Hear me out.
Has Pep ruined football? Is there a better system and style of play implemented by a manager ever? It feels like he has perfected the strategy. Is there a system out there than can go head to head with Pep? And I’m not talking about a one-of game against a Madrid or a Tuchel or a Ancelloti. If 10 games were played, how many would pep lose against the same team. And I get it - in a football match anything can happen.
However, all fans want to see their team play beautiful football and see them win (aka how man city plays). At Barca, one could point to the genius of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi & co. But I would argue this Man City is Peps greatest success. There is no team nor has there ever been a team, as it is presently constructed, than can beat city (my opinion)
I dont know what strategy or system is robust enough to beat Man City regularly. The Era of man-management which was at its peak with Jose is over. Now the game is about tactics, way of playing and strategy. Has Pep figured it out? Is it a forgone conclusion that there would never exist a system superior to that of Pep? In other words should we just wait for Pep to retire for any other team to have a chance?
The thing that impresses/scares me about Pep is how well he can adapt his tactics over a long period. There have been lots of dominant managers throughout the years, but it seems like they eventually fall off, especially with how fast the game changes tactically now. Other great managers like Conte, Jose; its other teams adapting to their tactics, differences in managing different generations of players, etc.
Pep keeps adapting and setting the meta for tactics throughout the world. I’m not saying City is invincible and you must remember he has more resources than almost every other team, but he has consistently been dominating Europe for a long time now. We just did a whole podcast episode on why/how Pep and dominant City are.
But I see where you’re coming from and its hard to see a path for City to fall off as long as Pep is there. Who knows where the game will go/change, that’s the fun part of the sport!
1 CL in a jammy final against Inter Milan and suddenly its the greatest team of all time lol.
People are so reactive, no this isnt the best team ever and no theyre a long shot from unbeatable.
Lol no on everything.
He hasn’t ruined anything, and he certainly hasn’t perfected anything
Ruined by being successful via cheating for most of his career? Yes.
When you factor in the blood doping scandal, the bribing refs scandal while he was at Barcelona, and the 115 charges City are facing, you have to say that his entire career is one big asterisk.
He is ruining football, just not with anything his teams have been doing on the pitch.