Pep Guardiola

Devils

Senior Member
People still cope for this guy, but the fact that a manger consistently plays a pub player Gabriel Jesus in big games has warrant some serious doubts about his capabilities.
 

Altomonte

New member
is de Bruyne fully fit? If yes, I don't understand why he did not start. Kun Aguero was quite invisible, in addition to missing the penalty.
 

kobby

Member
Pep Guardiola has won only 3 out of last 15 away knockout Champions League games (since 2011 with Barcelona, Bayern and Man. City). He only won against Arsenal, Basel and Schalke.
 

kobby

Member
Very underwhelming. In fairness to Valverde we’d be killing him if he managed the match like Pep did tonight.

100% agreed. The same people who bash EV even when he wins (but "dOesN't pLAy thE barCA WAy") seem to give Pep a lot of wiggle room. His away record and post-Barca record in the UCL is atrocious.
 

Vilarrubi

New member
People still cope for this guy, but the fact that a manger consistently plays a pub player Gabriel Jesus in big games has warrant some serious doubts about his capabilities.

What...... as in Gabriel Jesus the top 10 striker in the world?
 

henias

New member
The moment I saw the lineup, I knew they are losing it. Deserved the loss 100%, I'm not sure what he's thinking, particularly in a crucial away game.

Players like Mahrez is simply not at the same level as the rest, reason why Aguero played so poorly because the winger wasn't quick enough and couldn't contribute to their progression in attack. Aguero chose to go alone but was quickly shut down by the defence. Should have gone for more intensity, Sane-Aguero-Sterling.

Can't believe he chose to play a conservative 4231 and still wants to gamble with this lineup.

Or possibly he wants to rotate in QFs and then go all in in the Semis, especially when they're are aiming for a quadraple. They're also facing Spurs 3 times. Either way an away goal would have killed the game.
 
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BarcaOG

Banned
Pep Guardiola has won only 3 out of last 15 away knockout Champions League games (since 2011 with Barcelona, Bayern and Man. City). He only won against Arsenal, Basel and Schalke.

shocking stuff...but considering how he sets up for these away games, unsurprising. he wasnt as suicidal today as he was last year and at bayern, but not starting KDB/sane--or at least subbing them on earlier than in the 88th minute or whatever--was a TERRIBLE decision
 

ManusXavi

New member
The tactics should have changed early in the game.
When working at speed they put fear into the opponent lasting the rest of the game. Fans and players alike can feel it.
Those tactics if not done properly become risky for defense.
When, for one of many reasons, the team is having a slow day one can feel the familiar inevitable doom and gloom. I knew he wouldn't change tactics.
Horrible feelings exactly the same I had felt on some days when Barcelona failed to play the same tactics at speed.

Far too often Guardiola has failed against the very best in the World when we least expect it.
 

FCBarca

Mike the Knife
Certainly wasn't the intention to lose but I suspect that this might've been the only one of the 3 straight matches against Tottenham Pep was going to play conservatively and risk a narrow loss. I am sure the intention was to win if not at least do no worse than a draw but as he said in the post match he was happy with the play of his team

I also wasn't aware Bernardo got injured before the match, was this common knowledge or a well kept secret? Very surprising, either way this clearly impacted his team selection as well as thinking/planning ahead

For me, it would appear Pep played it conservatively with team selection due to the April fixtures and how tight the margins are. If you consider it objectively, this is the one match in April they could potentially afford to lose and not impact the League title chase or odds for Semifinal qualification with his strongest lineup for the return at the Etihad next week. Seems a calculated risk, maybe even a bit pragmatic for someone like Pep tbh but with all the injuries this season, reasonable?

I'm not sure I agree with this approach, just that there is a logic to it. I think what I fail to understand however are the 89th min subs - make the subs but why wait that late? Surely at 75 minutes it still could've mitigated any fears he might've had for more injuries to key players like KDB & Leroy but that's the only oddity that lingers for me

Not easy to do but you have to give Spurs credit, they did well and both Son & Winks were brilliant. We'll have to see if Pep's roll of the dice pays off in the return but he sounded quite confident that was going to happen in the post match
 

Ursegor

World Champion
It's so predictable what will happen. He will overturn it of course, even Dortmund could have scored 3 on Tottenham in the return leg if not for woeful final third play by them. Then he'll get absolutely wrecked by Juventus away from home, something like 0-3, which will end his CL campaign. The end.
 

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