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

Redforever<3

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IMO an emphatic Liverpool win would certainly sweeten the pot for us come Saturday. Imagine making them wait at least another week for the title just a few days after they're knocked out of the Cl.
Liverpool did great, but nothing new for Pep away from home. Another atrocious CL performance.

24 Champions League knockout ties (Barcelona, Bayern, City); 24 away legs:
  • Win 5, draw 10, lose 9.
I looked up Fergie's career-wide figures in the Champions League knock outs for comparison.

His stat amounts to 9 wins, 10 draws, 8 losses + 2 wins and 2 losses on neutral ground (99 treble against Bayern and Moscow ≠ 2 final losses against Barca).

I actually thought their records would be more comparable, but Pep's figures aren't too far off the greatest manager of all time.
 

kouroux

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I think there's a little bit more to it than just beating a few teams early on in the season, and whilst i agree there is a psychological battle to be had, dont believe football is as simple as teams crumbling before every game.
Of course it ain't as simple but psychology plays a big part in pro sports when the margins are really fine. It's a big part of it, not the only part obviously.
 

Canagel

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Man City had more possession in that game than Liverpool. Liverpool let City have the ball in safe areas and pressed them when they got into dangerous areas.

Liverpool spent most of the game in their own half; they were very solid in their shape and very quick to counter attack. For example, the Salah goal was with the whole Liverpool team in their own half, City then make a mistake with a pass, and Salah runs behind the defence to create an opening.
City couldn't build up anything in the first half. Don't remember them stringing 10 passes together. Liverpool had them on the ropes. They weren't letting them breathe. 2nd half they had more possession and they could build up but Liverpool had backed off by that point which is understandable.
 

Xeno

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It's true though, hammering a few teams early on the season send shivers to the rest. They all come to play against by attempting to poorly park the bus and not be nearly agressive. Wigan also played fairly similarly to Liverpool and they beat them.
That and those late, late winners after 10 or so games, grinding out wins.
 

Wednesday at Stoke

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Pep walked into Klopp's trap with eyes wide open due to pure stubbornness. You best Klopp by forcing him to have possession and come on to you. Instead he played entirely to Klopp's strengths till the tie was out of sight
I don't think this was naïveté from Pep but rather too much caution. City usually are technically proficient enough to keep the ball even under extreme pressing. Pep beefed up his midfield and defense to actually relieve that pressure a bit and I think that's where it went tits up. He should have gone with his regular game plan and let Silva and de Bruyne receive the ball under pressure and trust them to be technically sound to retain possession.
 

Thunderhead

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Two bad mistakes by Guardiola: Gundogan and Laporte. Gundogan's work-rate and pace are inferior to Sterling's or Bernardo's. He didn't know where he was. Laporte isn't a proper LB. Pointless experiment in a hugely important game. Against the player of the season at that (Salah). Think Danilo is a better fit at LB and has more experienced at such level. Btw, City still can go through, Liverpool may be without Salah in the second leg.
Yeah, agree with this also felt second half if we got the pen which I thought was pretty clear cut or Sane wasn't given offside we may have knicked a second. Certainly don't think we were as bad as some are making out, fine margins, pool were excellent first half and got the breaks
 

Xeno

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Man City are good if you let them have the ball. Liverpool didn't allow them to have the ball so they won. Liverpool are good if you allow them to press. We didn't allow them to press so we won. Sometimes it's important to not allow the opposition what they like to do and take control of the game in that way.
That’s the Mourinho way, stop the opposition doing what the excel at. It’s also the antithesis of the exalted Guardiola way; I play the same regardless of the opposition.
 

breakout67

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City couldn't build up anything in the first half. Don't remember them stringing 10 passes together. Liverpool had them on the ropes. They weren't letting them breathe. 2nd half they had more possession and they could build up but Liverpool had backed off by that point which is understandable.
City had more possesion in both halves, Liverpool 'not letting City have the ball' is objectively false. City were messing up 5-yard passes with no help from Liverpool not letting them breathe. In fact, Sane had the freedom of the left side and was atrocious against a very suspect TAA. Gundogan was even worse than Sane, he had a shockingly bad first touch.
 

Treble

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I don't think this was naïveté from Pep but rather too much caution. City usually are technically proficient enough to keep the ball even under extreme pressing. Pep beefed up his midfield and defense to actually relieve that pressure a bit and I think that's where it went tits up. He should have gone with his regular game plan and let Silva and de Bruyne receive the ball under pressure and trust them to be technically sound to retain possession.
My thoughts as well. Gundogan for Sterling was a mistake.
 

#07

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How long until Pep quits and decides he fancies managing PSG?
 

Canagel

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That’s the Mourinho way, stop the opposition doing what the excel at. It’s also the antithesis of the exalted Guardiola way; I play the same regardless of the opposition.
Well if that's the Mourinho way then I expect him to attack Man City on Saturday because he's a pragmatic manager. Being pragmatic means you take the best possible route to victory. Use the tactics which give you the best chance of winning the game.
 

Litch

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The interesting thing is if City go out despite the way they have won the league, the record books will read he's done no different than those before him.
 

Xeno

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Well if that's the Mourinho way then I expect him to attack Man City on Saturday because he's a pragmatic manager. Being pragmatic means you take the best possible route to victory. Use the tactics which give you the best chance of winning the game.
I don’t mean just attack or defend. I mean specific, nuanced tactics to combat the opposition; Herrera on Hazard, beating the press to Fellaini etc. Pep would never sully himself by modifying his tactics to the opposition, it’s a **** lol.
 

cyberman

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@Xeno
Thats not strictly true. He once played Martinez as CF v Klopps Dortmund so Bayern could go long and kill the press.
They even won too.
 

Oscar.Z.Acosta

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The way Liverpool pressed the second-ball when their attacks broke down was a lesson to all that play City. Not allowing them to break through the midfield completely disoriented Pep’s team and, as many have mentioned, Guardiola has no plan B and it all looked very similar to his Bayern Munich team’s exits from the CL.

Liverpool’s defence is average but the way the midfield protected them tonight was, it pains me to say brilliant; the best I’ve seen against this City team. Can we play like that against them on Saturday please?
 

Loon

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Which players aren’t his now? POTY De Bruyne, World Cup winner Silva. The only ones who aren’t unquestionably world class are Komoany, Fernandinho and Otamendi?
I wasn’t been entirely serious.
 

cyberman

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@Xeno
I dont think Pep is neither judging by the way he's been setting up against the exact same manager since then.
 

predator

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I wouldn't write them off yet. I find it incredible how many fans forget how surprising football can be. Look at tonight's result for example. I guess that is what keeps the game so entertaining. We all are a fickle and impulsive lot though.
 

Tincanalley

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Which players aren’t his now? POTY De Bruyne, World Cup winner Silva. The only ones who aren’t unquestionably world class are Komoany, Fernandinho and Otamendi?
*Irony alert*.:smirk:
 

Xeno

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I wasn’t been entirely serious.
Nor I, I said he needs £200m more CB before we judge him. But seriously, where can he stack more quality? Would Mendy at LB have changed the game? Why wasn’t £50m Stones playing?
 

Canagel

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I don’t mean just attack or defend. I mean specific, nuanced tactics to combat the opposition; Herrera on Hazard, beating the press to Fellaini etc. Pep would never sully himself by modifying his tactics to the opposition, it’s a **** lol.
Not that kind of modifying. Of course not. But the long kick from Ederson could've been used better. They kept playing short and when they did go long they missed the first and second balls. It's impossible to win in these circumstances.
 

King Kana

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City struggle when teams don’t back off and let them play, so what do 99% of teams do? Yup, back off and let them play.

Fair play to Klopp, he doesn’t change his tactics to play City, he just trusts his usual tactics.
Incorrect. Several teams have tried to press them and got absolutely walloped. Spurs got their asses handed to them if I remember correctly.
 

Klopper76

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Surely he has to go full strength on Saturday now? If they lose then they’ll have no momentum going into the second leg against us.
 

Loon

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Nor I, I said he needs £200m more CB before we judge him. But seriously, where can he stack more quality? Would Mendy at LB have changed the game? Why wasn’t £50m Stones playing?
No idea, mate.
 

Canagel

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A little unfair. He was up against two individually better sides.
Not really. Real Madrid 13/14 were on the same level and he got smashed 0-4. Atletico weren't better than Bayern either. To not even reach a final in 3 years with probably the best team in the world is a failure.