Pep Guardiola - 2025/26

alexmcity said:
Fair play for getting a bit wiser, but there were people (like me) in November and December 2020 who predicted a title win for us that season and who predicted big things for Rodri, including him getting better than Fernandinho. So, you were wrong in 2020. The ingredients for a big team were there: top players and the best manager.
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I never said anything about Rodri. I always defended him, like I do Savinho now. It was pretty shit of the OP to quote me properly and just type out the Rodri comment making it seem like that was me as well.

But I absolutely didn't think we would win anything in 20, but most importantly Pep himself looked lost at that point, for the first time since he arrived. But I have no problems admitting that, but I still feel at that moment in time criticism was warranted
 
ScottSinclair said:
I never said anything about Rodri. I always defended him, like I do Savinho now. It was pretty shit of the OP to quote me properly and just type out the Rodri comment making it seem like that was me as well.

But I absolutely didn't think we would win anything in 20, but most importantly Pep himself looked lost at that point, for the first time since he arrived. But I have no problems admitting that, but I still feel at that moment in time criticism was warranted
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One thing some don't quite get: to be the best manager in the world doesn't mean to be able to avoid crises or bad seasons. Ferguson had bad seasons, Cruyff had bad seasons, Sacchi had bad seasons, Ancelotti had bad seasons, Klopp had multiple bad seasons, and so on. One or two bad seasons don't make you finished.

I'm optimistic. Nobody can be completely sure Pep will win other titles. However, given his success so far, he deserves patience and full support when things don't go well, because he has been nothing short of a genius manager.
 
alexmcity said:
One thing some don't quite get: to be the best manager in the world doesn't mean to be able to avoid crises or bad seasons. Ferguson had bad seasons, Cruyff had bad seasons, Sacchi had bad seasons, Ancelotti had bad seasons, Klopp had multiple bad seasons, and so on. One or two bad seasons don't make you finished.

I'm optimistic. Nobody can be completely sure Pep will win other titles. However, given his success so far, he deserves patience and full support when things don't go well, because he has been nothing short of a genius manager.
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I agree with this, but one thing Pep often does that doesn't really help him in the heat of the moment when it comes to frustrated fans is that in crisis situations and runs of bad performances is the fact that he sticks with largely the same team and formation. Which given how he likes to mix it up when in a good moment is a concious decision. You could say he often gets repaid by his players in the end, but I still feel that he was a bit slow both in december last year and in november 20 to make changes that would help us get points on the table.

I think that kind of criticism is fair, and it doesn't mean I have ever wanted him gone (I thought his demeanor in 20 was him wanting to be gone himself, now I just know that is how he can behave at times)
 
ScottSinclair said:
I agree with this, but one thing Pep often does that doesn't really help him in the heat of the moment when it comes to frustrated fans is that in crisis situations and runs of bad performances is the fact that he sticks with largely the same team and formation. Which given how he likes to mix it up when in a good moment is a concious decision. You could say he often gets repaid by his players in the end, but I still feel that he was a bit slow both in december last year and in november 20 to make changes that would help us get points on the table.

I think that kind of criticism is fair, and it doesn't mean I have ever wanted him gone (I thought his demeanor in 20 was him wanting to be gone himself, now I just know that is how he can behave at times)
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How can you be sure he was wrong to stick with the players he trusts? He played Rodri and Gundo when many were convinced those two weren't good enough.

Making changes after bad results is not always the best thing one can do. Having managed over 1000 games at the highest level, Pep is likely to know what he is doing. There's no algorithm for success, mistakes are unavoidable, a decline may be hard to avoid at some point. But if Pep has the energy and desire to manage, he is likely to win ultimately.
 
ScottSinclair said:
I never said anything about Rodri. I always defended him, like I do Savinho now. It was pretty shit of the OP to quote me properly and just type out the Rodri comment making it seem like that was me as well.

But I absolutely didn't think we would win anything in 20, but most importantly Pep himself looked lost at that point, for the first time since he arrived. But I have no problems admitting that, but I still feel at that moment in time criticism was warranted
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Tbf there was a news article circulating at the time that Pep admitted a double pivote wasn't working at the time (remember we were trying 2 in the middle early that year) and he basically said to scrap everything and start again, which is where we got the false 9 4-3-3 from. So the criticisms from people at the time aren't entirely without merit.

My larger point was that people had just punted on the season that early under the idea that Pep just could not see any potential for change in tactics. Pep has proven his capacity for pragmatism over and over at Barca, Bayern and City and the response to the Spurs game calling for his head was melodramatic to be polite. Shit teams sack their managers in November.
 
alexmcity said:
How can you be sure he was wrong to stick with the players he trusts? He played Rodri and Gundo when many were convinced those two weren't good enough.

Making changes after bad results is not always the best thing one can do. Having managed over 1000 games at the highest level, Pep is likely to know what he is doing. There's no algorithm for success, mistakes are unavoidable, a decline may be hard to avoid at some point. But if Pep has the energy and desire to manage, he is likely to win ultimately.
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Yeah I get that. I'd also be the first to hold my hands up and admit I don't really remember the tactical flaws in 2020, I just remember us being very turgid to watch.

I still stand by that persisting with that midfield and shape during the disaster run in december 2024 was downright negligence though.
 
ScottSinclair said:
Go back to November 2020 and all of that was true. Pep getting it right later doesn't change that fact, but is a huge reason why when we sunk to an even worse level around december last year I never thought Pep should go, unlike many on this forum. If you want to go scroll around for something a bit more recent I got asked what drugs I was on because I said that we aren't as bad as the majority would have us believe after the Brigthon loss and that we would come good this season. Because I was plain to see that we had made positive improvements compared to last season. No hindsight in the world can change the fact that in november 2020 or december 2024 there were no positivity at all. Proving a point is well and good, and quotikg old posts can be fun, especially when it is criticism about players. But you can't really take the feeling of how disjointed and shite we were out of context several years later to prove a point

Also a bit bad faith to lump in the "Rodri is the problem comment" like I was behind that as well. I defended Rodri in those days when half the forum called him Plodri. Because unlike our performances at the time it was easy to see that Rodri would improve
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Sorry to single you out mate, I didn’t actually know your name was on the quote. There were dozens and dozens of other bad takes.

But don’t double down on it. It should have been obvious then with that squad and manager we would click.
 
ScottSinclair said:
I agree with this, but one thing Pep often does that doesn't really help him in the heat of the moment when it comes to frustrated fans is that in crisis situations and runs of bad performances is the fact that he sticks with largely the same team and formation. Which given how he likes to mix it up when in a good moment is a concious decision. You could say he often gets repaid by his players in the end, but I still feel that he was a bit slow both in december last year and in november 20 to make changes that would help us get points on the table.

I think that kind of criticism is fair, and it doesn't mean I have ever wanted him gone (I thought his demeanor in 20 was him wanting to be gone himself, now I just know that is how he can behave at times)
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Stop it. Just stop it.
 
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Didsbury Dave said:
Sorry to single you out mate, I didn’t actually know your name was on the quote. There were dozens and dozens of other bad takes.

But don’t double down on it. It should have been obvious then with that squad and manager we would click.
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In hindsight yeah, and fair play to any of those that remained optimistic. But after a pretty damp title defence in 19/20 that were a bit too similar to the 12/13 Mancini season and then following it up with even worse football pre-christmas the following season with a manager that looked like he didn't want to be here, it really wasn't that obvious.

Again, it worked out perfectly but for context for this discussion those interested really need to go back and look at a few matches around that time and look at how unispired we looked, and also how Pep behaved at the sidelines. Anyone who doubted at that time were justified.

And for what you initially quoted; yest at that moment in time, after being spoilt for years, the performances were as poor as they had been since Hughes were in charge.
 
Myself admittedly can be harsh on Pep, but looking at how he continually creates teams that exude crisp passing, movements, synergy is applaudable. Some of these players won 4 in a row and they still look hungry.

Let's be honest, he is now working with more average players which I think might be our undoing this season, but in the summer if we can get Pep two top class wingers a back up striker and a two ready made top class midfielders I think we can go on another period of dominance.
 
Didsbury Dave said:
It's the total and utter certainty that they have in their shit opinions that is amazing. We finished 12 points clear of second place.
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Not making any great claims for my own opinions but I will stand by the one that a lot of people that post on social medai about football do not have much of a clue but think they do and give the impression of knowing better than Pep.

And people often do not seem to learn.

Pep is not perfect; no one is. However, I can think of few people who understand the game and can analyse it like Pep. He has one of the finest football brains of all time and was mentored by the genius that was Johan Cryuff.

People are entitled to their opinions and we wouldn't be on here if we didn't want to chat football / City but if you want a learned assessment of City, listen to Pep's press conferences: that is where you will get the best view (in amongst a load of pap due to the poverty of the questions raised by most of the comic writers). Pep even mentioned all the idiots he knew would be wringing their hands over his team selection last night, where he yet again proved who knows best. The most interesting bit was when he talked about positional play and pass selection in the 2nd half. One of the reasons City are so good is because of the coaching they get from Pep and his insight that he shares with them.
 
OB1 said:
Not making any great claims for my own opinions but I will stand by the one that a lot of people that post on social medai about football do not have much of a clue but think they do and give the impression of knowing better than Pep.

And people often do not seem to learn.

Pep is not perfect; no one is. However, I can think of few people who understand the game and can analyse it like Pep. He has one of the finest football brains of all time and was mentored by the genius that was Johan Cryuff.

People are entitled to their opinions and we wouldn't be on here if we didn't want to chat football / City but if you want a learned assessment of City, listen to Pep's press conferences: that is where you will get the best view (in amongst a load of pap due to the poverty of the questions raised by most of the comic writers). Pep even mentioned all the idiots he knew would be wringing their hands over his team selection last night, where he yet again proved who knows best. The most interesting bit was when he talked about positional play and pass selection in the 2nd half. One of the reasons City are so good is because of the coaching they get from Pep and his insight that he shares with them.
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Agree. Football is probably the biggest arena for the Dunning Kruger theory in the world. People who have never kicked a ball ranting about decisions made by a man who is arguably the greatest manager of the modern era. I made the mistake of dropping into the pre-match thread before the game last night and took a second to mock them. There were loads.

Even when decisions don't work I trust Pep's reasons for making them. He is great for many many reasons and tactics are just one of them. He also looks at the bigger picture in terms of the team: who needs game time, who needs a kick up the arse, who needs a run of games for form, who needs confidence etc etc. These ranters have zero knowlege of any of this but don't seem to be even aware. They are so ignorant of football that they don't even know they are ignorant of it. The guy above doubling down on nonsense which has been proved to be nonsense is a great example.

That thread after the Spurs game is quite something to read in retrospect. I enjoyed it in a macabre way.

"an overhaul is absolutely needed

this team is a busted flush.......it is too imbalanced and lightweight - with zero drive and fight

Compare Kompany, Yaya, Zabba, Prime Aguero and Ferna to what we have now -- they simply dont compare

Rodri is a consistent problem and the other option is no better
No let back for 3 seasons
B.Silva going backwards
Mahrez should be sold immediately

Our inverted wingers are a huge negative and our high fullbacks are not causing the opposition any issues BUT causing us all sorts of problems

Lots of possession and create very very little of note.

This was coming last season and now its well and truly imbedded .........it was constantly talked about in the sumer transfer threads that we needed more -we got the centre half but Torres hasnt replaced a peak Sane and wont, our midfield is wide open with Ferna now too old to start and leaving either an option fo GUndogan or Rodri (both who are shit)....an ageing Aguero not replaced and Mahrez stinking out the place nearly everytime he steps on the field

We won finish top 4 this season -not even close Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea ,Leicester all clearly better than us.

we are nearer to utd's level than we are to those 4"

Every single sentence turned out to be totally and utterly wrong.
 
Macca77macca said:
Pep wearing his suit for CL again.

Does my nut in.
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Mine too. Especially when he is so casually dressed for the FA Cup finals. I like a bit of tradition, and he always says he loves the FA Cup so show the final and occasion some respect.

Oh and the fans too by the team actually turning up sober on the day of the final. But that's another story.

But yes get a goddam suit on for cup finals. I ain't bovvered any other time what he wears tbh.
 
OB1 said:
Not making any great claims for my own opinions but I will stand by the one that a lot of people that post on social medai about football do not have much of a clue but think they do and give the impression of knowing better than Pep.

And people often do not seem to learn.

Pep is not perfect; no one is. However, I can think of few people who understand the game and can analyse it like Pep. He has one of the finest football brains of all time and was mentored by the genius that was Johan Cryuff.

People are entitled to their opinions and we wouldn't be on here if we didn't want to chat football / City but if you want a learned assessment of City, listen to Pep's press conferences: that is where you will get the best view (in amongst a load of pap due to the poverty of the questions raised by most of the comic writers). Pep even mentioned all the idiots he knew would be wringing their hands over his team selection last night, where he yet again proved who knows best. The most interesting bit was when he talked about positional play and pass selection in the 2nd half. One of the reasons City are so good is because of the coaching they get from Pep and his insight that he shares with them.
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The thing I really don't get aren't so much those that might have had a few doubt whether he had the energy to go again, it's those that were so convinced despite his record since he started managing that he'd been found out and football had moved on ,left him behind and he should have gone after the treble. That he shouldn't be allowed and hadn't earned the trust to rebuild a new team to take us forward. Stating opinions like he'd stick to the old players and didn''t fancy Gonzalez or Khusonov as facts.
Some of those posters have been repeating those things throughout his tenure as well, when we have any bad patches.For one or two they've seemingly wanted him to fail and be gone since he arrived.
 
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