I don't really understand how they've decided who got what Imperial Phase.
Why does Del Bosque have a 13 year phase and Fergie only a 9 year one, when Fergie won more major trophies in his "diminishing returns" phase than Del Bosque did in his entire career? He had a six year gap in the middle of his Imperial Phase without winning any trophy while Fergie never went more than a year. Doesn't make sense to me at all.
I honestly wouldn't want Pep or an aging Messi. That would just be another poor decision if you ask me. Any future manager/players should be the next big thing rather someone whose powers are likely to be waning.
Agree. Although I'll confess I wanted it to happen for City, for the drama it would have caused at Barcelona and watching City deal with the circus that ensued.I honestly wouldn't want Pep or an aging Messi. That would just be another poor decision if you ask me. Any future manager/players should be the next big thing rather someone whose powers are likely to be waning.
If he becomes available, PSG will grab him immediately.He's just gone stale. I think he needs to move on. I am not sure where to though. I don't think he would go to Barca because of their poor management. Juve have just gone for Pirlo. Perhaps PSG are next.
So true. Mr.Itchy Guardiola has spent over a billion pounds at the three clubs he’s been at. He’s always had the best players and facilities. No doubt he’s a good coach but as Yaya’s agent once said when he was trying to get Yaya yet another sack of cash and fell out with Guardiola and I paraphrase ‘ Let him manage Grimsby to CL success then he will be a genius’. Like Hamilton in F1, if you have the best equipment, you usually win.There's a possibility that Pep is in the unknown now having to rebuild a side as it's something he's never had to do at his other clubs, he had moved on by this stage.
Don't think it has anything to do with UEFA. The owners probably thought that they could spend less because Pep had found a winning machine, which will keep running all along. But obviously no.Pep looking at his first ever rebuild. It turns out it's difficult when UEFA won't let you spend £1b a window
He seems to be the kind that loves the exposure that comes with the PL or La Liga though. Anything from those two is a step down - with the Bundesliga and Serie A beating out Ligue 1 quite easily for appeal.If he becomes available, PSG will grab him immediately.
I don’t think they think about money the same way you and I do. Money for them is cheat tokens to get things they wanted yesterday, now. I think there’s a fine balance between feeling like you’ve unfairly gained something due to financial doping and winning something on merit though, maybe that’s what stops them?Don't think it has anything to do with UEFA. The owners probably thought that they could spend less because Pep had found a winning machine, which will keep running all along. But obviously no.
They will be back with infinite spending in next windows.
Obviously, the deal was in place well before the game.Benfica have just sold them a 65m CB. This is mental, they will just keep buying CB's every time they get thrashed.
Hes lost 10 of his last 36 league games. Thats not close to good enough for the money theyve soent
At least Hamilton often beat his team mates in the same car. But I do agree, Pep is a great manager when you have the best players.So true. Mr.Itchy Guardiola has spent over a billion pounds at the three clubs he’s been at. He’s always had the best players and facilities. No doubt he’s a good coach but as Yaya’s agent once said when he was trying to get Yaya yet another sack of cash and fell out with Guardiola and I paraphrase ‘ Let him manage Grimsby to CL success then he will be a genius’. Like Hamilton in F1, if you have the best equipment, you usually win.
The weirdest thing is he's genuinely struggling to identify weakness in his squad. Looking back, Mancini knew Hart wasn't good enough and that Kompany needed a better partner or that City lacked a mobile DM or a fast winger and all that nonsense. However Pep he's constantly making changes to make his team worse. I would love to hear his honest answer why he replaced Fernandinho with a totally different and slow player or why he moved from pacy wingers to inverted wingers who always cut inside. I'd like to understand the logic behind.
Mancini wanted to replace him after 12/13.Mancini always played Hart didn't he? In fact I'm sure Hart was pretty good under him. It was Pep who fecked Hart off in the end.
I think it's a bit early to be writing him or City off, they've lost a game (albeit badly.) They will probably get this new centre half in and that will steady them somewhat.
The big test for them will be when Aguero goes. I would say a test for Pep but I imagine he'll leave by then as well, I don't think they'll sack him. Ultimately if they don't win the league or CL this year though and he goes I don't think you can say he's been this brilliant manager for them, if anything he'd of underachieved.
Mancini wanted to replace him after 12/13.
He's quite bald isn't he
For me Pep Guardiola doesnt have the ability to build a fully successful team when playing a traditional predatory number 9.
We saw him with Zlatan, Lewandowski and Aguero - some of the best strikers in the last generation and Pep wasnt able to be successful towards getting the best out of them & reaching his expectations at such clubs (CL's etc).
There is some people saying that Pep was only successful because of Messi. It's not completely true but neither is it false. Pep has successfully built a strong possession based team at all his clubs but what he has ended up missing is a false 9 at the front.
Consider how many goals we see Raheem Sterling scoring from out wide, the guy seems as clinical as David Villa was outwide (not judging their qualities) and plays inwards like Robben and Ribery did when playing outwide aswell.
Does his tactics require that central predatory striker that much? What does a striker like Aguero actually bring to their possession game play when the goals seem to come just as good from outwide anyway.
What would a false 9 forward bring to a team who plays such good possesion football and have the capacity to either dictate an accurate pass to their team mates or a finish by themselves in such clinical areas?
People may be pointing out their defensive problems and them spending nearly half a billion on trying to make it work - but I genuinely think that Pep cant manage a predatory in the box capable striker when playing possession football.
Both Agueros best goals per minute seasons have come for Pep. He also had his best goalscoring seasons under Pep..
It's not really about Aguero failing because I know he hasnt failed - but I just think Pep's tactics benefit a false 9 more than a striker like Lewandowski or Aguero - basically in a possession based team in most clinical areas I dont think just the art of finishing is enough. Having a False 9 that can choose whether to finish or be creative will make the play even more fluid in that front line especially when you have goals being scored out wide already.
The front third of the forwards in a possession based team is the place most likely to lose possession anyway; having a false 9 brings that extra bit of creativity, goal scoring when needed whilst the wider players take care of the goal scoring.
It's not really about Aguero, it's what I feel about Peps tactics and his history with predatory strikers vs the one false 9 player he played with in a possession based team.
With those last 2 Liverpool results, City holding on today, Van D possibly being injured, and City getting Aguero back, the pendulum has definitely swung back majorly.
I don't see us getting more than 85 points or so, we need to get everyone firing quickly and this season looks like its gonna be injury hit for everyone. I said before if we're on Liverpool heels after Anfield I'd fancy us to pip them though.
You had 81 last year and I dont think youre reaching that this year. You really needed another striker to rotate Aguero with 2 games every week coming upI don't see us getting more than 85 points or so, we need to get everyone firing quickly and this season looks like its gonna be injury hit for everyone. I said before if we're on Liverpool heels after Anfield I'd fancy us to pip them though.
I'd agree but sadly for Pep, only Messi can do the above. Leo aside his dream false 9 just doesn't exist. You look at when City play without Kun and we are toothless. We've failed miserably everytime we played a false 9. I haven't seen much of Pep's Bayern with Lewa but the only place his false 9 really worked was Barca because he had the goat.
I watched a few games from his first season, he used Muller as a false 9 pretty often. They were outstanding at everything except putting the ball in the net. We played them in the champions league that season i think actually, Moyes v Guardiola.
Played us off the park at Old Trafford and we were still somewhat unlucky to lose because they created next to nothing.
I think he likes the idea but its probably important to make sure he cant use it and is forced to use a guy like Aguero (who's kind of impossible to bench really).
