GWT: EPL - Matchweek 17

[Jussi]

Unrelated but Onana has always been ass never worth the money, united just play FM. There's no real squad building scouting. There's plenty of keepers better than him for cheaper.

The UCL MVP while at Inter...

 

[bluesfan94]

You can’t be serious lol. Yes totally the same a guy coming off winning the league. 6 out of 7 leagues and 2 seasons removed from a double. But ya that’s the same as asking a 60 year old to play again.

What world are you in?

Sure thing most managers aren’t pep. You would know that if your team ever won anything post iPhone.

I get that it’s tough to confront the fact that your hero may have flaws.

Yes, pep’s history of managing the best teams of talent to play the best is the reason he isn’t fired. However, the one thing everyone has always been able to say is that we don’t know what pep is like as a manager when he doesn’t have the most talented team by far. Maybe we’re figuring that out now.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I get that it’s tough to confront the fact that your hero may have flaws.

Yes, pep’s history of managing the best teams of talent to play the best is the reason he isn’t fired. However, the one thing everyone has always been able to say is that we don’t know what pep is like as a manager when he doesn’t have the most talented team by far. Maybe we’re figuring that out now.

Sure after 12 games on a team many think are still stacked with talent. (No one predicted this)

 

[bluesfan94]

Sure after 12 games on a team many think are still stacked with talent. (No one predicted this)

Of course no one predicted it. People assumed that City would do what it's always done, but it turns out that Pep can't adjust after a handful of key injuries and when his available squad isn't the deepest and most talented in the league, he has a massive downturn in form he can't seem to figure out.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Of course no one predicted it. People assumed that City would do what it's always done, but it turns out that Pep can't adjust after a handful of key injuries and when his available squad isn't the deepest and most talented in the league, he has a massive downturn in form he can't seem to figure out.

Based off of 12 games..

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

The UCL MVP while at Inter...

He still sucks and many laughed at the price

 

[Jussi]

He still sucks and many laughed at the price

Before the Forest game he had actually played really well and was among the top stats for keepers, e.g. most clean sheets.

 

[bluesfan94]

Based off of 12 games..

I mean, if you want to extend the sample size back to the Arsenal game where they lost their BDO level player, that's been 20 matches, of which they've won 7, against a EFL Championship side, two sides in the relegation zone, a Slovak team, a Czech team, and then Fulham and Nottingham Forest (admittedly, a good win!).

But yes, the sample size is small because, well, it's been a small time that Pep's been forced to play without the best squad in the league.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I mean, if you want to extend the sample size back to the Arsenal game where they lost their BDO level player, that's been 20 matches, of which they've won 7, against a EFL Championship side, two sides in the relegation zone, a Slovak team, a Czech team, and then Fulham and Nottingham Forest (admittedly, a good win!).

But yes, the sample size is small because, well, it's been a small time that Pep's been forced to play without the best squad in the league.

That’s great and world champs Arsenal are only 6 points up… food for thought

Before the Forest game he had actually played really well and was among the top stats for keepers, e.g. most clean sheets.

There isn’t a united player you critique. This is known. Onana isn’t it

 

[Jussi]

There isn’t a united player you critique. This is known. Onana isn’t it

You clearly don't read my posts. LindeGlass? Garnacho's decision making? Slabhead? Martinez recently? Zirkzee's softness? Shite QuiteDalot? I've pointed out that Bayindir's had almost as many bad games for United as he has had appearances.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

You clearly don't read my posts. LindeGlass? Garnacho's decision making? Slabhead? Martinez recently? Zirkzee's softness? Shite QuiteDalot? I've pointed out that Bayindir's had almost as many bad games for United as he has had appearances.

I wish i was that lucky.

 

[gary69]

I get that it’s tough to confront the fact that your hero may have flaws.

Yes, pep’s history of managing the best teams of talent to play the best is the reason he isn’t fired. However, the one thing everyone has always been able to say is that we don’t know what pep is like as a manager when he doesn’t have the most talented team by far. Maybe we’re figuring that out now.

This is also by far the longest tenure in one club by Guardiola, his City years are already the Barca and Bayern years combined. Maybe the same thing would have happened if he had stayed at them equally long?

I agree that the squad depth mentioned in the thread is the issue, but I thought it might have been Haaland having no back-up. Julian Alvarez earned City plenty of points coming in from the bench in previous seasons. But it has been more of a midfield & defence problem instead.

 

[hatterson]

This is also by far the longest tenure in one club by Guardiola, his City years are already the Barca and Bayern years combined. Maybe the same thing would have happened if he had stayed at them equally long?

I agree that the squad depth mentioned in the thread is the issue, but I thought it might have been Haaland having no back-up. Julian Alvarez earned City plenty of points coming in from the bench in previous seasons. But instead it has been more of a midfield & defence problem instead.

In his post Bayern/Barca time at City (aka everything after 4 years) Pep has won 4 straight PL titles, a champions league title and won 4 other minor trophies.

 

[gary69]

Yes, obviously it didn't happen immediately, but maybe this is the number of years that the same fate hits Guardiola that has hit other top managers before him. Klopp had a histroty of longer tenures at his clubs, but even he left Liverpool.

Wenger got less succesful at Arsenal before he had stayed even a decade. Alex Ferguson is an exception, but on the other hand it took him 7 years to win the first league title.

 

[bluesfan94]

That’s great and world champs Arsenal are only 6 points up… food for thought

I get that you're lashing out because your feelings at hurt, but at least try to be better at trolling.

 

[bluesfan94]

This is also by far the longest tenure in one club by Guardiola, his City years are already the Barca and Bayern years combined. Maybe the same thing would have happened if he had stayed at them equally long?

I agree that the squad depth mentioned in the thread is the issue, but I thought it might have been Haaland having no back-up. Julian Alvarez earned City plenty of points coming in from the bench in previous seasons. But instead it has been more of a midfield & defence problem instead.

Yeah, the actual issue has been that Rodri doesn't have a back up. Which is exacerbated by the fact that Rodri was the last good midfielder City bought, not for the lack of trying.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I get that you're lashing out because your feelings at hurt, but at least try to be better at trolling.

I’m stating a fact.

 

[bluesfan94]

I’m stating a fact.

You think it's a fact that Arsenal are the world champs? Or was that a puerile attempt at trolling because your favorite manager has fallen off?

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

You think it's a fact that Arsenal are the world champs? Or was that a puerile attempt at trolling because your favorite manager has fallen off?

city is 6 points back of mighty Arsenal and there’s no obituary.

lol at the falllen off ya bud. Keep the receipt

 

[bluesfan94]

city is 6 points back of mighty Arsenal and there’s no obituary.

lol at the falllen off ya bud. Keep the receipt

I guess 1 in 12 isn't falling off to you but a sure fire sign of a great manager doing great things. And yes, this terrible form has been across a variety of competitions. You're very clever having figured that out.

 

[Live in the Now]

Trust me, I know. I've questioned the sustainability of Ange's system over a full season plenty of times. His poor man-management only makes it worse.

I couldn't watch the game until now but it's completely unsustainable. The ease with which Liverpool carved Spurs open isn't something that a full strength team fixes. They certainly had their moments but due to poor positioning and too much imbalance towards attack it was just too easy to score against them. If it wasn't one thing it was something else. Too easy to attack from the wings, too easy in the middle. Simple overlap killing their defense repeatedly. Line too high but we've all said this before. You can't play like that at all but you really can't do it without more quality.

Tactics that worked in the SPFL vs. against better teams was really the story here. He just can't keep sending his team out there like they're Celtic playing some team at the bottom of the table.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I remember making parallel of Ange style of play vs Klopp first two full season, they were fun to watch, most entertaining team in football and always attacking, they even reached the CL final but they won nothing although they were dominant and fun to watch. They started winning trophies when Klopp decided to manage games and improve the team defensively with VVD and Alisson and accepted that winning by 1 goal is as important as winning by 3. They still played their high intense games, out running opposition, high press, high lines but when they started getting a lead they would adjust to make sure they are not exposed at the back. Arsenal is also doing that and I have no doubt they will always challenge for the title if they continue managing results.

We all love offensive football but being more pragmatic is what will win you more games.

That being said, Tottenham can challenge for any cup, they have a set-up that can win you games were they are not favourite and can beat anyone on any given day. So maybe they can win the carabao cup.