Pep Guardiola

[Messigician]

By saying that Pep is trading lethalness for possession/linkup.
That works against smaller teams/league competitions, but it sucks in Europe against big boys.

The only time it worked for him is when he had Xavi-Iniesta and Messi on top to finish all those chances from possession.
Without a killer/magician in attack, he just gets a boring/sterile possession and tons of missed chances by players who are not natural scorers.

On the other hand, he won't trade a false 9 for a true striker because he would lose a part of possession.
And without possession his game won't work because his midget soft midfielders won't be able to defend.
Also, personality wise, except young Messi who listened to Pep, Pep doesn't like strong personalities and superstars because they want a special role in a team.
And yet again, Pep doesn't like a special player for any player. He likes to have 6 cloned players in midfield and attack who all look, move and play the same (and interchange positions).

This is why he doesn't want to try something else (a No9 for example), but just tries the same shit over and over each season, only with more and more expensive players.

Let's hope that Liverpool will win EPL and that Bayern/Liverpool will win a CL.
Who, by the way, don't have 6 cloned robots in midfield/attack.

This is how I see Pep's lineups and all signings in recent years:

Clones playing robotic-logical-maths football.
What a joy.

Best thing Laporta ever did was refuse to sell Eto'o that treble winning season when Pep requested it.

Shit got weird during the Fabregas False 9 era

 

[Joan]

You cannot count on him when it matters. One task!

 

[Messigician]

If he didn't have that golden generation of players he would be the Catalan Bielsa no doubt

 

[Birdy]

The win against Chelsea was a 6 pointer. Momentum has been with Tuchel and Chelsea. In Lukaku they got the striker they wanted. Chelsea were the team to beat. Pep recent record v Chelsea was not good. That was until City played them off the park.

Titles are not won in the first six games of a season, but they can be lost.

6 pointer, but happened in September mate
Same 6 pointer in April or May that determines who wins the league and how does not is a different story
Same with PSG now in the group. I think City will win the group, but it's not as important as a potential knockout tie vs them

So far in recent years, Pep has only managed to win both games against PSG CL semis last season,
and that's pretty much it against strong opponents?
CAn't remember any other strong opponent he managed to beat in an important game in April or May
Even when he won that league vs Liverpool with 98 vs 97 points, he did not face them in a league-determining tie..

On the contrary, we have seen meltdowns against inferior sides in games where City was much better (Spurs for example)
or games where City did not compete (Chelsea final, Liverpool 2018)
Some of that has to do with the mental preparation, there is something wrong there

Not repeating the false narrative that this type of football is obsolete blah blah, but he certainly has to work the mentality of his team to win important games against strong teams

That league game they just won is more important than FA Cup semi final.

Chelsea are trying to in that game as much they did in CL final. They are not slacking off due to it being a league game. They are desperate to win that league.

Mental gymnastic and if Pep had lost folk would have been gushing over Tuchel and his record.

LOL
Legendary quote
Jammy never disappoints with how ridiculous he can get to 'defend his views'

 

[Mateka]

Not repeating the false narrative that this type of football is obsolete blah blah, but he certainly has to work the mentality of his team to win important games against strong teams


I am sure I just saw them beat Chelsea away.

Three out of four PL titles. At times winning by 19 points.

PSG away with Mbappe, Neymar and Messi, is challenging for anybody. Well done Pep.

 

[Andresito]

Either Pep or Messi is going to get a ton of shit after the game.

Easiest prediction.

 

[FCBarca]

It was glorious football from City, utterly dominating PSG at home and with the most expensive squad in history...but this is football, you still have to find the back of the net. Grealish looks every bit the right fit for Pep that I thought he'd be, 2 months in only - wait until he really gels

Pep can set them up to win, players still need to score. His city side have set the bar for style of play, they are the elite side in Europe with the exception of a goalscorer. The other petro club have goalscorers in surplus

Makes me wonder what Pep's City would've looked like with Leo

 

[JohnN]

It was glorious football from City, utterly dominating PSG at home and with the most expensive squad in history...but this is football, you still have to find the back of the net. Grealish looks every bit the right fit for Pep that I thought he'd be, 2 months in only - wait until he really gels

Pep can set them up to win, players still need to score. His city side have set the bar for style of play, they are the elite side in Europe with the exception of a goalscorer. The other petro club have goalscorers in surplus

Makes me wonder what Pep's City would've looked like with Leo

PSG looked really dangerous during some periods of the game though and had good chances too. City had the possession of course, since it's Pep's team, but also it was Pochettino's strategy to hit on the counter.

 

[JohnN]

By saying that Pep is trading lethalness for possession/linkup.
That works against smaller teams/league competitions, but it sucks in Europe against big boys.

The only time it worked for him is when he had Xavi-Iniesta and Messi on top to finish all those chances from possession.
Without a killer/magician in attack, he just gets a boring/sterile possession and tons of missed chances by players who are not natural scorers.

On the other hand, he won't trade a false 9 for a true striker because he would lose a part of possession.
And without possession his game won't work because his midget soft midfielders won't be able to defend.
Also, personality wise, except young Messi who listened to Pep, Pep doesn't like strong personalities and superstars because they want a special role in a team.
And yet again, Pep doesn't like a special player for any player. He likes to have 6 cloned players in midfield and attack who all look, move and play the same (and interchange positions).

This is why he doesn't want to try something else (a No9 for example), but just tries the same shit over and over each season, only with more and more expensive players.

Let's hope that Liverpool will win EPL and that Bayern/Liverpool will win a CL.
Who, by the way, don't have 6 cloned robots in midfield/attack.

This is how I see Pep's lineups and all signings in recent years:

Clones playing robotic-logical-maths football.
What a joy.

You know what my issue is?
If PSG won, as they did, you would say you were right that Pep is a bum in CL.
if Man City won, as the didn't, you would say you were right that Messi is a bum in CL and finished.

Can never be wrong like this.

 

[FCBarca]

PSG looked really dangerous during some periods of the game though and had good chances too. City had the possession of course, since it's Pep's team, but also it was Pochettino's strategy to hit on the counter.

5-10% of the match in total, at best

Counter attacks are only effective if you nullify the threats (Which PSG were lucky to have done) and be clinical on the few occasions you get (Which they were ultimately). City convert half of the chances they had, a very different result

Nevertheless, this style of play from Pep is the model of Barca - the bar that has been set for this young team to strive for. Because as it stands, we are far from that level of precision, intensity & speed of play. City lost but I continue to be so impressed by how they play

For all of their petro dollars and star studded squad, PSG have Messi. I thought Neymar disappointed as did Mbappe

 

[Nazario1985]

Most importantly look how PSG managed to defend, yes they were lucky some times but even with Messi & Mbappe (cause Neymar do actually help) they had some crazy km coverage.

Good for pep to have a crazy good team, but he need a super start to flip the table when shit don't go as well as expected.

But he is stubborn trying to prove himself away from the FCB super stars he coached here, like a baby saying every year 'I can do it without Messi & Iniesta even if I'm spending more than 2Billion$$"

When in reality nobody gives a shit and he is only judged by today's results.

This is why he want a no name squad, so HE can be the superstar this time. sight no success still, if he goes out City with no CL, it would be one of the biggest flop I ever seen (don't bs me with local trophies, with 2 billion$ in transfers a cockroach would do it, liver did it with fragments of that budget + a CL)

For the record half of the team he managed at FCB made freaking RIJKAARD manager of the year lol.

 

[Mateka]

We had a good game; we missed the goal. [PSG] put it in,” Laporte said. “The most important thing is to score. Paris did it on very few occasions, and they won the game. We do not approach the match in a different way (playing against Neymar, Messi). We regularly play very great players, but we knew it could happen. We failed to score.”
Laporte. PSG Talk

 

[Porque]

The opportunists will come out but in the end two top 5 teams in Europe played and the home side won.

Of course if you want to dive into it, the difference was possibly who signed Messi. If Pep had wanted Messi and Messi had wanted Pep then perhaps City would have won.

 

[malvolio]

It was glorious football from City, utterly dominating PSG at home and with the most expensive squad in history...but this is football, you still have to find the back of the net. Grealish looks every bit the right fit for Pep that I thought he'd be, 2 months in only - wait until he really gels

Pep can set them up to win, players still need to score. His city side have set the bar for style of play, they are the elite side in Europe with the exception of a goalscorer. The other petro club have goalscorers in surplus

Makes me wonder what Pep's City would've looked like with Leo

Exactly! That's why Pep is the best coach around. Has a clear philosophy and implements it to perfection.

He made the team play well, what the likes of Sterling and Silva do in front of goal is out of his reach.

 

[Nazario1985]

A coach who can't win it is not a good coach end of story.

He had more than enough time, the biggest budget in the last decade, all the support in the world from his boss.

If sterling or someone else is shit to the point it's makes to team loose, it's on him not on the player at this point.

Their is no such thing as the team play nice but can't win the only trophy that matter for the club's project; we heard that shit back in the day within FCB circuit.

He have no choice this year. It's CL or nothing.

And the CL final it was 100% Pep fault, was literally schooled.