Pep's contract situation | 2 year extension confirmed! (pg1817)

[argyle]

By ideological shortfall you mean he signed Rodri to replace Ferna right? Because that's pretty much the only place where I could see dismantling and rebuilding in his image? For the most part the rest of what we have/have bought is the same group that got 198 points in two seasons.

I agree to some extent that he may not be getting through to certain players, but ultimately the bigger picture as I said in my previous post, is that there isn't a magic wand manager who is going to come in and massively improve results/performances in the medium term. You might get a new manager bounce but when it comes to putting the work in on the training pitch, Guardiola's methods are second to none. You don't need to look at his results to know that, you need only listen to what players who have worked under him have said.

Obviously things aren't great right now, but I'd be very very wary of simply writing Pep off. As I said the board need to hold their hands up too and accept that their recruitment since summer 2018 has been far too reactive and whilst they like to pat themselves on the back for being smart, you're not smart when your smartness ends up with players who aren't quite what you need.

With the amount already invested in Guardiola (and Txiki and Ferran) by the owners, I fail to see anything other than him being backed with big money in the summer to buy 3 or 4 players who he can drop straight into the best XI. It's really not THAT surprising that players who did 198 points between 2017 and 2019 would have a drop off subsequently. The group needs refreshing and competition arriving.

My guess is that they'll sell a 'big' player from the group in the summer too. A shot across the bows of those who are left.

My guess would be Bernardo or Mahrez.

 

[Keeper!]

It's 100% obvious, mate. He's played his way back into form and been outstanding every time he's played. The fact that he started against United tells you all you need to know. He got given a week off so Ake could get a game under his belt. Bet you he plays in the next game. Dias will get rested soon too.

EDIT - I've just realised you mean he might be injured. Of course this is a possibility.

He could well be injured, or "injured" or his head has gone again, lets hope it none of these and he is back in the side/squad this weekend.

 

[Keeper!]

It can only be an issue if you know for sure, which you don't.

Pep has often said, he will always protect the players to the media, but behind closed doors, he pulls no punches.

Behind closed doors I could imagine he is a right cnut all the great managers are!

 

[mosssideblue]

Behind closed doors I could imagine he is a right cnut all the great managers are!

I agree, just responding to a suggestion of him being too soft

 

[doobyedoobye]

Bernardo isn’t playing so I imagine he would be the only A grade player sold, which means there wouldn’t be significant investment required outside of his replacement and a LB..

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

Behind closed doors I could imagine he is a right cnut all the great managers are!

It sounds like I would make a great manager then!

 

[BillyShears]

Mahrez for Sane in effect, killing the width, variety and pace for below par invertee wingers which stifles us and has knocked Raz into a shell of his former self.

Relying on favourites like Gundogan when we could be far more enterprising with Foden and give him time to develop into the player he can be and we'd be no worse off in terms of results this season.

So, in addition to Plodri which doesn't work, there's inverted wingers which doesn't work, no width which doesn't work, no left back which doesn't work, and a lack of Foden which stops our long-term development into the team we could become with a homegrown interpretation of Silva with its own mystique and uniqueness, which despite Gundogan having the odd good game is sorely lacking from the side.

We need a new front 3, a midfield powerhouse and a left back next summer. We've got the most we'll get out of Raz, Gundogan and Mahrez and 2bh I think it's time we ended the £60m model, raise funds from underperforming players, create a ruthless culture and re-invent what we do.

Leroy is having the same application issues he had at City and his time at the club has been a little bit romanticised. He was awful against parked buses but great when there was loads of space to run into. It's also worth remembering/noting that we managed to garner 98 points in 18/19 using inverted wingers.

The funny thing is a lot of what you seem to be stating categorically doesn't work, has categorically worked for Pep and this team. I agree that we need a couple of attacking players a left back and another centre midfield player. I imagine that's what Pep will end up getting too.

To go back to the beginning, 'ideological shortfall' is a nice soundbite but it doesn't actually make sense when you analyse the players and the performances. Ultimately we've been poor because the players have been poor both collectively and individually in the last 12/14 months and the squad is in transition. Guardiola isn't blameless in any of that, but he isn't the root cause of all our issues either and he's by some distance the most likely coach to fix them.

Just to be devils advocate, from a lot of what I'm reading on here, there's a sense that Pep is finished at City. If that is the case then we should sink like a stone in the league the way that Mourinho's Chelsea did in his last season or Poch's Spurs did. Personally I don't think that's going to happen, but if the doom mongering is correct then maybe it will.

 

[wolviedinho]

It can only be an issue if you know for sure, which you don't.

Pep has often said, he will always protect the players to the media, but behind closed doors, he pulls no punches.

The same logic applies to you own deductions. We are a soft touch. We purchase nice players. What did we expect was going to happen? Squad Harmony is important but so is so tough nasty players if we are to win titles again.

The displays indicate we are still patting ourselves on the back for those 2 outstanding seasons.

The same goes for KAM- he needs to get tough with Pep. Its all to nice.

 

[FantasyIreland]

I actually think he is and it is an issue.

Not a fucking prayer.

Pep is a winner,he's driven by success and the opportunity to be the best.You do not achieve what he has in the game without having a ruthless streak,and taking any shit.

The last 5 mins of the West Brom game should have been an indicator of his mentality and passion,he'll behave how he needs to to get the result.

Make no mistake,as unhappy as some fans are right now with the drop off in form and the lack of consistency,Pep will be hurting more......he hasnt signed an extension to go through the motions,and i suspect he will stop at nothing to get us back to where we all believe we belong.

 

[mosssideblue]

The same logic applies to you own deductions. We are a soft touch. We purchase nice players. What did we expect was going to happen? Squad Harmony is important but so is so tough nasty players if we are to win titles again.

The displays indicate we are still patting ourselves on the back for those 2 outstanding seasons.

The same goes for KAM- he needs to get tough with Pep. Its all to nice.

Who were these tough nasty players you talk of that won us recent titles?

As for getting tough on Pep, you and I have no idea whether or not that is occuring