To start off, this is the first time Pep Guardiola hasn't made the semi- finals with a team in the last 8 years....
I have nothing but respect for the gutsy ways of Pep here. With a 2 goal lead heading to Monaco for the return leg, he puts out the attacking lineup, knowing he is going to have to score because his Swiss cheese defense would concede, more than once. A similar approach PSG took, which seem to fail miserably in a similar fashion. Though we are talking about Barca and Monaco here, two very different opponents…
AS Monaco jumped out to an early lead and the first 45 minutes were squandered for Manchester City. I am not the biggest fan of a marginal Left Back playing center back in a crucial game like this, but then again I don't have all the facts.
Not to discredit Monaco in any way, this one of the most exciting young teams in Europe at the moment. With that said, I have always been disappointed in Pep Guardiola's in game coaching. Believe me, you can't say enough for what he's done tactically and his brand of football has been nothing short of a renaissance, but when he comes up against an opponent that has seemingly thwarted his initial set up, he's either too stubborn or foolish to change it.
His former Bayern team looks like a favorite to win the Champions League this season and that has to be good for something. His Bayern teams were, after all, quite dominant. But the theme remains the same, Pep couldn't lead them to Champions League glory. It sounds very elitist to say that, but the manager right before him walked off with the Champions League and the one right after looks likely to win as well.This takes nothing away from the historic League titles he won in the Bundesliga, where he clinched around February, but its Bayern, they collect Bundesliga titles like my grandfather collects parking tickets.
Yes he won the Champions League 3 times with Messi and co. but he was the new kid on the block, nobody had the time to iron out his system and find the underlying kinks. Adapt or become extinct no?
The underlying theme is that unless Guardiola's men really blow the team out or can absolutely dominate, they don’t really seem to have the tools to win, the way Ferguson, Mourinho and even Klopp do so masterfully.
Man City really hired him because they want the European glory no? Is this the guy for the job? Would love some feedback, slowly losing our minds over here….
