I think Pep is waiting to see if they'll get Kane or any other striker. If they don't, he'll try him as a false 9 much sooner than later as IMO he plans to use Jesus (if he stays) mostly as a winger this season.
Jack Grealish | Man City
- Thread starter RDCR07
- Start date
Bollocks post for so many reasons.
Nobody has claimed or will claim that a single goal justifies £100m. You're going on about a statement that nobody has made.
It's unclear if this was sarcasm or not. How can any fan justify a fee based on one game?
I think anyone who said he’ll flop and be a waste of money for city should be reconsidering already.
Not really noticed him today. Made a 5 yard pass assist for the goal but not much else.
Based on one assist v a half dead 10men Arsenal?
He wasn't involved in the game at all until Arsenal went down to 10 men, and hasn't even been super involved afterwards so far. I still don't think he particularly suits this City team
It's his 3rd game in a new team after a limited pre-season. Of course we all want Grealish to flop but lets see how things pan out before saying he doesn't suit City's team.
Not really. A tap in against Norwich and an assist against a 10 man woeful arsenal is the reason for this? So far I've just seen a player that doesn't really suit them. Like I said, the biggest thing he provides them is being a main creative source when De Bruyne isn't there. It's 100m for a player that gives depth but doesn't improve their starting 11. He's a good player and they're a dominant team, but it's about how well he does for the price. Same with why Griezmann at Barca has been a massive flop. Some goals here and there don't change that.
Hes played football before City... he's a very individualistic type who loves holding on to the ball. City prioritize quick passing and moving, with De bruyne dominating the touches. Grealish just doesn't really line up with that.
He's played wide. He's done well to stretch the Arsenal team.
If a simple assist and a shinned goal is enough to settle the debate, I’d love to know what a £200m player could do to justify his price tag.
Tend to agree. I think he looks greatly reduced so far at City as just a cog in the machine. People loved his throwback swaggering maverick style but he has no such license for City.
Oh for sure, that's just my pre-made opinion from before he even signed based on how he usually plays and the style of play City like to use. I'm sure I'll be shown up as the armchair fan I am once he's settled.
I'm just responding to the post saying that he's already proving that he isn't a waste of money, where I don't think an assist against 10 men and a goal that deflected in off him, whilst generally looking a bit out of place, particularly showcases that.
Yes i agree he'll have to make adjustments to his game to fit Pep's plans. But he is a dangerous player and his presence alone will create more space for players like De Bruyne and Foden.
Not really seen much of him outside of sideways and backwards passes.
Doesn't seem like a Pep player. I have a feeling he's in the first team for now because of that price tag, but in the long term he'll end up on the bench.
Doesn't seem like a Pep player. I have a feeling he's in the first team for now because of that price tag, but in the long term he'll end up on the bench.
It'll be a battle for the front 3 once De Bruyne is fit, with Sterling, Grealish, Mahrez, Torres, Foden and Bernardo fighting for the front 3 spots. He's not going to be used that much in the midfield 3 imo, especially not ahead of Gundogan or De Bruyne.
Agree. He's got a goal (amusing one) and an assist for City but he's been pretty poor so far. Always looks like he wants to beat a defender but ends up passing it square.
Now, Gundogan, what a player.
He’s playing in the same channel pocket of space as Raheem. Raheem makes his runs before jack gets a chance simply because he’s got that system memorized.
Right now Jacks got jack shit for options as a result. He only has sideway passes.
This is because Pep wants him to play the Silva role on left center midfield but jack thinks he’s playing the free floating LW role he had at Villa.
You know what though? Pep will figure it out.
Right now Jacks got jack shit for options as a result. He only has sideway passes.
This is because Pep wants him to play the Silva role on left center midfield but jack thinks he’s playing the free floating LW role he had at Villa.
You know what though? Pep will figure it out.
No way you are serious haha. I watched the game just to focus on him and literally didn’t notice him till he made one assist. Sterling (atleast 3 chances missed) and Mahrez (had an assist) did more when they came on. Stop with this hype
1 assist and a goal is not a bad return for 3 games. He was much better tactically today, stopped trying to do everything himself and trying to be the center of attention and held his position high and wide, no silly dribbling round the midfield waiting to be knocked over. Did his dribbling in the right area's recycled the ball when nothing was on and was brave when the chance was there. Granted it was Arsenal but much better than the first 2 showings. Solid 7 today after a 5 and a 6.
Replace him with whoever from that City squad outside of Defender+GK and they'd still have won it at least 4-0. Arsenal were just garbage. 19% possession.
Who drops out with KDB back in your opinion? Gundogan looked dynamite again from the sections of the game i saw, and Sterling's just way more dynamic.
Bernardo sadly. He wants out as he wants to be closer to home, doesn't like the lifestyle in England apparently. Based on todays starting XI it's looking like.
-----------KDB-----Gundogan---
Jesus-----Torres----Grealish
It'll be more interesting when Foden is back than KDB as he's direct competition for Jack for the LW spot. Mahrez could displace Jesus handily enough if he finds some fire in his belly and I think we might see Foden at false 9 a fair bit. We've got no absolute stars but KDB aside we've got tons of very equal options. I think we'll rotate a ton but it feels like at least early days this is what Pep is looking at. Torres is the only player with good movement off the ball for a striker and he's very calm in front of goal. Jesus offers a little more directness, something like Mahrez, Foden, Grealish would be very slow on the ball and not really break the lines and see us do our LVG impersonation that comes out every so often.
You know I watch City and specifically Jack and what stands out to me are two things:
1. He looks in place there, good enough player to play for City, some decent link up play etc
but
2. He looks nowhere near a 100m star player, he doesn’t stand out at City and look their main man, the one who looks like they have that extra bit of magic such as De Bruyne and for the Money you just paid surely that’s what you want ? A player who improves your team rather than fit in ? I think if Jack wasn’t playing today they’d have 1 or 2 other players to play his position and still win 5-0
I think it was a forced singing in all honesty just to show fans yeah we’re investing money , Kane in that team for example elevates them, improves them massively
1. He looks in place there, good enough player to play for City, some decent link up play etc
but
2. He looks nowhere near a 100m star player, he doesn’t stand out at City and look their main man, the one who looks like they have that extra bit of magic such as De Bruyne and for the Money you just paid surely that’s what you want ? A player who improves your team rather than fit in ? I think if Jack wasn’t playing today they’d have 1 or 2 other players to play his position and still win 5-0
I think it was a forced singing in all honesty just to show fans yeah we’re investing money , Kane in that team for example elevates them, improves them massively
You stole our Ronnie. Technically he's your Ronnie but he was almost ours.
What about Craig Bellamy come back? bring your own legend in for moral support.
The money paid for him was over the top but purely because he's English, marketable and middle aged women find him a quite attractive 90's throwback. Realistically he's just another very good option amongst a host of very good options. That said in a world where Ben White is £50m, Kepa £70m and Lukaku also £100m not to mention a "cut price" Sancho at £73m its not beyond explanation for a player who's been topping PL statistics for 2 seasons in a midtable side. But mostly its a marketing thing, at City we don't have any really marketable players. Of our current most marketable player KDB is a phenomenal footballer but he's not the kind who brings in a lot of attention, Foden looks like he walked off the set of Shameless etc..
He's more a Liverpool legend both for footie and golf.
It doesn’t make me happy exactly but, to me, he looks completely at home and will only improve from here.
Pointless signing basically. They never needed him
Only time will tell but I think he'll be fine here. If its true Sterling wants out along with Bernardo he is very necessary and will play a lot.
Just saw the BT sport highlights and the title was "Grealish stars as Pep's side thump Gunners".
Some players just seem to be very lucky with the press.
Some players just seem to be very lucky with the press.
Do you not see an issue with the fact that you are trying to justify the fee based on Ben White and Kepa which are roundly looked at as laughing stocks fee wise?
Based on what they have done to this point Sancho is a better player who scores and creates more and is 4 years younger/30m cheaper.
Lukaku is a top class striker in a market where there are very few about.
Fixed
True; true. But I am sure he will play a lot regardless of what happens with those guys.
In most ways I would hope he fails but a player of his ability deserves to succeed. Or maybe not that he deserves it, necessarily, but it’s good for the game if talent of his kind is able to flourish.
Not really, there is no justification for Sancho being a better footballer, he's a very good player but unproven in the PL and was way behind Jack in the pecking order for England who himself was behind Raheem. Pep also wasn't overly fussed about him leaving.
If Kepa and White are poor example what about £85m Harry Maguire? Or £80+m Paul Pogba 5 years ago.. I also did clearly state we overpaid for him.. but it justifiable where you see CB's go for £80m, Coutinhos and Dembeles go for £120m because of his marketability.
First of your points/questions: Sancho scores more, assists more whilst not even being the player who the entire team runs through. He also puts in more work defensively.
2: I am pretty sure he played basically the same amount of minutes as Grealish. If that is how you judge is Saka better than Grealish? Is Sterling? If so why buy him? (basically Southgate's opinion matters little).
3. Pep may not have cared but he was clearly your best youth player and that was years ago, obviously a different player.
4. Maguire at 80m was overpriced (although we desperately needed a top class centre half, you did not even need Grealish. You needed a left back and a striker), Coutinho and Dembele horrendously so but this is clearly a different market post covid.
At Villa everything was through him, and he dribbled past players at will.
Nothing like that has happened so far. But he is still settling in.
Nothing like that has happened so far. But he is still settling in.