Josko Gvardiol

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:wenger:
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
Best part about that; he IS best on CB , but he played LB in Dinamo often. Then on last Euro Dalic played him all 4 games on LB.
And now........great Pep invented that.:rolleyes:
Tesla/Edison situation. One invents, other gets credits.
 
When I saw the bump, I was hoping it was because he was the latest City player rumored to be leaving.
 
I couldn't believe he tried to back heel Amad's finish away. :lol:
 
He's gotten so lazy on the back of a few goals. Zero effort out of possession. Wonderful on the ball but needs a proper kick in the arse when we don't have it.
 
He is the opposite of the "no-nonsense" defender. He has frills - pace and some goals but "full of nonsense" otherwise.
 
I swear his cost them in two consecutive games. I liked watching him at LB but I see why Pep played him there now. Weird player.
 
The emblem of city's cheating. The world's most expensive defender, but at city he's just another player in the pack.
 
Ok he's scored a few goals this season, some crackers, but defensively he's made appalling errors. His attempt to stop Amad's shot was pathetic! Not complaining though!

I couldn't give a shit about one of my defenders putting it in the top corner every now and again if he's committing defensive howlers at the other end!
 
Love him for Croatia but hate him for City. He's no worse than the others though. Whole team is in a crisis. Beatutiful thing to watch really.
 
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He's going to be amazing eventually, but has had a rough time lately like pretty much everyone else on that team.