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

[Jacko21]

I’m loving this talk of teams giving up before facing city. When Pep was at Barça one of the most common criticisms was that the other La Liga sides respected them too much and any mid table PL team would give them a harder challenge.

The fact is that this brand of football tends to demotivate most teams. It’s not only just a matter of going toe to toe, because that will lead to a bigger thrashing most of the time (remember that 5-0 clásico). Unless you can clone Klopp or buy Messi, the fact is that beating a Pep side goes down to luck most of the time.

I chose the term 'toe-to-toe' poorly, in my earlier comments I wasn't necessarily implying that you had to play like City to beat them, rather match them for desire.

I honestly thought Premier League teams would pose a greater challenge. Although this season has been a particularly poor barometer given how many awful teams there are in this division at present. I suppose I, like others, estimated that the conditions of this league (some literal) - tight grounds, febrile atmospheres, general ugliness - would pose more of an obstacle to a traditional Pep team. And to an extent they did last season - though Pep's fiercest defendants would absolve him of all blame last year, given that 'he didn't have his players'. It's probably why Pep has been so bullish this season, because he loves nothing more than being vindicated.

That said, I maintain that many teams could and should have done more to try and destabilise Manchester City. It's one thing to fail, it's another, to fail without trying. And they will have to do that going forward, because the alternative is waiting for a drop-off from Pep and City, which isn't going to happen.

 

[Jacko21]

This extract is essentially advocating "kicking the shit out of them" as a perfectly viable strategy as long as it is implemented in a less cynical, more humane manner.

Brilliant.

You've met Mourinho right?

I may have grown up with the swashbuckling Manchester United, but I do take a great deal of satisfaction from watching a team reduce the opposition. Literally.

There's something to be said for acknowledging you're not as good as the opposition, but being willing to leave pride in the dressing room and kick them off the park in the hope of getting a result. It's not for the purists. It's for those who crave winning above all else.

 

[RedStarUnited]

Teams need to keep the ball better against City, thats where it really starts from.

A lot of teams are not, not attacking but they are simply losing the ball from the pressure City puts them under.

 

[Xeno]

@totaalvoetbal you cum yet?

 

[Swift Football]

Be brave and pass around is easier said than done against City.
I dont feel teams have tried enough of following:
1. Rory Delap throws
2. Treat every set piece as penalty kick. Practice indirect free kicks considering city maintains a very high defense line. ( Hit the high balls on the far post. Rather than trying to put whipped/curled balls ( these are better generally but dont hit those since these are tough to pull off), put the straight high ball such that it will be a straight strenght to strength tussle between 2 players).
3. When towards the corner flag of City, teams should try to get the corner kick by trying to hit the ball on the city player's body and getting defelection rather than trying to actually cross the ball or passing back to team.
Try this on edges too to get the throw ins rather than losing the ball because you cannot beat the press.
4. One of main strengths of City is how quickly they get the ball back when lost. Play as many players as possible that are comfortable on the ball. ( like playing a proper CM in place of RW, of course it will compromise some qualities of team)
For United, I will start with Carrick, Matic, Pogba, Tominay in the centre. bring herrera to replace yellow carded player among these.
5. Come mentally prepared that you wont touch the ball for large time period and do not chase the ball until certain set time (say 65 min mark or say 35'-45' and 65'-75')

 

[VorZakone]

If Guardiola aspires to win more CL's (2011 was his last one) he has to cut out these odd line-ups or at least prepare his team by using a new line-up a few times beforehand. These sudden changes rarely work out in his favor, just like during his tenure at Bayern.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

It’s ok he can spend another 200 million on his defence next window.

All is well.

 

[KM]

If Guardiola aspires to win more CL's (2011 was his last one) he has to cut out these odd line-ups or at least prepare his team by using a new line-up a few times beforehand. These sudden changes rarely work out in his favor, just like during his tenure at Bayern.

What sudden changes? They started the same formation against Everton?

 

[thegregster]

A fraud.

Out of the CL after 30 mins.

 

[VorZakone]

What sudden changes? They started the same formation against Everton?

Sterling started against Everton.

 

[Denis79]

Klopp destroying Pep this season.

 

[cyberman]

I called it, down to the shots on target.
Pep overthinks these CL away games. They spend months / years brain washing their players that there's only one way to play then he gets stuck in a halfway house where it resembles their normal game but there's just enough alterations that it doesn't come naturally

 

[Henrik Larsson]

>500 million euro spent, he'd better deliver one hell of a Plan B in the second half for that kind of money.

 

[clarkydaz]

that shrug of the shoulder was priceless

 

[Acheron]

He's more interested on wearing his yellow ribbon.

 

[Denis79]

Love that City are getting destroyed but hate that Liverpool are doing the destroying. I can't enjoy this game....

 

[Xeno]

A fraud.

Out of the CL after 30 mins.

Too soon.

 

[AndyJ1985]

For all the talk of them being one of the best teams ever, it looks like all he'll have to show for it is a league cup and league. Not a disaster, but hardly fit to be talked about in the same breath as some of Ferguson's great United teams.

 

[Paxi]

Reminiscent of the Monaco tie last season. And Bayern Madrid tie few years ago. Pep is as naive as they come. An idiolist.

 

[Rockets Redglare]

These pricks will bounce back just in time to play against us.

Wankers.

 

[tony54]

He's more interested on wearing his yellow ribbon.

Nothing wrong with wearing the yellow ribbon but I am enjoying the football lesson that Liverpool are giving Man City.

 

[Redplane]

These pricks will bounce back just in time to play against us.

Wankers.

Nothing this season might be more satisfying tho than forcing them to delay their celebrations. Especially if tonight s result against Pool stands. Downside is that it ll probably convince their owners to splash another huge chunk of cash to attract players that would be nice to have here instead. Like they need motivation.

 

[Inter Yer Nan]

Typical. First time I root for City they actually play like Man City.

 

[JDoe]

Pep is the best league manager in the world. In cup games, not so much. I really thought he had learned from his time when he was at our club but still doing the same bullshit again.

 

[charlenefan]

Stubborn beyond belief, how many times is he going to loose to Klopp before he realises he needs to do something different?

 

[VP89]

Top manager sticks to his stubborn ways. Shock horror.

 

[Infra-red]

Reminiscent of the Monaco tie last season. And Bayern Madrid tie few years ago. Pep is as naive as they come. An idiolist.

Done nothing of note in Europe for 7 years now, apart from get thrashed...

2014 - Knocked out by Real Madrid , conceded 5.

2015 - Knocked out by Barca, conceded 5.

2016 - Knocked out by Atletico.

2017 - Knocked out by Monaco, conceded 6

2018 - 3-0 down after 30 minutes vs Liverpool.


Not exactly a stellar record.

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Pep is the best league manager in the world. In cup games, not so much. I really thought he had learned from his time when he was at our club but still doing the same bullshit again.

I don't know about that mate. Unless he turns it around in the second half which is never impossible, he's really just coming across as a massive fraud. Owing at least 85% of his managerial success to having by far the best and/or the richest team in the league. Brilliant tiki taka my arse, 500 million euro spent that's his secret. I know at least 10 Eredivise managers who could let teams play exactly like Pep does, it always comes with a price though (like you saw with Peter Bosz for example)

Even Klopp, who's a massive final bottler, deserves more credit as a coach than Pep considering he's actually done something respectable from an underdog position with Dortmund.

 

[Xeno]

Stubborn beyond belief, how many times is he going to loose to Klopp before he realises he needs to do something different?

Spend more.

 

[Adisa]

He has been fecked twice at Anfield for two different reasons.
The first match, he lost cause he committed too many men forward and got hit on the break repeatedly.
Today, he's tried to play defensive by flooding the middle. The problem today is that his midfielders haven't kept the ball well enough.
When asked to defend, they're still very poor at it.

 

[Adisa]

Stubborn beyond belief, how many times is he going to loose to Klopp before he realises he needs to do something different?

His approach to this game is actually different from the other match.
They were actually defensive today.
At least, Pep's view of defensive.

 

[buckooo1978]

He has been fecked twice at Anfield for two different reasons.
The first match, he lost cause he committed too many men forward and got hit on the break repeatedly.
Today, he's tried to play defensive by flooding the middle. The problem today is that his midfielders haven't kept the ball well enough.
When asked to defend, they're still very poor at it.

he couldn't legislate for Walker dithering on the ball to give away that first goal

you have to question Pep about their response though - in both games Liverpool have overrun them after scoring and City simply haven't competed for 20 mins or so

 

[VorZakone]

Done nothing of note in Europe for 7 years now, apart from get thrashed...

2014 - Knocked out by Real Madrid , conceded 5.

2015 - Knocked out by Barca, conceded 5.

2016 - Knocked out by Atletico.

2017 - Knocked out by Monaco, conceded 6

2018 - 3-0 down after 30 minutes vs Liverpool.


Not exactly a stellar record.

It's very bad tbh.

 

[Minimalist]

It's not an exact science but I'm pretty sure no PL side that has dominated the season, like City has this time, has ever reached the CL final (not that there have been tons of winners from England anyway).

From recent memory...
Arsenal in 2004 failed.
Chelsea 2004-06 failed.

United in 1999, 2008 and 2009 (even 2011 wasn't a huge winning margin) all had challengers pushing them to the end, in the league. 2013 was a somewhat dominant season and we all know what happened in the CL that season.

 

[Rado_N]

I thought this was the best side ever to play the game?

 

[M Bison]

Got it wrong tonight, badly wrong in fact. But would you write them off yet? I wouldnt.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Teehee

 

[adexkola]

Done nothing of note in Europe for 7 years now, apart from get thrashed...

2014 - Knocked out by Real Madrid , conceded 5.

2015 - Knocked out by Barca, conceded 5.

2016 - Knocked out by Atletico.

2017 - Knocked out by Monaco, conceded 6

2018 - 3-0 down after 30 minutes vs Liverpool.


Not exactly a stellar record.

I'd say very few managers have exceeded that. Zidane and probably Simeone?

I mean, look at our manager's record...

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Ever since Mourinho took over Van Gaal's job and went on to beat Ajax in the Europa League final, the anti United + anti Mourinho sentiments have been truly, truly unbearable over here in the Netherlands. All while drooling like a bunch of idiots over the beloved bald Messiah of course. It's made me so incredibly bitter, honestly I didn't even know I could be this bitter. That's probably what having to constantly listen to false and unreasonably unfair claims about United for over a fecking year does to a person.

Even after the Swansea first half where we were playing decently and pretty positive, they still only kept repeating on TV how Mourinho is such a negative coach and how we're never going to amount to anything with him in charge, bunch of petty imbeciles

I sincerely enjoy repeating myself:

Pep Guardiola is a massive fraud. He owes at least 85% of his managerial success to having by far the best and/or the richest team in the league. Brilliant tiki taka, inventor of beautiful football, my fecking hairy arse. 500 million euro spent, hundreds of millions more than any other team while already having De Bruyne, Silva, Aguero, Fernandinho, Kompany, that's his secret currently. Look at the individual quality in the line up that beat us in the 2009 final, he's no fecking genius at all.

I know at least 10 Eredivise managers who could let a team play exactly like Pep does. It always comes with a price though (like you saw with Peter Bosz for example, and now in the Liverpool trashing of course). Not having Plan B with that money spent is truly pathetic.

Even Klopp, who's a massive final bottler, deserves more credit as a coach than Guardiola considering he's actually done something respectable from an underdog position with Dortmund.

And as a person he's even more petty than Mourinho. Fecking hypocrite whining about Catalunya while taking blood and oil money from Qatar. With his fake respect for Johan Cruijff, if he had any true respect for him he would've become manager Ajax after his supposed hero Johan passed away and helped to make them great again. Only he can't.

Such a great human being


And Mourinho is the scum of the earth of course. Honestly, this trashing makes my day. Only slight negative is that it was the fecking dippers who handed it out, but hopefully they won't even make it to the final.

 

[VivaObertan]

That was VERY Louis van Gaal.