Ilkay Gundogan

[PrezIke]

Nainngolan would be ideal

This is a good shout, although he will be 29 going into next season.

[PeterParker]

Nainngolan would be ideal

This is a good shout, although he will be 29 going into next season.

Yes,good player, but he will not be what Pep is after.

Heard that Wilmots allowed him to smoke at the Euro when no one is allowed.

[PeterParker]

Gundogan discussed inverted full-backs, pressing and playing out from defence on NBC:

# Robbie Earle: We have seen the likes of Fernandinho and Gael Clichy coming from full back to take up central positions and leave three at the back. Is it important for Guardiola to have his full backs coming into central areas?
- Ilkay Gundogan: 'It is but it doesn't necessarily need to be full backs. We always want to be in the position with three (defenders), two (players in central areas) and then the two attacking midfielders because that makes the game easier for us.
'We have short ways of passing between all these players and the most important thing is about creating space for these two guys (attacking midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva) so they can turn and pass to these guys (wingers Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling) and these guys - in an ideal situation - pass back to Sergio Aguero to score.'
# Earle: Everyone is talking about the pressing Pep has brought to Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City. Is it true there is a five-second rule about winning the ball back or is that made up?
Gundogan: 'It depends on the situation and also on the opponent. If we are quite defensive (positionally) and we lose the ball, we just try to get back into our positions and try to defend. That's something you have to do from time to time.
'But if we are more in front and all our players are higher up the pitch, we push and try to win the ball back as soon as possible. It's much better to win the ball in these areas rather than in your own half because it makes it easier to score a goal and if we have the opportunity to win the ball back up here (high up) we try to use it.'
# Earle: It seems like Pep wants to play out from the back. But do you sometimes have to go long when teams press high?
- Gundogan: 'Yeah, I especially remember the game against Monchengladbach where we knew before that they would press us really high.
'The manager just told the goalkeepers "if we don't have the possibility to play with the centre backs or the full backs we just need to use our striker," which was Sergio in that case.
'He told Sergio to stay high up, maybe even offside as well, but then to come back and then (he told) Claudio (Bravo) in that game "just play the ball but not high, not to his head, to his chest so he can control it" and then play with the holding midfielder and he can then play directly to our strikers.
'There is always a danger of losing the ball in your own half. The ideal situation is winning the ball in the opponent's half but we definitely don't want to lose the ball in our own half. So to make it safe this is also a very good solution.'

[bigblue]

Video (maybe USA only):

http://www.nbcsports.com/video/robbie-e ... y-gundogan

Funny, it's almost like the old WM formation form decades ago

[Michael Brookes]

Video (maybe USA only):

http://www.nbcsports.com/video/robbie-e ... y-gundogan

Funny, it's almost like the old WM formation form decades ago

Thanks for sharing I really enjoyed that and wish this level of insight on UK screens. I had to use a VPN to watch it (tunnelbear from app store is a good one)

[PrezIke]

So, are we not yet satisfied?

Know some here and I hear elsewhere, have been frustrated over some performances (missed chances, I think?), while other observers have generally thought he has performed well (I think it was against Cardiff and ?)

Cardiff FA Cup

Ilkay Gündogan – 7

Much like De Bruyne his influence on the game was much greater in the first half as the game slowed down to a snail’s pace in the second half. Probably could have had a couple of goals had he brought his finishing boots.

West Brom PL

Ilkay Gundogan – 8

A great pass to start the break for De Bruyne’s goal and a wonderful half-way line attempt at a lob that Foster had to push away. Gundogan is growing and growing and has become a more than worthy deputy for David Silva. He’s recovering that box-to-box ability he had in his early days at Dortmund and City will be better for it

Burnley PL

Ilkay Gundogan – 8

Any footballer who has suffered a long-term injury will tell you that it’s a long road back to full fitness, but today Gundogan looked to have reached the Premier Inn at the end of the A1. Against Burnley, the German was assured, influential and perfectly in sync with his teammates. The biggest compliment I can pay him is that we didn’t miss David Silva

That is the last 3 games BEFORE yesterday where he should have had a hat trick (except for a fantastic save by the keeper) and bossed the midfield.

No David Silva with he and Bernardo coming into their own in the team has really given us weapons that we hoped they would be.

[Mase]

He’s had a few decent games. He’s had a few awful ones. Let’s see how he gets on for the rest of the season.

[Sideshow Bob]

good squad player but not sure where he fits in the long run. too lightweight and slow to be a fernandinho. vision/passing not good enough to replace silva or KDB.

[dazby]

The kind of player that will go the season unappreciated but score the winner in the chumps league final.

[phips]

Let’s see how he gets on for the rest of the season.

will be tough now that Silva should be back in the fold for the homestretch

[Mase]

Let’s see how he gets on for the rest of the season.

will be tough now that Silva should be back in the fold for the homestretch

We’re still in four competitions mate.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

He's getting there, starting to resemble the player we know he can be.

Better than Pogba.

[Wonderwall]

Fast becoming one of our big players. Really. Like this match fit Gundogan

[Mase]

He's getting there, starting to resemble the player we know he can be.

Better than Pogba.

A young Nigel Clough (I fuckin hate that coward!!!) is better than Pogba.

[Dubciteh]

He’s had a few decent games. He’s had a few awful ones. Let’s see how he gets on for the rest of the season.

Im with u on this. I like him but im
Unconvinced at the minute. Loads of time and games though, he has had a serious injury record so sitting out a few games with dave back might do him good.

His fee seems a bargain in hindsight given todays prices.

[brite blu sky]

Gundogan is a really good player. He is starting to slot into the team and like Bernard just needs to get that experience of where and what the other players are going to be and do. How good he gets within this team is still to be found out, but i am convinced of this guy. It may well not be until next season that he really slots in like a glove.
What i am sure of is that the club and PG will have a bead on exactly how he is progressing and what the expectations are.

On a scale of players that would fit into our team he is right up there. Sometime patience is a virtue... ( KDB )

[Mase]

Gundogan is a really good player. He is starting to slot into the team and like Bernard just needs to get that experience of where and what the other players are going to be and do. How good he gets within this team is still to be found out, but i am convinced of this guy. It may well not be until next season that he really slots in like a glove.
What i am sure of is that the club and PG will have a bead on exactly how he is progressing and what the expectations are.

On a scale of players that would fit into our team he is right up there. Sometime patience is a virtue... ( KDB )

[Nigels Tackle]

he reminds me of that mexican wolf faced bloke

Watch on youtube.com

[phips]

Let’s see how he gets on for the rest of the season.

will be tough now that Silva should be back in the fold for the homestretch

We’re still in four competitions mate.

true enough but one is coming to a close soon and Silva will start that.
Silva will also start the next round of CL matches and all of the big premier league matches.


barring injury and returns to Spain, of course.

[zabbadabbado]

Got a Tweet through with Ikay helping out disabled kids.Class Guy.