The Team Can No Longer Play Pep Style.

[nottsblue]

Not sure Villa can afford him. Not just what fee City would want but his wages.

Swap him for Watkins

I’d swap him to take Morgan Rogers back!

Rogers just been called up to the England squad

[Mase]

Where have these stats come from that are mentioned RE: Rico and tackling? I can see he makes 1.7 tackles per game in the Prem, compared with
Akanji’s 0.8 tackles on average p/g.
Josko makes 1.8 tackles per game on average.
Dias less than Rico with 0.8 tackles p/g.
Stones worst at 0.5 tackles per game.

How does that make Rico’s stats appalling?

[zuricity]

first halves v lisbon and brighton were pretty decent
should have been comfortably ahead in both games

And yet we were hammered in Lisbon and lost in Brighton

Seems we can’t play with the intensity required for 90minutes? Which is kind of the point of the thread

We were not hammered at all ! We should easily have been 3-0 at half time.

A sucker punch straight after half time and a stupid foul immediately afterwards by Gvardiol giving a way a penalty.

[nottsblue]

first halves v lisbon and brighton were pretty decent
should have been comfortably ahead in both games

And yet we were hammered in Lisbon and lost in Brighton

Seems we can’t play with the intensity required for 90minutes? Which is kind of the point of the thread

We were not hammered at all ! We should easily have been 3-0 at half time.

A sucker punch straight after half time at a stupid foul immediately afterwards by Gvardiol giving a way a penalty.

In my book ZC, 4-1 as a final score is a hammering. Yes, we should have had the game won by half time and we shouldn’t have been caught cold at the start of the second half and the result would have been very different. But we didn’t take our chances and we did concede soft goals

And we had no answer

[Im_Spartacus]

Where have these stats come from that are mentioned RE: Rico and tackling? I can see he makes 1.7 tackles per game in the Prem, compared with
Akanji’s 0.8 tackles on average p/g.
Josko makes 1.8 tackles per game on average.
Dias less than Rico with 0.8 tackles p/g.
Stones worst at 0.5 tackles per game.

How does that make Rico’s stats appalling?

https://fbref.com/en/players/b57e066e/Rico-Lewis

The tackle stats for City have never been particularly high over the years, I was just using tackles and interceptions as an example vs TAA as a player who is often maligned for his defensive contributions. We regain the ball through pressure and mistakes higher up the pitch which means they are counted as interceptions in the stats, and a key area for those breakdowns of us seems to be where our fullbacks tuck in a little near to the half way line as a team tries to break and then is pressured into a mistake.

Our tactics are dependent on that breakdown happening in the centre circle or just offset from it as the CDM is often occupying a position that forces the oppo to play around him - if the breakdown doesn't happen by that point, it means we have a backpeddling defence against a rapidly advancing attack. While they may not score from the break, it leads to more corners or free kicks conceded which all thrown in the pot together, is for me, why we're having issues defensively. If the "system" doesn't work around regaining possession quickly, the defence are on a hiding to nothing a lot of the time.

Interceptions:
Lewis 0.57
Gvardiol - 1.12
Walker - 1.00
Akanji/Ake have a low number but it's hard to separate out the handful of games they have played at fullback.

To put this into more perspective these stats are over 12 months so this isn't a recent thing. It would seem that when we look at Walker and Gvardiol, they seem to have a better 'knack' of picking up loose balls in that space just off centre between midfield and defence where the fullbacks are encouraged to be. While the difference between 0.57 and 1 isn't too high, its a 100% difference, and these little margins mpact how effectively we can manage breaks.

Our centre halves fare particularly badly in this stat generally being in the bottom 10th percentile for interceptions vs other CBs around the big leagues, which suggests its about the way we play and where the breakdown happens - other teams rely on their defenders for these breakdowns, we don't.

Lewis is efficient and effective on the ball albeit in an attacking sense he is considerably less incisive than the other 2 full backs or midfielders with his passing or ball carrying, and he also clearly doesn't seem to contribute as much defensively.

[Mase]

He’s not the worst in tackling stats compared with our own players though - shown in my post above. Stones and Dias, two players that people would argue are our best defenders, have worst tackling stats per 90 mins.

Shows that stats can be manipulated however someone wants them to be, to prove various points.

I’d argue Rico’s position isn’t really relevant when it comes to our recent loses or the way we’re playing.

[Im_Spartacus]

He’s not the worst in tackling stats compared with our own players though - shown in my post above. Stones and Dias, two players that people would argue are our best defenders, have worst tackling stats per 90 mins.

Shows that stats can be manipulated however someone wants them to be, to prove various points.

I’d argue Rico’s position isn’t really relevant when it comes to our recent loses or the way we’re playing.

You're getting hung up on tackling numbers......tackling is a symptom of a failure of the system in Pep's mind, - none of our team have high tackling stats - like I said, our style of play is to harry the opponent into a mistake without needing to tackle. Whether in midfield or defence, the tackling stats for every city player including Rodri, is way down in the bottom quartile of similar players across the league.

How many tackles Dias or Akanji make at centre half, has as much relevance to the fullback position as Haaland's or Silva's stats - they are totally different roles, so the only players we can compare Lewis to are Gvardiol and Walker.

The problem we've had this year has largely been that the oppo has not struggled like in previous years, to get numbers past the half way line with quality possession. While we're not shipping primarily breakaway goals, it's a failure to break up play in that central third thats killing us - and seeing as Rodri's tackling stats are also low, that reinforces that its about restricting space to force the mistake.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Sadly for this season I think we’re seeing the group at the same stage the one Pep inherited was in year 1.

Were poorer at the back as a group and individuals than we have been in a long time. Ake and Stones can’t play twice in a month, Dias and Akanji aren’t as strong as they were and Walker is on the decline.

In the middle it’s even worse. Rico is out of his element when in there, physically he’s just not ready for a battle which we are in most weeks. Gundo and Kova are both good players but neither can replace Rodri or Kdb in their spots and both those are not available.

Up top we’ve seen Haaland miss more chances, we’re getting little goals from wide and Foden is having his worst patch for a couple of years too.

We really need some leaders to step up and get us to Jan, but I fear our choice of captain may stop that happening.

[Mase]

How is Rico out of his element when he’s probably, on the whole, been our best player this season? I’d argue Kova as well.

Mad that he’s so bad and out of his depth but Pep has played him most games - Only Josko and Ederson have played one game more than him.

Perhaps Pep has lost it then. Damn, we should have got the Sporting guy

[Hazy2]

How is Rico out of his depth when he’s probably, on the whole, been our best player this season? I’d argue Kova as well.

Mad that he’s so bad and out of his depth but Pep has played him most games - Only Josko and Ederson have played one game more than him.

Perhaps Pep has lost it then. Damn, we should have got the Sporting guy

I back us to sort it. Rodri is a blow that will not be solved
Sadly the rest is get a rhythm going and see where we are at the end of the season. As for Pep it needs the club to address one way or another in my opinion. I cannot see his replacement anywhere can you pal?

[Mase]

How is Rico out of his depth when he’s probably, on the whole, been our best player this season? I’d argue Kova as well.

Mad that he’s so bad and out of his depth but Pep has played him most games - Only Josko and Ederson have played one game more than him.

Perhaps Pep has lost it then. Damn, we should have got the Sporting guy

I back us to sort it. Rodri is a blow that will not be solved
Sadly the rest is get a rhythm going and see where we are at the end of the season. As for Pep it needs the club to address one way or another in my opinion. I cannot see his replacement anywhere can you pal?

I honestly think his replacement needs to come from within the club. Whether that’s a Gundo that shadows him for a season purely as his assistant, or one of his coaches now.

[Scatman]

How is Rico out of his depth when he’s probably, on the whole, been our best player this season? I’d argue Kova as well.

Mad that he’s so bad and out of his depth but Pep has played him most games - Only Josko and Ederson have played one game more than him.

Perhaps Pep has lost it then. Damn, we should have got the Sporting guy

I back us to sort it. Rodri is a blow that will not be solved
Sadly the rest is get a rhythm going and see where we are at the end of the season. As for Pep it needs the club to address one way or another in my opinion. I cannot see his replacement anywhere can you pal?

I honestly think his replacement needs to come from within the club. Whether that’s a Gundo that shadows him for a season purely as his assistant, or one of his coaches now.

I think his replacement has to be capable, no matter where he comes from. I know you're not advocating appointing someone purely on the basis they come from within, but it should only be a deciding factor or even less significant than that. If he is leaving then I don't expect Pep to hang around for a year so that somebody can shadow him. If he's staying then a year shadowing would not be enough and Pep's legacy will be a potential noose around anyone's neck so I'd advocate for a clean break. It's easy to say one cannot see Pep's replacement, but we probably aren't looking in the same places.

[stupot]

Reports everywhere today that Alonso is leaving Leverkeusen at the end of the season.
He's one of the few good names out there and Wirtz would probably follow him but i reckon it's nailed on he goes to Madrid.

[stevefromdonny]

i put it down to we are so fucking slow, when Bournmouth Lisbon and Brighton can attack up with pace and not wait till our players are behind the ball, but us when we break we might get 2 players going up field and others are walking or jogging up front. Thats why we stop all the time to let players catch up, that then gives the other team to get behind the ball and we are fucked because we then pass back or sidewards all the time

[Mase]

Reports everywhere today that Alonso is leaving Leverkeusen at the end of the season.
He's one of the few good names out there and Wirtz would probably follow him but i reckon it's nailed on he goes to Madrid.

Madrid nailed on, like you say. A small chance for Bayern if Vinnie fucks up this year, but I’d bet my house on him going to Madrid.

[Mase]

How is Rico out of his depth when he’s probably, on the whole, been our best player this season? I’d argue Kova as well.

Mad that he’s so bad and out of his depth but Pep has played him most games - Only Josko and Ederson have played one game more than him.

Perhaps Pep has lost it then. Damn, we should have got the Sporting guy

I back us to sort it. Rodri is a blow that will not be solved
Sadly the rest is get a rhythm going and see where we are at the end of the season. As for Pep it needs the club to address one way or another in my opinion. I cannot see his replacement anywhere can you pal?

I honestly think his replacement needs to come from within the club. Whether that’s a Gundo that shadows him for a season purely as his assistant, or one of his coaches now.

I think his replacement has to be capable, no matter where he comes from. I know you're not advocating appointing someone purely on the basis they come from within, but it should only be a deciding factor or even less significant than that. If he is leaving then I don't expect Pep to hang around for a year so that somebody can shadow him. If he's staying then a year shadowing would not be enough and Pep's legacy will be a potential noose around anyone's neck so I'd advocate for a clean break. It's easy to say one cannot see Pep's replacement, but we probably aren't looking in the same places.

Absolutely. It was reported that Gundo came up with the tactic that one of our kids teams uses still now, when he was studying for his badges. I think he’ll make a good manager, that’s me just basing it on his speeches that we’ve seen on the documentaries and the fact he seems switched on. He could be awful, what do I know?

[Scatman]

Reports everywhere today that Alonso is leaving Leverkeusen at the end of the season.
He's one of the few good names out there and Wirtz would probably follow him but i reckon it's nailed on he goes to Madrid.

Madrid nailed on, like you say. A small chance for Bayern if Vinnie fucks up this year, but I’d bet my house on him going to Madrid.

Where is Ancelotti going?

[stupot]

Reports everywhere today that Alonso is leaving Leverkeusen at the end of the season.
He's one of the few good names out there and Wirtz would probably follow him but i reckon it's nailed on he goes to Madrid.

Madrid nailed on, like you say. A small chance for Bayern if Vinnie fucks up this year, but I’d bet my house on him going to Madrid.

Where is Ancelotti going?

Pressures on him.
6 points behind Barca. Lost 2 out of 4 in the CL.

[Scatman]

Reports everywhere today that Alonso is leaving Leverkeusen at the end of the season.
He's one of the few good names out there and Wirtz would probably follow him but i reckon it's nailed on he goes to Madrid.

Madrid nailed on, like you say. A small chance for Bayern if Vinnie fucks up this year, but I’d bet my house on him going to Madrid.

Where is Ancelotti going?

Pressures on him.
6 points behind Barca. Lost 2 out of 4 in the CL.

Perhaps I meant could he come here?

[Outcast]

Reports everywhere today that Alonso is leaving Leverkeusen at the end of the season.
He's one of the few good names out there and Wirtz would probably follow him but i reckon it's nailed on he goes to Madrid.

Madrid nailed on, like you say. A small chance for Bayern if Vinnie fucks up this year, but I’d bet my house on him going to Madrid.

I'll take that bet