Maybe Virgil van Dijk?
Manchester City under Pep Guardiola | Pep on City v Liverpool ref: "He likes to be special"
- Thread starter Adisa
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David Luiz might do well.
You know, usually I'd come here and try to defend City.
But I can't even be bothered anymore. There's a lot wrong at the club and it started the day we sacked Garry Cook back in 2011.
But I can't even be bothered anymore. There's a lot wrong at the club and it started the day we sacked Garry Cook back in 2011.
When Arsenal last won the league they had the likes of Campbell, Cygan and a young Kolo Toure to call upon at CB. A young Kolo would be a decent shout in Pep's system.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003–04_Arsenal_F.C._season
I think hes the closest but imho Luiz needs a really tough CB with him, Cahill, peak Terry, Thiago Silva to really shine and Pep doesn't offer him that. He's certainly the best at it in the premier league though. I think Luiz could do it well at City with a fit Kompany beside him (not the Kompany who thinks he's a playmaker the Mancini one.)
I said it last season in newbies but we're mentally weak. When things are going good our players look worldclass and go on big winning runs, when they go wrong we simply give up. Today was only the second time they gave up under Pep but todays was just like the second half of last season under Pellers. No leaders and or fight and a team completely shot of any belief. With Kompany out and Zabs legs have gone we're short on leaders. We played Toure at DM today who switched off for 2 goals. I know Fernando is poor on the ball but surely he'd have covered those. But imo we need Stones, Bravo and Yaya out of the team. Yaya can play but only up the field with no responsibility.
Otters should be dropped too, for that shameful dive. I hate that stuff.
I was initially thinking of guys who've excelled for a length of time in the EPL (hence why I deleted the post you answered). Jonathan Woodgate anyone?
City this season is a prime example that you can't expend to win much just by spending much.
Its nothing to do with spending, of all the money spent only Stones and Bravo are starters (both have been poorh) Stones has had the odd good game but Bravo's been shocking.
When we talk about possession football I always remember the foundation, the dutch school with Rinus Michels, Cruyff, LVG... all those systems that revolve around triangles to get advantages in every spot of the pitch. Right now Guardiola lacks two apexs in the two first triangles, the GK-CB-FB and then the CB-FB-DM, Bravo and Yaya are proven players in that system knowing they come from Barcelona and did pretty good, but Sagna, Clichy, Otamendi or Stones lack either the skills or the composure to build the play from their own goal
hes a fraud
Above all they have terrible decision making. Even yaya forgot how to play in that system
They've effectively turned into us under Van Gaal. The slow patient possession game doesn't work in this country. That's why Jose was always the better option for us, he knows what it takes to win in this league. If we got Pep it would have been more of the same zombie football and as the last two seasons have proven, it's not gonna cut it.
Bravo looks like a shocking keeper. What was Pep thinking getting rid of Hart?! A goalkeeper first and foremost must be good at keeping shots out, then you can start worrying about how good he is with his feet.
Bravo looks like a shocking keeper. What was Pep thinking getting rid of Hart?! A goalkeeper first and foremost must be good at keeping shots out, then you can start worrying about how good he is with his feet.
He's adamantly sticking to his style of play, which can be (and has been) extremely rewarding under the right circumstances. However, this is not the league for it, City don't have the players for it (Gundogan would have done well, but he's injured), and his transfers haven't worked out (Bravo is poor in the PL, and Stones is shit defensively).
Pep needs to do some serious thinking about his philosophy, if he doesn't adapt to his players and the league, he'll be out of CL next season.
Obviously, I hope they go down the same path, and Pep leaves them for a team more suited to his demands.
Pep needs to do some serious thinking about his philosophy, if he doesn't adapt to his players and the league, he'll be out of CL next season.
Obviously, I hope they go down the same path, and Pep leaves them for a team more suited to his demands.
He doesn't want to stay there anymore, that's sure
They were horrible today, players just don't look bothered, really surprised tbh, but long may it last.
He'll have to start sending an assistant to meet the TV and just paying the fines.
True, he could just follow that through and turn his back on the camera.
He'd probably enjoy the matches more like that as well.
True, he could just follow that through and turn his back on the camera.
He'd probably enjoy the matches more like that as well.
R. Carvalho, Pique (
), Blind, Toby, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Jerome Boateng ( ), Kompany, David Luiz, Mascherano...I don't understand how they've ended up with those fullbacks, those cbs and those cms after all that money spent?
Their attacking players are excellent though, a very dangerous unit.
Their attacking players are excellent though, a very dangerous unit.
So Yaya has rejected an offer from China (and is advertising it), in the hope that City will give him a biggie deal.
Hope they tell him to move on
Hope they tell him to move on
He's quickly becoming the biggest embarrassment in the league. Seems to be throwing himself to the floor everytime I watch City. A winger doing that is one thing but a centre half? He did it right in front of the dugouts against Everton as well.
Add that to him not being very good and he's the first one I'd boot out.
Some absolute gems from earlier in this thread. Worth a quick read.
Thought this was good
But then I came across this chap...
Thought this was good
But then I came across this chap...
It's strange cause hes actually a strong guy and tough but he goes down way too easy. Someone only has to touch him, we don't have many divers at City but himself and sterling do it alot. Looks far worse from otter because he portrays himself as a hardman.
Let me guess, you don't know what is sarcasm?
We're lucky to have him in our league. Genuinely hope he manages to turn it around as his teams play truly breathtaking football when on song. Even when we were on the receiving end of a beatdown from his teams, I couldn't help but appreciate the way they played. His big problem is he has no experience for what he's going through now, and I'm not sure he or the squad he has at his disposal, have the personality (or the inclination for that matter) to weather the storm.
Maybe this cult of Pep will die a death when he gets sacked/walks at the end of the season.
Who do you support?
Can't be a "Manchester" supporter being inactive during SAF's last year... I meant it's almost impossible
I don't understand..?
I was hoping he and Mourinho would revisit their rivalry and bring out the best in each other for years to come. I was looking forward to some epic battles.
But Im not sure he's got it in him to have a scrap for 4th place.
Maybe this cult of Pep will die a death when he gets sacked/walks at the end of the season.
You don't think his Barcelona team was one of the best ever? I want to see the best players and managers in our League. Preferably at United but thats not always possible.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4126124/Pep-Guardiola-s-jigsaw-falling-apart.html
It talks about City adapting their model to allow Guardiola to act more like a manager rather than just the first team coach.
Unfortunately the actual examples they give of this revolution are a bit on the dull side. The players now spend the night before matches at home rather than in the team hotel. He's recruited his own staff for lots of roles. Neither of which will come as any surprise to people who saw him in action in Barca/Bayern.
However my favourite bit was this:
Guardiola's influence stretches beyond those matters that directly impact on team performance, however. For example, City's players used to travel on match days in suits provided by TM Lewin and this season another outfitter, Ben Sherman, were fancied to sign a deal with the club.
However, City's players now wear clothes by DSquared2, the label favoured by Guardiola since his days at Barcelona.
So Guardiola's players at least look like he wishes them to, even if they are not yet playing like he needs them to.
It talks about City adapting their model to allow Guardiola to act more like a manager rather than just the first team coach.
Unfortunately the actual examples they give of this revolution are a bit on the dull side. The players now spend the night before matches at home rather than in the team hotel. He's recruited his own staff for lots of roles. Neither of which will come as any surprise to people who saw him in action in Barca/Bayern.
However my favourite bit was this:
Guardiola's influence stretches beyond those matters that directly impact on team performance, however. For example, City's players used to travel on match days in suits provided by TM Lewin and this season another outfitter, Ben Sherman, were fancied to sign a deal with the club.
However, City's players now wear clothes by DSquared2, the label favoured by Guardiola since his days at Barcelona.
So Guardiola's players at least look like he wishes them to, even if they are not yet playing like he needs them to.
I'm am so glad we didn't get him as a manager! I really don't think his brand of football works here, he looks like he is literally ready to top himself... already!
Yes, I do agree with the choice of David Luiz. I remember Pep in his Barcelona days preferring a big man-small man defense, in which he has a big guy like Pique playing as a traditional defender, and a small ball-playing defender like Mascherano closing down the ball, stopping the supply and going upfield and playing the ball. During the beginning of the season, I thought he was doing that, with Kolarov being the ball-playing defender. I think so far in the league, there are very few managers who have bought such defender and only Luiz fits the bill.
There seems to be a lot of panic now when City backpasses. It goes like this: Bravo -> Stones -> Clichy -> Bravo (long ball to nowhere). They are not finding any purpose by playing all these backpasses to the goalkepper.
I think Yaya is a bad choice to sit so deep, because he does not seem to be good with the ball either. He has been making a few mistakes with his passes by passing straight to the opponent. He used to have the licence to push forward and there was someone to sweep up the loose ball from his mistakes. They are missing Gundogan badly.
City vs Spurs next. What result are we hoping for?
A draw, best case scenario. A city win wouldn't be horrific, but a Spurs win would make them title contenders; which I'd despise.
I was torn between this and a Spurs win. I am convinced we will finish above City regardless of their result on Sunday but at the same time, I'd love the opportunity to go above them asap.
There is some white text there btw haha. Anyways, if i was United fan, i wouldn't be too dispirited if City were to win vs Spurs on Sunday. Look at their win vs Arsenal before Christmas - it should have been something to build on yet they still can't get back to their early season form where they won games and looked convincing in the process - now if they win games, they don't look overly convincing.