Agreed he's not direct enough with not that many tricks to drastically change the way City play, They will still lack in penetration at times, and Grealish is tier below Silva in terms of vision and passing. So drawing fouls and keeping possesion will be good for city but won't help them with their lack of direct play and goalscoring ability..
Jack Grealish | Man City
- Thread starter RDCR07
- Start date
I thought he did quite well. It's a bit odd in that what they are probably lacking is somebody a little more direct in the forward areas. A lot of his skills overlap with Bernardo in my eyes, even if he's slightly better. Maybe the difference Pep sees is that Grealish tends to carry and hold onto the ball until the last moment whereas they have quite a few that pass with a quicker tempo.
I think he'll turn out to be very good for them but it wouldn't have been my first choice to improve that City side. However ultimately it's not going to matter that much if and when it all clicks as they'll have so much quality.
I think he'll turn out to be very good for them but it wouldn't have been my first choice to improve that City side. However ultimately it's not going to matter that much if and when it all clicks as they'll have so much quality.
Looked very meh I thought. Drifted around and dawdled on the ball like he had all the time in the world. Basically did what any of City’s other attacking options have typically done except slower.
I’m sure he will improve, but it’s been a very average start for someone with so much manufactured fanfare. Some of the other City players must hate him.
I’m sure he will improve, but it’s been a very average start for someone with so much manufactured fanfare. Some of the other City players must hate him.
Agree. I think for example Rashford would be criticised in here for the exact same performance for doing nothing.
Grealish is a very good player but the hype around him is a bit too much imo.
Offer City nothing that they didn't have before. It really rubbed me the wrong way him getting all these fouls then that idiot ref didn't give the same fouls to Alli and Co.
He might come good eventually. at the moment he's not what city's are missing. especially that he roams where they have enough capability in the likes of Sterling.
I always viewed him as a counter attacking player, don't think he'll fit in well at City where it's all about the system.
He should of gone elsewhere where players are allowed a lot more freedom on the ball that's where he would of shone.
He should of gone elsewhere where players are allowed a lot more freedom on the ball that's where he would of shone.
Tanaganga will clean out the back pocket of his jeans when he gets home and find his wallet, a packet of chewing gum, a condom and jack grealish.
£100m
£100m
I never watched him much but his style, he certainly likes holding on to the ball, it's difficult to take it from him but most importantly it focuses a lot of attention.
He wouldn't fit a high intensity team but he'll be OK at City. It didn't click so far because him and Sterling are getting into each other's way. He'll not transform the world that team but they don't need transformation, so I guess he'll get good numbers without being a standout figure at City.
He wouldn't fit a high intensity team but he'll be OK at City. It didn't click so far because him and Sterling are getting into each other's way. He'll not transform the world that team but they don't need transformation, so I guess he'll get good numbers without being a standout figure at City.
The way (most) opponents play against Villa is different to the way (most) opponents play against City. Sides defend deeper against City and in more numbers, so City always have a lot of possession and need to break sides down.. either by the speed of attacks (players like Mahrez, Sterling) or by great passes (KdB, Silva when he was there) or a mix (Foden).
City have two holding midfielders to rotate for that position then Gundogan, Mahrez, B Silva, Sterling, Foden, KdB, Torres, Jesus to play the other five. That list has speed, intricate passing, quick passing, individual skill and I'm struggling to see what Grealish adds that City didn't have already. Then add he costs £100m, it makes no sense at all, other than "look at us, we've got a popular England Intl".
Grealish was a very good player at Villa and he suited their game, he suited the way a lot of opponents set up against them (some space to run at defenders) and a lot of stuff went through him. I'm sure he'll win trophies at City but I don't see that he will make a difference between them winning trophies and not.
Kane on the other hand...
City have two holding midfielders to rotate for that position then Gundogan, Mahrez, B Silva, Sterling, Foden, KdB, Torres, Jesus to play the other five. That list has speed, intricate passing, quick passing, individual skill and I'm struggling to see what Grealish adds that City didn't have already. Then add he costs £100m, it makes no sense at all, other than "look at us, we've got a popular England Intl".
Grealish was a very good player at Villa and he suited their game, he suited the way a lot of opponents set up against them (some space to run at defenders) and a lot of stuff went through him. I'm sure he'll win trophies at City but I don't see that he will make a difference between them winning trophies and not.
Kane on the other hand...
Thought he was decent actually, one of the few players they had that looked like doing something and he actually did a bit of tracking back which I was surprised at. His shooting doesn't look that great though.
Decent is a good word to describe Grealish’s contribution for City. I still question whether he fits into Pep’s system but it’s early in the season and he may well become a Pep kind of footballer.
I agree with you but I think he's got enough quality to overcome packed defences, he won't have as many influential games though, in the sense that he's bossed the entire game. The problem City have is who does he replace? I'm not sure playing him centrally really gets the best from him but out wide, he'd need to replace someone and even if he does really well, is his 'really well' really much better than Sterling? Or Mahrez? Mahrez is class and he had a rocky one last year but Sterling's output for them has been mega. I'm giving him this season at least before writing him off at that level.
So I'm not sure what he really boosts for them. Same reason I thought we wouldn't be best going for him. I don't think he's better than a fit Rashford and I rate Sancho higher, especially for what this United team needed badly - an actual right winger.
Chelsea have to give Werner another year, otherwise they'd have been a brilliant place for him to go and be their inside left forward. Grealish seems to have been ready for a move at a time when really, the clubs who would love to have him, aren't crying out for him. City almost panicked and just pushed the button, maybe in part due to his popularity, status, nationality etc but I'm really not sure that he earns them more points than they would have gotten without him.
I agree. It looked to me like very solid recruitment and succession planning and now he’s being pushed out for grealish.
The thing is he's the style of player who will always look the best player on the pitch for any team. But the problem is, is he the best for the team or a system? Going just based on this game, he slowed down the play for City by hanging onto the ball for longer than what other City players would do and what would be best their system. It remains to be seen if that will work in the long term or Pep will coach him to fit into his system.
"Modern day Ronaldinho"
Thing is he doesn't even look like their best player. KDB came on and instantly elevated them.
Exactly. KDB showed how to impact the play directly while Jack strolled around, held the ball running into nowhere and trying to protect the ball.
Fallon d’floor winner 2022.
You heard it here first.
You heard it here first.
Keep diving Tim Cahill.
Not about that the hype ,as I've always been one to say he's fantastic, but I saw the flaw today that Souness was talking about last season. He stops the ball a lot and can dribble in circles. That's not very progressive play, especially in a systemic team like City. His style of play is a bit like Zidane ( without the silky touches), he needs a lot of time on the ball and probably works best with a team that plays with space( like us or liverpool). His creativity comes from the space he creates by holding the ball, but if he can't do that in Pep's team, is he actually as creative? That's the big question here.
It’s just one game, he will come good and they will figure out how to integrate him into the team. The improvement over replaced player will be fairly small though because they already had plenty of quality on the wings and in midfield.
Kane will be a much more impactful signing for them.
Kane will be a much more impactful signing for them.
Always thought he was more of a united player than a city player. But we have Bruno and Sancho now and therefore have no interest in him. I hope he flops spectacularly for them
"Modern day Ronaldinho"
What dope said that?
Mrs Grealish 69 AKA @Eternitiy
People just need to cool off. You can’t judge a player after one game. I ain’t one of the Grealish fans bois but I think he will eventually come good. He is playing in a great team with good players around him. He is bound to improve his game.
He doesn't look like a player that thinks quickly. I watched a selection of Villa games earlier in the year after reading all the hype about him on here, he was quite disappointing. Maybe i expected too much.
A good dribbler and ball carrier and was definitely a vital tactical piece for Villa, but i didn't see a player with much versatility in his creative aspects, nor a particularly intelligent midfielder when moving into central areas. Lots of deliberately drawing fouls when it would have been smarter to keep play going with a pass or actually stay on his feet and beat his man. Passing was fine technically, but didn't see a strong vision.
A good dribbler and ball carrier and was definitely a vital tactical piece for Villa, but i didn't see a player with much versatility in his creative aspects, nor a particularly intelligent midfielder when moving into central areas. Lots of deliberately drawing fouls when it would have been smarter to keep play going with a pass or actually stay on his feet and beat his man. Passing was fine technically, but didn't see a strong vision.
Well, let's hope he does not then.
I still heart Martin Petrov
Having heard Jack's interviews, I don't think being slower with the ol' thinking is only limited to his time on the pitch.
Ofcourse he will. It's the absurd comparison that is getting mocked here. Gary Neville suggested he feels it's like Zidane before he moved to Juventus, some wanted to swap Bruno for him and some compared him to Ronaldinho if you can believe that. So it's natural that he is being scrutinized heavily
It’s inevitable though isn’t it especially when you play alongside those players and their manager?
Well of course that doesn’t make sense. Those comparisons are stupid. He isn’t going to be their savior cause KDB is their best player. It’s just a case of the grass being greener on the other side. No matter who we have some fans will always want more even if they don’t fit our team or system.
Nothing is inevitable. He could well be a flop. Not that Pep's team never had good players not working out as much as they should have.
I agree with a lot of your points regarding him but it can happen 2 things for him under Guardiola. Or he completely improves those weaknesses he has and under that system he will be a top 5 or 10 player in the world or restricted to a style of play where he will be restricted to certain areas and he will have to respect more his positions in the pitch instead floating freely around the pitch like he did at Villa he might suffer there.
I already said something who might be ridiculous to some who watched football in the 90’s but here it goes.
I don’t see on him a bigger natural talent than Balakov or Mostovoi,he certainly doesn’t give me the same vibe as Rui Costa between 96/98 or Figo between 98/2000.
And if we want to raise the bar, compared to Michael Laudrup or Zinedine Zidane he is miles away.
But we’re on unknown territory here knowing he will play in one of the best squads in the planet, under a specific coach, but I doubt he will reach De Bruyne levels, I am really finding pathetic some posters labelling him as the best player in the league when in fact he hasn’t done nothing similar to De Bruyne in his career.
At best what he did for Villa last season might be compared to what De Bruyne did at…Wolfsburg.
There are more chances of him flopping if he is a youngster around 19-20 but he has proven himself at Villa for a couple of years now so the chances of him succeeding or improving are higher.
I said it when they signed Grealish. Whatever you feel about him as a player, £100 mil for someone who doesn’t really give £100 mil of improvement to your first 11 isn’t a good signing. I really do not see what he brings to the team that their other attacking players already give them.
He could have a successful career at city but for the value, it’s a dreadful signing. There’s no value in selling him and he adds no value to your team. Compare that to Sancho or Lukaku who both were bought for huge fees but have clear value to the team.
He could have a successful career at city but for the value, it’s a dreadful signing. There’s no value in selling him and he adds no value to your team. Compare that to Sancho or Lukaku who both were bought for huge fees but have clear value to the team.
Grealish with his 5 drawn fouls showing players with hat-tricks and 4 assists in a single game that there's levels to this shit.
Truly we have seen Ronaldinho reincarnated.
Truly we have seen Ronaldinho reincarnated.