A thread for the Pep Guardiola doubters

When City went 2 down he sat sumpted in his seat. The lad just isn't used to managing in a tough league

The opening poster of this thread now looks like the t it

City fans will be calling for Manuel Pellegrini to come back , to late ,he,l be earning mega bucks in China

Watching Stones panic everytime he is under pressure Pep must now realise how good that curly haired bloke was back in Barcelona

While Puyol was a warrior Stones reminds me of Frank Spencer.

I'm still trying to work out John Stones. I reckon he's one of those fancy looking midfielders who looks alright on the ball but has no real end product. He's got no muscle. He doesn't look like a centre back at all.

Fernandinho a big miss for city
He is the only one capable of playing the holding mid position so vital in the guardiola set up.
City are on an exciting project with pep.
The likes of stones are learning what pique at barca, pepe and ramos at madrid, boateng at bayern learned years ago.
When you play center back for these clubs your a55 is hung out to dry.
Blowing in the wind.
You are on your own. You better know how to defend because you aint getting any help and you better know how to pass the ball out of defence, because that is what we do here.
You can bang on about John Terry, Rio and Vidic, Carra all you like but those guys played in a comfort zone with 2 sometimes 3 holding mids in front of them.
Never under any pressure.
Long ball it out of danger. Park the bus against barca in europe.
All well and good, for the here and now.
But city are building a dynasty for the ages here...
That kind of small minded thinking wont cut it.
Thing is city are going to stick with Pep.
Ordinarily if a big club goes on a run like city are on at the moment then the manager gets the tin tack.
Not this time.
The players will have to ship up or ship out.
If the current bunch are not up to it, then with city's millions you can bet it wont be long before they find ones that are..

Where are they gonna come from ?, the very best will always fancy the big 2 in Spain over a wet dreary Manchester all day long , others will prob fancy the German machine too , there is only so many real world class players out there and all are spoken for . Then there is the other issue ,is Pep the real deal ? , still to be decided even proved imo , any fool could of managed Munich to win that league  and Barca were always in a 2 horse race . For me he still has a bit to prove as a Manager , though I don,t doubt he can do a job he has had it easy so far , City have all the money in the world to buy any player on the planet etc but it doesn,t always pan out that way , can he get them , will he have time to rebuild ,have the owners the patience , maybe the pressure of the Prem will get to him and he fcuks off to China , who knows whats around the corner in the crazy world of football  .

btw listing Stones with those defenders is quite funny , Stones hadn,t even learnt his trade at Everton , money splashed and he was off , crazy amount for a young man not even a half decent defender when leaving Everton  , way to young  and shouldn,t be mentioned along side some of those great players .

I am sure if stones was planted into the back 4 at chelsea or man u 10 years ago, shielded by midfield players like makelele, essien, hargreaves, darren fletcher, he would look a world beater too.
Lets face it, those teams asked little of those midfielders or defenders. Just to defend.
Maybe get 1 or 2 goals a year while the likes of lampard and drogba, roonaldo did the business.
Like i said that approach only gets you so far.
City and Pep are rasisng the bar.
Maybe Guardiola will fluck off to china a beaten man.
But he is going to be given time to get it right.
THere is no talk of sheikh mansour firing the ejector seat button in the aston martin, so to speak.
I am going to stick my neck out.
I bet Pep gets city to the ucl final before he leaves city...

^ that's the sort of dishonest thinking that doesn't address issues. A team doesn't become a good team because it plays comfortably from the back, a good team plays from the back because of its dominance and it is comfortable to do so.

i agree with those sentiments lfc
but only wengers arsenal from the epl has ever tried to take on barca at their own game
Before pep tried it this year with city.
Got done 4-0 for his troubles but won the reverse.
Thing is city have won the epl, the one they want is the big one, the ucl.
The thinking is to do so you have to play possession football.
if you want to be a big player in the ucl, every year, you have to be playing possession football.
Like bayern, real and barca.
THere is a reason why wenger has been in the ucl 20 years running, because he plays possession football.
Man U, chelsea and liv have all had success, however fleeting, playing pragmatic football.
Sure they may play passing football against the likes of dynamo no-hope in the group stages. But when it comes to the knock out stages its full on park the bus mode when they go to spain.
Just dont think you can build a lasting dynasty with that thinking.
Good luck to pep i say.

Pep dropped Hart & bought Bravo and Bravo's stats are appalling;

24 shots on his goal, 14 goals conceded.

Yesterday 4 shots on target 4 goals conceded.

Bravo is the ultimate False N0.1

Stones can not defend, He is the Prem's ultimate False No.5.

Bravo & Stones both need dropping but Pep has too much invested in his philosophy of how the game should be played to do it. He ain't no Fergie

Maybe bravo and stones are not up to it.
Just imagine how good city will be tho, if and when they find players capable of doing what pep wants.
Its a risk that certain other managers were not bold enough to take.

It is wrong to think that a team needs to do what pep wants. for a start pep doesn't understand cause and effect.
it is wrong to say that a manager is in charge, the team must evolve from within the players.

Again, normally I would agree.
But what if pep is the second coming?
His record might suggest he is.
Got to be worth throwing the dice with pep, no?

He's useless

all a manager has to do is not make players worse by their stupid decisions

now if he plays players out of position, or asks them to play in a system that doesn't suit them then that is not good

Guilty as charged your honour.

The second coming

We had all this bollox at the start of the season with tossp0t pundits raving about him flooding the midfield with fullbacks, it was brilliant, they had never seen anything like it in the Prem. Rent-a-gobsh!tes all of them.

Still in Champions League - check
Still above Manchester United - check

Steady as she goes on to the rocks.

Pep is clearly incapable of dealing with this mess

Funny how with the new Messial at the helm City fans are happy to be in 5th place 2 points ahead of United with our nightmare season

You can't still be hurting from the two cans of whoop ar5e Pep dished out to your boys in 2008/9 and 2010/11 finals?

Jan 16, 2017 -- 3:10PM, OnePercenter wrote:

The second coming We had all this bollox at the start of the season with tossp0t pundits raving about him flooding the midfield with fullbacks, it was brilliant, they had never seen anything like it in the Prem. Rent-a-gobsh!tes all of them.

Champions League final 2009 - he played big Yaya Toure in defence - result Barca 2 United 0

Well one things for sure
Watching city is never dull.
Seems like the world and his wife got an opinion on guardiola

You can't still be hurting from the two cans of whoop ar5e Pep dished out to your boys in 2008/9 and 2010/11 finals?

Messi, Iniesta & Xavi handed out the defeats. As we have seen from his failure to get reigning champions Bayern back into the CL final separated from these 3 Pep's record is decidedly average.

The pic you started this thread with is now an embarrassment and you insistence that everything is still okay will become one soon enough. Remember Pep was brought in to win the CL but first he has to qualify.

There was me thinking we are in the Champions League?

Messi, Iniesta and Xavi, like it or not were in Pep Guardiola's Barcelona team. Your argument is a bit like saying Ferguson wouldn't have won the 2007/8 Champions League if it wasn't for Ronaldo...does that make Ferguson rubbish

Mover I think the game on Saturday against Tottenham is now a massive yes massive game for your mob , if you were to lose I think Pep might become very depressed , thing is have your team got enough fight in them

bigger pitch, should be ok

Forgot about that

Think it will be the same team that played at Everton, maybe Kolarov in for Clichy. Only lost once at home (Chelsea), think City's price is a decent one tbh.

Is Fernandinho still suspended ?

Yeah he's out. Kompany back in training but doubt he's ready yet.

It's being reported in some of the papers that Pep is planning a clear-out (Big fcukin' surprise)

While he retains faith in Stones and Bravo he wants 2 new full backs, 2 new central defenders, a new striker and another goalkeeper

City have outspent every other club in Europe in each of the last 5 seasons. Pep has directed proceedings in the last 2 transfer windows. Are all those players not good enough. Did the new Messiah buy some duffers?

Yet more evidence that Guardiola hasn't a clue.

How much have City splashed out on players?

12/13        £52.66m
13/14        £98.60m
14/15        £75.06m
15/16        £179.77m
16/17        £181.05m

They have known Pep was coming for a long time so he will have directed the transfer policy. So nearly £400m later what have City got to show for such massive investment?

Gabriel Jesus, that should cover it

"They have known Pep was coming for a long time so he will have directed the transfer policy."

Which players are you considering to be Pep purchases?

Bravo, Stones, Gundogan, Nolito ?

Sane

v

Everyone in at least the last 3 transfer windows. So from Summer 2015.

That would be :

Unal (£2m) - 19 yr old currently on loan at FC Twente, 10 goals in 15 apps so far
Sterling (£44m)
Roberts (£11m) - on loan at Celtic, safe to say they're pleased with him
Delph (£8m) - injured a lot, can't really imagine Guardiola saying "go get Delph"
Otamendi (£32m)
De Bruyne (£55m)
Caceres (£100k) - on loan at Melbourne City
Bravo (17m)
Stones (£47.5m)
Moreno (£4.7m) - on loan to Deportivo
Jesus (£27m)
Sane (£37m)
Zinchenko (£1.7m) - on loan at PSV
Nolito (£14m)
Mooy (free) - on loan to Huddersfield
Gundogan (£20m)

Hands of Tierney and Dembele

has Dembele packed his bags yet?

I'd trust the hands of Tierney and Dembele over Bravo's.

Jan 17, 2017 -- 2:30PM, TheChaser wrote:

Hands of Tierney and Dembele

Careful what you say in this fred

Mover is judge dredd

City need players like Delph to fill their home grown quota.

Well, well, well; even after outspending every other club in Europe for the past 5 seasons it's potless season for the Messiah

moyes is better than pep

Navas (at right back!!!!WTF?????) and Clichy as starters tells you something is not right

Lay all day if those two are on the teamsheet

he may well have made his name on the back of Messi, Iniesta and Xavi.

I could have won everything with those three .

congratulations, why didn't you?

If the rumours of a £250m transfer budget are correct then the Sheik really is going all in with Pep. If that doesn't buy them the Champions league then what next?

That'll be the 6th year in a row where City have been the world's biggest spending club.

Apr 24, 2017 -- 1:13PM, themover wrote:

congratulations, why didn't you?

You sound like u ready to explode Bro ??

It's about getting the team in harmony and throwing money at big players is not the answer first good manager look at Chelsea no big signings yet conte got them whistling a sweet tune

This thread has been quiet lately, How did the Messiah get on in the end?

Potless.

May 28, 2017 -- 3:34PM, OnePercenter wrote:

This thread has been quiet lately, How did the Messiah get on in the end?

Still early days but not too bad thanks

tobermory 01 Jan 17 18:48 Joined: 01 Mar 08 | Topic/replies: 43,750 | Blogger: tobermory's blog
City are a great example of how football is a lot more complex than just a table of 'net spend'

It took them 3 years from the takeover to go from mid table to title favs .That was the easy part ; replacing £7M players with £25M players.

At that point , in late 2011 , they looked a great side.

Since then they have spent fortunes and not let go a single player they wanted to keep . And they have never looked any better than they did in 2011.

Once you have a squad full of £25M players it is very , very hard to improve it , even with limitless funds and no FFP.

If one of your £25M players is not cutting it then what do you do  ? Replace him with another £25M player who is no guarantee to be any better .In theory you have limitless funds so can buy £40M , £60M players but there are hardly any players that most would consider genuinely worth that . And those that are worth that are mostly very happy at Barca or Real.

pray for more oil bitter bertie

Sorry, what are you quoting me with smiley faces for ?

My point was that it is not so simple to be the best team by just spending the most.

If you are laughing at my post then i guess you do think it just comes down to 'oil rig' money after all.

Not laughing, I'm agreeing. You'll still get the likes on anx suggesting it's all about money though

Pep Mythiola

0 Champions Leagues in 7 years.

You can buy the league, you can't but Europe

It's a cup competition. One bad performance and you're out. Never a good barometer really.

It may not be all about money but it certainly helps it obviously increases the quality of player you can buy

Yes it needs a good structure top coach and stuff but it wouldn't be impossible for a mid table team to reach the top given unlimited funds

If someone decided on a project imo

Plus if you don't win it you could appeal to the goals panel and point out that any own goals should actually be awarded to you as you players got the last touch

You judge the best managers by Europe not by what they do domestically. Pep hasn't been able to cut it for some time in the CL.
Zidane is a better manager than Guardiola, he is more dynamic, Guardiola insists on playing 1 way, Zidane had the nous to shut up shop away to City in the semis two years ago and slightly less so at home knowing the attacking threat they posed, Guardiola would never do that, that's partly why ZZ has won 2 in a row, something the Myth never has, not with Messi/Xavi/Iniesta at their peak, not with the treble winning European Champions Bayern who he took backwards and never made a final, and thus far, not with Moneybags.

Makes me laugh he can spunk 250mil on a back 5 alone and be praised as the best thing since sliced bread.

Y'see that's where it's proven to be wrong. There's just no way Zidane is a better manager than Pep. Ask anyone with any insight of the game who the better manager is and only a fool would say Zizou.

Course he is, Pep's hero Cruyff had the same problem, had this infatuation of playing a certain way, not willing to compromise on his 'philosophy'.
Pep is limited in his thinking.

you'll be telling us Wilshere is world class next

mesmerised • April 15, 2018 9:37 AM BST
You judge the best managers by Europe not by what they do domestically.

Presumably on that basis Alex Ferguson wasn't much good?

Sir Alex Ferguson  European Cup winners Cup 1983 Abberdeen 2 Real Madrid 1
                   European Cup Winners Cup 1991 Manchester United 2 Barcelona 1

                   Champions League    1999 Manchester United 2 Bayern Munich 1
                   Champions League    2008 Manchester United 1 Chelsea 1  6-5 penalties
                World Club Championship 2008 Manchester United 1 Ld  Qiuto 0

                   Champions League    Runner up  2009 , 2011

Ferguson built United from the ground up, pep won two CL when he walked into a club already with Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, it's a bit different.

He is obviously a good manager, but let's not pretend  outspending everyone doesn't help.

Some clubs have no European heritage

May 28, 2017 -- 3:34PM, OnePercenter wrote:

This thread has been quiet lately, How did the Messiah get on in the end?

Still doing ok thanks

laundering the cash

PorcupineorPineapple comes out best on this thread; just need upgrade the fullbacks and it will all work like a dream

The English dominant Europe and Man City dominant England ergo Man City should be ruling Europe but they are not.

At best he's been a 6.5/7/10 IMO.  He doesn't help himself by saying a domestic treble is harder than winning the UCL as well.

surprised no one else has done it as it's easier

Cheers tobes.

Need to pack in betting and start my own football consultancy.

The one they meed they cant get

Pool needed and got their league but do seem to have the knack of winning CLs

i'm a thomas too.epic chokerrrry

The question that I ask is why City are so naive?  Two up with 5+ to go and instead of hanging on to the ball and also killing vital seconds as they keep it, they go all out for another goal.
It just doesn't make sense.
Real were anything but brilliant on the night yet City allowed them in.

pep got this tie so wrong that in the 210 mins of the game the only time madrid were in the game was when fernandino was on the pitch,the man pep sent on twice to close the game down, you no youve got it wrong when with 30 mins left and looking for a match winner their all sat next to you on the bench

When you are in the trenches you need real men fighting with you, people of substance, not watery sunshine boys like grealish,Sterling and foden,

fodden was gone eyes gone in shock for extra time running round in a daze

For once I wouldn't blame Pep. Normally he neuters his team with some tactical or formation change but not last night.

He took Walker off because he had to, took De Bruyne off at the same time but they scored a minute later. His team and tactics had him 2 goals up and Real didn't have a shot on target at home after 89 mins.

His players missed a hatful of chances in both legs, gave away two needless penalties and collapsed. That is more on the players and they seem to have a weak mentality on big CL nights.

I'd criticise Pep for not having a recognised finisher in his squad with the resources he has. It doesn't have to be Harry Kane, even a £30-50M striker who can come off the bench. They could be going for their 2nd CL in a row if they had that. Conceding two goals in a minute is not the manager's fault. They won the ball back in their own box and lost it straight away before the second. Perhaps they should have stifled the game like Real did once they went ahead.

He didn't bring Fernandinho on to close the game out in the first leg, he brought him on first half cos Stones got injured.

Anyone who buys Sterling and gets rid of Sane’ hasn’t a clue - end of

lurka-everything is the managers fault/merit

Show pony Grealish scores 1 of those 2 gilt edged chances & we'd all be hailing Pep as a genius.

The buck stops with the manager. He takes the flak but not every single thing is his fault.

I think the keeper should have saved the header last night and Llorente's goal v Spurs. The ball was almost directly above his head for the header last night and he didn't even get one hand up. A lot of so called lesser keepers would have touched that over the bar imo. He saw the cross and the header all the way.

Criticise him for lack of a striker, the keeper who has cost them nearly every year and buying the likes of Grealish etc. But I don't see what he did wrong on the night really. Plenty to criticise him for in previous years' exits in that regard with all his tinkering. People criticise Sterling and Foden but de Bruyne often does nothing when they get knocked out too.

What do you think Pep should have done differently last night? He was two goals up after 179 minutes and his players let him down. Not the manager's job to see out injury time with a two goal lead.

As I said, if 1 of those great chances goes in then it'd be how great is Pep etc.

They were unlucky but I would say, with a 2 goal cushion, why not just make the game ugly?

Manage the game & take the flow & momentum out of it.

When Real went 3-1 up, you just knew that was it cos they'd know how to manage the situation.

Yep.  And if your auntie had baws she'd be your uncle.
Pep fcked it up again, royally.
As for Grealish,......

Pep and Grealish just a perfect fit for Mayo.

Take me Back

Grealish is utter carp.

How the feck the English media bigged him up so much last year especially was mind boggling.

What was more astonishing is that Pep thought he's worth £100m when getting a striker should've been his top priority.