Pep Guardiola - 2025/26

Big Yaya Wilko 12 said:
Maybe it's because he's seen them play and they don't look up to standard. . .
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Do to me, will take them a while to get up to speed with the premier league and each other and the new coaching team, but seen nothing to tell me they can't become very good. Might not but deciding now is daft, but not surprising.
 
supercity88 said:
He needs to take fewer touches. We don't need him driving the ball up the pitch every time he gets it. Rodri can find him in the pockets of space, then he needs to turn, pass and move and keep doing it. The physicality of the PL compared to Serie A means he's not going to be as effective as he was there simply running with the ball. It worked against Wolves but it won't against the better PL sides.

As for our overall tactics/shape I don't know what we'll see but I'm concerned we seem to have abandoned our possession-dominating approach, other sides are better equipped to deal with us if we try and attack quickly and can counter the space we leave more effectively as well.

In terms of passing/possession look at the change here:


Dippers in 2023 (3-1 win) 754 passes, 69% possession with 91% success rate.
Rags in 2024 801 passes, 73% possession, 91% success.
West Ham when we won the title 782, 72% at 93% success.
Al Hilal loss in the CWC 826, 70% at 92%

We might have had the leaky defence against Al Hilal but with the ball we were playing a similar way.

Now look at this season so far:
Wolves 563, 59%, 90%
Spurs 525, 62%, 86%
Brighton 565, 64%, 87%

Those numbers are miles off where we'd expect to be which shows we're not keeping the ball well enough. I can't believe Pep would be happy for us to abandon possession dominance. He'll want us to attack more quickly, but you can see from the passing accuracy it's less us passing the ball away (though that still needs work), and more us just running into the opposition and getting tackled.
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Great points,something has happened.
Needs addressing as you say because we can't keep having the keystone cops thing with them all chasing the attackers trying tto get back in time, hardly the look of a professional well oiled machine! !
 
Ajm1985 said:
I'd be happy to see Rodri & Nico G start together as a double pivot, with either given licence to advance at points. Definitely want to see that in the next run of games as we need to win that midfield.
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I agree. With Reijnders (or Rico?!) in front of them (maybe Foden if he's fit).
 
B\connellblue said:
I was replying to a poster who said they were below par. Having said that I can confidently declare Saviniho, Doku, Nunes & gonzalez below par. As for the like of Philips ,well not worth mentioning.
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Gonzalez has been far from below par, one of the best in the league so far this season.Doku, possibly, Savinho far to early to say.The summer signings all showing good promise.
 
Withnail said:
What is he supposed to do when half of his defence is out injured?
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He's one of the game's all-time greatest managers. There was absolutely no excuse in the world for how shambolic we became. He looked lost. A decent U21 side would have done a better job of seeing some of those disasters out.
 
JewelZee said:
He's one of the game's all-time greatest managers. There was absolutely no excuse in the world for how shambolic we became. He looked lost. A decent U21 side would have done a better job of seeing some of those disasters out.
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Unfortunately, Pep doesn't appear to have your foresight or ability.
 
blueparrot said:
Gonzalez has been far from below par, one of the best in the league so far this season.Doku, possibly, Savinho far to early to say.The summer signings all showing good promise.
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Yes I have said elsewhere that I liked Cherki, reijndeers, and Kusanov. On Gonzalez Pep bringing Nico O'Reilly on before him Saturday wouldn't suggest he rates him all that highly.
 
B\connellblue said:
Yes I have said elsewhere that I liked Cherki, reijndeers, and Kusanov. On Gonzalez Pep bringing Nico O'Reilly on before him Saturday wouldn't suggest he rates him all that highly.
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Not really and there will be plenty of games Gonzalez starts with and instead of Rodri.
 
thegoatsthegoat said:
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.
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This is a typical armchair view. Take potshots at all those who are in the hot seat with no constructive suggestions on what we can/should actually do. Throwing out blind criticism when we lose a couple of games is the easiest thing in the world. Actually fixing it takes brains and courage.
 
JewelZee said:
He's one of the game's all-time greatest managers. There was absolutely no excuse in the world for how shambolic we became. He looked lost. A decent U21 side would have done a better job of seeing some of those disasters out.
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So shambolic that the team still got 3rd place.
 
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