What are we expecting from Pep's first season?

[cheddar404]

Some intensity and passion. If we win something then that's a bonus.

 

[Gray]

Get it over to those who will listen that football is a simple game.

1. When you don't have the ball every player must defend as if their life depended on it and get it back ASAP.
2. When you have the ball get it forward ASAP and use the full width of the pitch.
3. The dead ball line does not mark out a minefield, get to it and cut the ball back which has always troubled the best of defenders.
4. Free kicks and corner kicks are a chance to pressurise the opposition do not waste them.
5. Try shooting that is the only way you will score other than a fluke, and for Gods sake practise it between games.
6. If you don't come off the pitch physically drained having given your all for yourself, the coaches and last but not least the fans, then you will not be playing in the next match.

 

[g180aj]

I don't just want to win at Anfield, I want to embarrass then on their soil!

 

[Blue Hefner]

He's is starting from roughly the same point Mancini did when he took over from Hughes - a good collection of players but do not have any sort of organisation. If he has been worth the wait, he should be able to sort the defensive and attacking strategies out in a reasonable amount of time and have us challenging for the league

 

[Neville Kneville]

He's is starting from roughly the same point Mancini did when he took over from Hughes - a good collection of players but do not have any sort of organisation. If he has been worth the wait, he should be able to sort the defensive and attacking strategies out in a reasonable amount of time and have us challenging for the league

He has a far far better squad than Hughes/Mancini had at that time. Not that you would think so looking at their performances under MP.

He will surely have us challenging. But I think the expectation would have been for him to be taking over a much better team & moving it up a level, not creating a new one from a shambles.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

He's is starting from roughly the same point Mancini did when he took over from Hughes - a good collection of players but do not have any sort of organisation. If he has been worth the wait, he should be able to sort the defensive and attacking strategies out in a reasonable amount of time and have us challenging for the league

Mancini had:
Given Richards Zaba Kolo Kompany Ireland Petrov Barry deJong Tevez Bellamy Taylor Garrido Sylvinho Weiss and Robinho
for that first away game at Wolves. Guardiola will be coming into a much better squad.

 

[CityFan94]

I still think the foundations are here for Pep to come in and win the league in his first season.

There are some very, very good players here. Aguero, Kompany, Hart, De Bruyne, Sterling, Silva and Fernandinho are top players in this league. Centre midfield and full back are clearly problem areas and Pep will upgrade those two areas. Once we upgrade centre midfield, which it looks like we will with Gundogan/Pogba/Xhaka/Weigl, then we will go up a level and become a top team IMO. I really think that'll make a huge difference. Iheanacho and Denayer are great youth products who could make a big impact next season too.

It's extraordinary how badly Pellegrini has got a squad this talented playing. A front four of Aguero, Silva, de Bruyne and Sterling struggling to score goals - unbelievable.

 

[Eaglechief]

If he doesn't win everything in his first season, I pity him in the threads that will ensue on here.

Honestly, I'm not sure about this.

I think we are all agreed that the overwhelming majority of us are behind Pep as our manager, so most of us will give him the benefit of the doubt in his first season, lord knows he's going to need it to sort out the mess left behind by Pellegrini!

 

[Saddleworth2]

I am expecting organisation, tactics, much improved fitness (not injury record, actual cardiovascular fitness), proper thought out and planned formations and player selections, preparation on how the opposition play and their strengths and weaknesses, proper motivation re-installing that confidence/swagger/arrogance we used to have...

Because we appear to have had none of that!

With that we can start thinking about winning football matches on a regular basis and build from there. Let's see where we are come Christmas and then see what we think we'll achieve for the rest of next season from there. Because right now it's all a mess and Guardiola's first job is to sort the mess out, not come here and win the league, because we aren't a club in a position to win the league the way this manager is going to leave us.

Agree with all that. Think it will take at least til Christmas to achieve what you posted in your first para. We may well have a bumpy ride prior to that.

 

[quiet_riot]

- Undefeated at home.
- maximum points from all 3 promoted teams.
- Some signs of youth getting some regular game time