Josko Gvardiol

[mu4c_20le]

I also like how proactive he is when defending. Always keen to stop the attack high up the pitch at the risk of making himself look silly occasionally. It's the opposite of VVD who will backtrack till he's in the stands in fear of getting beat by someone.

This isn't the Maguire thread

 

[Madridista2000]

Messi took off 20 million euros of the price last night

 

[100]

He should have just fouled him. Defenders don't do that enough for me. Just take the foul and yellow and live to fight another day

I bet on certain players to get booked in games and was thinking that tactical fouling has been happening a lot less in this World Cup. I’ve watched Messi being allowed to run at teams constantly

it’s not surprising to me that one of the best at tactical fouling are in the final

 

[arnie_ni]

I bet on certain players to get booked in games and was thinking that tactical fouling has been happening a lot less in this World Cup. I’ve watched Messi being allowed to run at teams constantly

it’s not surprising to me that one of the best at tactical fouling are in the final

Agreed. United don't do it enough as a team either.

He let messi go from more or.less the half way line. Its inexcusable tbh. I'd be fuming as a coach that my cb hasn't just grabbed his shirt and took a yellow

 

[Boavista]

He had another player coming back to cover who would have helped cut off Messi when he initially started moving back toward the top of the box. Great prospect in general but it was really shit defending. Gvardiol showed zero awareness of his teammate and the overall situation when he bit hard on that move toward the top of the box and therefore opened the door for Messi to reverse direction and beat him to the byline.

It's not great defending overall, but forcing Messi to the byline although Messi already had a head start isn't that bad defending in my opinion. Lovren looked nowhere near to actually help out and then stands in no man's land while Messi's best passing option Alvarez stands there completely unmarked by anyone else.

I think Gvardiol's defending looks worse by the fact that Croatia lost defensive shape entirely. No one picked up on Alvarez' run which in my opinion is the real error.

 

[bosskeano]

Messi is left footed and he was on the right side of the pitch.....any coach with half a brain would have been encouraging him to push Messi to his right. Gvardiol defending him exactly like he would have been taught

 

[Primex]

Agreed. United don't do it enough as a team either.

He let messi go from more or.less the half way line. Its inexcusable tbh. I'd be fuming as a coach that my cb hasn't just grabbed his shirt and took a yellow

We actually do this season

 

[Samid]

Wasn't this bloke a CB? Looks a natural out wide.

 

[padr81]

Wasn't this bloke a CB? Looks a natural out wide.

He only got shoehorned at left back cause Pep didn't trust him at CB. Now he's probably our best left winger over Grealish and Doku.

 

[FeedTheGoat]

Total footballer

 

[StamsShinyHead]

Great player. Only going to get better too.