Manchester City under Pep Guardiola | Pep on City v Liverpool ref: "He likes to be special"

One of the seniors at Bayern said it best "Pep only wants to win his way", you kind of feel he only has one way of winning and that isn't enough for in England and never has been truth been told. The Sunday Supplement's John Cross said it well too; he came over with ideas of how he would change English football, how he was so far ahead of everyone else and look at what has happened. He doesn't come across well during interviews when the team hasn't won, he is used to getting his own way and when that isn't the case all his toys get thrown out of the pram.

It was the same with Jose when he first arrived charming and lyrical when his team won but bitter and condescending when they don't. I recall Jose's first defeat in the league, I think it was against Villa if I am not mistaken, you could see what he was all about right there and then. He has to overhaul an ageing squad and they don't have one player in their back line worthy of sustained success, not one, and they have spent some big money and made some big signings and decisions in that area.

In Spain and Germany 75% of the games were basically a forgone conclusion, perhaps even more, mainly because of the infrastructure he inherited; it is a totally different prospect at City. If I were a City fan I would not be happy with the interview he gave yesterday, some worrying signs for sure.
 
More than anything that interview is hardly going to have a positive effect on his squad. For all his tactical acumen and managerial skills, he does seem to lack the man management skills and the interpersonal touch.
 
He looks completely exhausted already.

I think whatever happens he'll stay at City this season. But if next season is a similar scenario City struggling around 5th or 6th place he'll quit.
 
stevieg4ever said:
In Spain and Germany 75% of the games were basically a forgone conclusion, perhaps even more, mainly because of the infrastructure he inherited; it is a totally different prospect at City. If I were a City fan I would not be happy with the interview he gave yesterday, some worrying signs for sure.
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It's also a pretty damning indictment of how Manchester City is being run. They've been preparing for Guardiola's arrival for three years. They brought in Soriano and Begiristain for Guardiola. They built a 'mini La Masia' for Guardiola. But despite knowing he would succeed Pellegrini, they recruited poorly and left him with a squad that scraped 4th place.

Guardiola must be feeling the strain. Whether he wishes to admit it or not, the Premier League is unforgiving - there is no let up.

He'll get it right. I'd imagine the winter schedule feels like a shock to the system for him. Spending Christmas Day evening in a hotel in Hull is a far cry from sunning yourself on a beach in Barcelona.
 
His is almost the demeanour of an only child not used to sharing and who doesn't react well when told he has to. When he has everything his own way, is winning 3 consecutive titles in Spain and 3 consecutive titles in Germany things are fine. But even then if things don't go all his own way within that he throws a hissy fit. Publicly humiliating his own medical staff at Bayern being just one example.

He's gone from jobs where the pressure was essentially: 'how much more effortlessly brilliant than other teams will we be this week: much more or much, much more?', to one where most weeks is going to be a scrap and a hurdle that isn't always easy to overcome. And he looks like he can't stand it.
 
Minimalist said:
Think he'll just spend a ton of money in the next two windows. He'll win something I'm sure.
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Yeah he will. As much as i'd like him to be an utter failure, he will go for broke next Summer if he feels he could be sacked for not delivering.
 
JoaquinJoaquin said:
Yeah he will. As much as i'd like him to be an utter failure, he will go for broke next Summer if he feels he could be sacked for not delivering.
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spend another 50m on a centre half who doesn't like tackling? His nature is at odds with the league, as LVG found out. He ended up doing long balls to Fellaini
 
JoaquinJoaquin said:
Yeah he will. As much as i'd like him to be an utter failure, he will go for broke next Summer if he feels he could be sacked for not delivering.
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The thing is, the lustre of City just isn't there these days, Pep or no Pep. The novelty has worn off since 2012 and now there's much more of a level playing field in terms of finances across the big clubs I'm just not sure they'll find it easy to get the players Pep needs, and they don't exactly grow on trees either.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
Here's the twist. Chelsea won the Champions League in the 2011/12 season.

Also, Man Utd did have Ronaldo for six seasons.
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Champions league = tournament.
United had Ronaldo, but was still nothing on that Barcelona side.

It's not about the league being weak, it's because Barcelona (and Madrid) were such good sides.
It'd be no different if they were in the premiership.
 
Joga Bonito said:
More than anything that interview is hardly going to have a positive effect on his squad. For all his tactical acumen and managerial skills, he does seem to lack the man management skills and the interpersonal touch.
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I think for him the same thing goes as for LvG. They are too perfectionistic when it comes to their tactics so they will bench players despite playing well in the public eye simply because they refuse to full fill their tactical instructions to a T or will berate them afterwards in their tactical analysis. A lot of players are probably annoyed by this. I remember that one scene where after a game that Bayern had one ran on the pitch and starting to lecture poor Kimmich over all the positional mistakes he made. I think it's save to say that not every player handles this kind of critique well.
 
Jacko21 said:
It's also a pretty damning indictment of how Manchester City is being run. They've been preparing for Guardiola's arrival for three years. They brought in Soriano and Begiristain for Guardiola. They built a 'mini La Masia' for Guardiola. But despite knowing he would succeed Pellegrini, they recruited poorly and left him with a squad that scraped 4th place.

Guardiola must be feeling the strain. Whether he wishes to admit it or not, the Premier League is unforgiving - there is no let up.

He'll get it right. I'd imagine the winter schedule feels like a shock to the system for him. Spending Christmas Day evening in a hotel in Hull is a far cry from sunning yourself on a beach in Barcelona.
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Superb post. Hits every single thing that's wrong with the way big modern clubs are being run and their belief that spending money on the 'Supercoaches', brings success
 
Cascarino said:
Champions league = tournament.
United had Ronaldo, but was still nothing on that Barcelona side.

It's not about the league being weak, it's because Barcelona (and Madrid) were such good sides.
It'd be no different if they were in the premiership.
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The point was about Jose saying that during his stint in Spain he had only one rival to worry about, that there were only two - four games a year that were at the highest intensity whilst in England there are a lot more games like that.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
The point was about Jose saying that during his stint in Spain he had only one rival to worry about, that there were only two - four games a year that were at the highest intensity whilst in England there are a lot more games like that.
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This is because Real Madrid and Barcelona are much better than everyone else. Put City in La Liga and I guanretee you they'd struggle to finish top 4.
Barca and Madrid would walk the Premier League.
 
Spiersey said:
This is because Real Madrid and Barcelona are much better than everyone else. Put City in La Liga and I guanretee you they'd struggle to finish top 4.
Barca and Madrid would walk the Premier League.
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That isn't the point FFS. A poster was claiming that Mou was lying about the Premier League being more competitive in relative terms.
 
Spiersey said:
This is because Real Madrid and Barcelona are much better than everyone else. Put City in La Liga and I guanretee you they'd struggle to finish top 4.
Barca and Madrid would walk the Premier League.
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This is non-sense based on nothing,

I agree they would be great teams in the prem but they wouldnt walk it by a long shot, say you plonked them in the league now, they play two distinct styles that are not proven by any stretch in the prem. They have fantastic players of the the highest quality but none have been through the rigors of the premier league the unforgiving schedule and the conditions.
 
rotherham_red said:
The thing is, the lustre of City just isn't there these days, Pep or no Pep. The novelty has worn off since 2012 and now there's much more of a level playing field in terms of finances across the big clubs I'm just not sure they'll find it easy to get the players Pep needs, and they don't exactly grow on trees either.
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Agreed, also, unlike us it remains to be seen if they can attract the worlds best without Champions League football, they hardly did with it. Id say Gundogan, Sane, Stones, Nolito, Bravo and Gabriel are hardly statement signings nor do they scream out to me "were a team taking the next step" most are worse replacements for what they have or sideways steps.

Not to mention they will be competing with us, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and potentially Spurs for the same small pool of very expensive players. Id say our summer was leaps and bounds better than theirs and it looks like we have identified a market we can operate in- the elite level. Not a chance City could have got Pogba. Ibra. Mikhi without CL football.
 
Zoo said:


Brace of Pep to take on this challenge.
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Jeez, Pep's 'friends' could be a little more discreet. The supporters won't like the comparison. Worse still, the owners haven't invested that much to have their shiny new manager describing them as less than a big football club.
 
Ramshock said:
:lol: Villareal

Question for you lot, would United have been an even harder job for Pep?
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I don't think he would be as much under as much pressure here. Same with Jose, even if we missed out on top 4 this year under Guardiola we wouldn't be sacking him. Not sure if the job would be harder, but probably less pressure.
 
Oscie said:
I don't think he would be as much under as much pressure here. Same with Jose, even if we missed out on top 4 this year under Guardiola we wouldn't be sacking him. Not sure if the job would be harder, but probably less pressure.
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I dunno about less pressure, no way the Stockport Sheikhs dont give Pep more than a season.
 
Imagine if he goes crazy and packs it up at the end of the season winning nothing. Most probably that scenario won't happen but it would be comedy gold.

It seems the second things don't go his way or, God forbid, journos ask him something, he goes bananas.

He would just want to work in peace and be included in nice football discussions in which he can show his football genius and brilliance.

And the whole english media and public are out to get him. I think it's cause he's foreign amirite?
 
Everyone flips too easily on this subject and is making a much bigger deal of it than it really is. It was Mourinho at the beginning of the season and it's Pep now and it'll switch again once City win a few games and United don't.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
In what way?
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Every way, our fullbacks are able to play that inverted role (Blind and Valencia), our defenders are used to play a high line, because of LVG all our players are used the positional and possession game that Guardiola likes.

And something very important we lacked numbers and have plenty of money, which means that Guardiola would have had more room during the summer.
 
Zoo said:


Brace of Pep to take on this challenge.
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You could argue City's fanbase is akin to that of Villarreal.

I do wonder what Pep makes of things when he stands on the touchline at the Etihad. Because no matter how much research he did into the club prior to his arrival, it must have dawned upon him by now that the views and objectives of the fanbase aren't aligned with that of a top European club - the apathy towards the Champions League being a prime example.

Standing on the touchline on a European night and seeing empty seats and hearing little in the way of atmosphere, must be jarring for him - it is a far cry from the Camp Nou or Allianz. Suspect that's why he mentioned the supporters a while back, he knows he has to change their mentality if he is going to be appreciated.
 
Easy to say now, however I'm genuinely pleased we don't have Pep. What a total nut job/all round fruit loop. Forgetting his bizarre interview yesterday (which is jokes), his press conferences give the impression that he prepares for them by huffing a couple grams of Bolivias finest.

Add to that his arrogance (remember when he sacked the Bayern doctor?) and ultimately boring brand of "midfielders everywhere" football - not that good when you don't have Messi, Iniesta and Xavi - and he's actually nothing United stand for.

I'll admit to having similar reservations about Mourinho, but he's shown nothing but deference to United's culture (granted it's not his third season yet).
 
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