Pep (Sky Interview)

[Didsbury Dave]

Wigan was a fluke and probably would not have happened if we kept 11 players on the field. Just pointing out that we are vulnerable in certain situations and perhaps we could make adjustments. I accept that we will lose games I expect we will do well to break 90 points next season which hopefully will be enough to claim back to back titles. I too hope Pep extends his contract and gives us 4 or 5 years never suggested otherwise.

You're buying into the media bullshit that Liverpool have somehow got something over us. You will see next season. They got a collosal amount of luck against us, and we made errors, tactical and playing. They are a good side but we are better and the cream will rise to the top again.

 

[Father Paul]

You're buying into the media bullshit that Liverpool have somehow got something over us. You will see next season. They got a collosal amount of luck against us, and we made errors, tactical and playing. They are a good side but we are better and the cream will rise to the top again.

Not really I am going on what I see in front of me rather than as you call it media bull and while we were unlucky we still fell short. I agree fully roll on next season and lets hope cream does rise to the top.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

You're buying into the media bullshit that Liverpool have somehow got something over us. You will see next season. They got a collosal amount of luck against us, and we made errors, tactical and playing. They are a good side but we are better and the cream will rise to the top again.

they have got something over us. The fact our defenders piss their pants at Anfield and the fact the referees would rather be hung, drawn and quartered than give us the decisions we should get against them, especially at their place.

 

[aguerrrroooooooooooo]

Anywhere I can watch this? Didn't know it was happening tbh

 

[OB1]

It was a fantastic show and offered a great insight in to his outlook on the game. If there is such a thing as a football genius, then he is it.

For anyone who enjoyed the program, I'd thoroughly recommend the Pep Confidential book. It talks about many of the same things, but goes in to far more intricate detail.

I, and others, said at the start of last season the two books on Pep by Marti Perarnau were essential reading (not literally: it's a free country etc). Quite a few people got snarky with those who had read one or both of the books but I think time has proved that they were useful to those who enjoyed them; especially when we didn't sweep all before last season: you could still see what was coming. That said, this league season has exceeded expectation.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

they have got something over us. The fact our defenders piss their pants at Anfield and the fact the referees would rather be hung, drawn and quartered than give us the decisions we should get against them, especially at their place.

That's basically it, i'd say. There's an element of psychology playing at Anfield which we will conquer. The league game was one of those things - no Silva and a terrible 10 minutes where our arses went. Pep's big mistake this season was the team we set up with for half an hour in the semi first leg. We should have stuck to our guns and played our strongest team/system, rather than compromise and try to shore up midfield.

But they are not better than us, they didn't beat us by attacking us or any other media truism like that. They are a good team who got lucky against us. We don't need to change anything.

 

[OB1]

I'm far from an expert but I think Pep's willingness to learn from other sports is crucial to how we play. The way we create space isn't football in the traditional sense. Our players rotate around positions in a way that most other teams don't so the ball stays in roughly the same position on the pitch but there will be three players all rotating around with it. This is particularly noticeable when BSilva plays on the right and reminds me of basketball.

coaching the players to ignore their 'instinct' and play his way must take time. Especially with elite players who come with egos and past experience of success playing a different way.

I'm sure you are right. Pep is a big fan of basketball

 

[jaiguruKun]

Watching some of it now, it's obvious what Nev the Red Shop Steward thinks of Pep!
Don't think he's forgotten Pep 's comments about his "managerial career"

 

[Chris in London]

That's basically it, i'd say. There's an element of psychology playing at Anfield which we will conquer. The league game was one of those things - no Silva and a terrible 10 minutes where our arses went. Pep's big mistake this season was the team we set up with for half an hour in the semi first leg. We should have stuck to our guns and played our strongest team/system, rather than compromise and try to shore up midfield.

But they are not better than us, they didn't beat us by attacking us or any other media truism like that. They are a good team who got lucky against us. We don't need to change anything.

On a neutral ground with an impartial and competent referee, strongest 11 v strongest 11, I think we beat them 7 or 8 times out of 10.

 

[OB1]

No, but football is quite simple, and Pep's football is a lot more simple than many imagine imho.

Yes, football is a relatively simple game, especially if you want to get reductive about it, and getting the simple things right time after time is hugely important. Pep likes his players to play short simple passes most of the time and gets upset when they miss a simple pass with good reason. Football has though become more sophisticated over the years (although the UK has often been slow to move compared to other countries) and Pep's football might just be the most sophisticated yet. Sophisticated does not have to mean complicated - simple yet elegant is usually a good thing.

What's very clear though is that positional play, which might sound simple, is a lot harder for players to grasp or managers to implement than other ways of playing.