right back issue) Eze, a quality prem proven player just sold from a great price. Geuhi would have been a good signing. That’s just once club with a few players that would improve us, know the league and excel in it currently.

You can pick holes where you want. You wanted solutions and you’ve been given them.

Why the fuck would a fan ever boo our players? They tried their best but made some costly mistakes. Utterly strange comment

1. Pep changed up the slower backline. So he followed that advice.

2. Name one

3. I am not ignoring anything. You are. What strategy and style would you play with the current players that would yield better results? What does "Attack with purpose" mean? If Haaland had scored even 2 of his 3 missed chances then we go in at HT 3-0 and we are cruising. If Marmoush dinks the goalie when directly through in goal and Trafford doesn't commit a schoolboy error, then we likely don't lose to Spurs and prob win. Our approach would have been no different. And nothing there has anything to do with "attack with purpose" or "be sound defensively".

4. Where is to say Eze is any better than Reinjders or Cherki? Or Marmoush for that matter? And I don't recall anyone saying we should have bought Munoz. He doesn't even play RB - he is a wing back. And what has Guehi (note spelling) got to do with a debate on RB?

My original post was in response to an utterly boneheaded comment (not by you) that we are finished as a top team. That after 3 games of the season. Why not see how things evolve before making hyperbolic terminal assessments?

 

[lasereyes]

OK, I agree but why is it whenever someone speaks on any deficiency we may have and offers thought out opinions for discussion they are immediately attacked by the angry clappers who believe every player is good enough and the manager can do no wrong. Then there are the flappers who think no one is good enough, the players, the manager, the board, etc. Neither is possible or correct.
There are many shades of grey. For instance, I do believe the players as a collective are "good enough" to compete with anyone. There are some who I don't think are up to our standard for whatever reason, but as a whole we are good enough. I can't tell you how many friends I have that support other clubs who think any City fan complaining about a lack of talent should be embarrassed.
I also happen to believe that for the past while Pep has not been able to get the best out of the side for whatever reasons. For me, too many players are asked to carry out roles they are not best suited for. Also, some of the tactical ideas seem to be gratuitous, i.e. the very high line. And the player selection, both starting and substitutions, don't appear to be merit based at all times.
Ya can't overturn the entire squad which I don't believe needs doing anyway, so Pep needs to figure out a way to get a tune out of them and to stop asking of them things that make them look ridiculous in repeating the same errors over and over again. Otherwise we're going nowhere of any significance this year or even next. That's the opinion of this supporter. You can agree, disagree, a bit of both, slam me, support me, whatever...

Who was attacked? My comment that you bolded is referring to our manager and coaching staff. It takes a lot of skill to succeed as a manager. Some of the posters here act like this is PC Football Manager. How on earth do they know that we didn't try to buy a RB? There really aren't many if any around available at a decent price. And you don't go chucking stupid money around - then you become United. Liverpool kind of have this window - let's see how it plays out for them. I don't place much on them winning 3 games; they haven't looked impressive. We won our first 6 last year and it portended fuck all

 

[Damanino]

Grealish said after 3 games at Everton he enjoys football again, unless he is sticking the knife in for City and Pep, lets assume he does enjoy being selected and trusted and playing and assisting goals, I look at our current players and not sure who is enjoying the current tactics, display, results generally.

does Foden looks like he is enjoying football? its been a long time he did.
does Bernardo enjoy playing? looks like he is going through the motion but kind of lost whatever made him great before.
Haaland struggles half of the games with nothing created for him.
the whole defence is in panic mode and playing with fear.
Rodri is just back and getting frustrated.
Doku, Savinho? there is pressure on them and they aint delivering enough.

the list goes on.

Pep must see this too, something is off, the desire gone, the effort off the ball feels forced rather than being hungry, our speed is slow, going forward, midfield aint controlling games. its bloody obvious. being outrun, outpressed, outfought by lesser sides. also outfoxed tactically.

that bit of energy we saw from Leijnders, Kolo and apparently players look hungry in training is wearing off quick with these shit results like Al Hilal, Spurs, Brighton and hard to say we wont have quite a few more like this unless immediate changes in tactics and application.

some serious leaders have finally left in Ederson, KDB, Walker, Gundogan (Carson:D). dont know if likes of Bernardo, Dias can take over similar leadership. Rodri maybe but who are the others? Foden?no way. Ake?looks very quiet.Stones? not sure.

remaining games in September will tell us a lot, apart from Huddersfield none of them will be simple games.

 

[theres only one carlito]

Grealish said after 3 games at Everton he enjoys football again, unless he is sticking the knife in for City and Pep, lets assume he does enjoy being selected and trusted and playing and assisting goals, I look at our current players and not sure who is enjoying the current tactics, display, results generally.

does Foden looks like he is enjoying football? its been a long time he did.
does Bernardo enjoy playing? looks like he is going through the motion but kind of lost whatever made him great before.
Haaland struggles half of the games with nothing created for him.
the whole defence is in panic mode and playing with fear.
Rodri is just back and getting frustrated.
Doku, Savinho? there is pressure on them and they aint delivering enough.

the list goes on.

Pep must see this too, something is off, the desire gone, the effort off the ball feels forced rather than being hungry, our speed is slow, going forward, midfield aint controlling games. its bloody obvious. being outrun, outpressed, outfought by lesser sides. also outfoxed tactically.

that bit of energy we saw from Leijnders, Kolo and apparently players look hungry in training is wearing off quick with these shit results like Al Hilal, Spurs, Brighton and hard to say we wont have quite a few more like this unless immediate changes in tactics and application.

some serious leaders have finally left in Ederson, KDB, Walker, Gundogan (Carson:D). dont know if likes of Bernardo, Dias can take over similar leadership. Rodri maybe but who are the others? Foden?no way. Ake?looks very quiet.Stones? not sure.

remaining games in September will tell us a lot, apart from Huddersfield none of them will be simple games.

im with you mate, there’s no way this current style, effort and implementation is a pep side. It’s night and day.

A team should be a reflection of its manger and all peps teams have been unbelievable with his humbleness ethos, his pioneering tactics and systems, his passion, his constant desire to make players better at what he wants, his ability to make his players believe they can win it all, the ability to make players believe in what he is doing and trusting him that they will win! if they play the way he says, how many players/ex players have we heard say, pep tells us what’s going to happen and it happens?

This looks nothing like a pep side theses players do not look like they believe it anymore, or are sick of hearing it? and I’m not sure this looks like pep cares anymore,l either his body language just isn’t as intense or captivating. I’m afraid to say it, but to me it looks like the fire has gone. I’m not blaming him, he’s done wonders with us and over a sustained period. It’s took its toll, both professionally and personally. It looks to me like there’s nothing left to give and it shows in the performances. Unless he finds that motivation and standard he set for so long throughout his managerial career then I think it’s run its course.

 

[JewelZee]

Who was attacked? My comment that you bolded is referring to our manager and coaching staff. It takes a lot of skill to succeed as a manager. Some of the posters here act like this is PC Football Manager. How on earth do they know that we didn't try to buy a RB? There really aren't many if any around available at a decent price. And you don't go chucking stupid money around - then you become United. Liverpool kind of have this window - let's see how it plays out for them. I don't place much on them winning 3 games; they haven't looked impressive. We won our first 6 last year and it portended fuck all

Not by you. I highlighted your comment because in my response I was agreeing with that point. The rest was general commentary. Not directed at you. Hope that clarifies my position...