Pep's Arrival

[Strike 7,477]

I'm really conflicted on how I feel about this. I think Di Matteo should get the job, but I have huge doubts over what he can actually achieve.

Deep down I might favor Pep coming here, but I'm not sure about that either. Di Matteo and/or Guardiola could be huge flops.

The risk of Guardiola getting it wrong is higher. di matteo knows the players and more importantly has shown his tactical shrewdness. our transfer activity so far has been encouraging and i have no doubts di matteo will incorporate marin, kdb and obviously hazard into the team. he has already established a formation and working tactic which will be even better with hazard on the wing rather than Kalou.

if guardiola comes in - we start from scratch. again.

[Hysteria 159]

If Guardiola gets here he doesnt use a style if we havent the correct players, unlike AVB. I would give Robbie a chance though.

[Henrique 9,133]

The risk of Guardiola getting it wrong is higher. di matteo knows the players and more importantly has shown his tactical shrewdness. our transfer activity so far has been encouraging and i have no doubts di matteo will incorporate marin, kdb and obviously hazard into the team. he has already established a formation and working tactic which will be even better with hazard on the wing rather than Kalou.

if guardiola comes in - we start from scratch. again.

I heard the same thing when we sacked AVB.

Starting from scratch is not that bad, after all.

[Madmax 9,219]

Starting from scratch is not that bad, after all.

Big difference between starting from scratch and going back to Mourinho's ways though.

[jjd06e 37]

Say Pep brings in a formation looking like this one and employs it at Chelsea

Lets also say we sign Hulk+Hazard

For us it could work

Goaltender and 4 defenders are obvious, Busquets role could be played by Mikel. I think we would need to add someone like Modric to play Xavi spot. Mata would take Iniesta role, and then you would have Hazard-Torres-Hulk up front. Might not work as well as at Barca, but I think the guys we are bringing in or rumored to be adding (Hulk, Hazard, Modric, Fellaini) are all guys who could probably work in this system. Which again makes me wonder if Roman is getting these signings done early to convince Pep to come.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

I dont want Pep to come, but someone that can give us attacking football and KNOWS HOW TO DEFEND.

We are in england, not Spain and we dont have Messi, Xavi or Iniesta. Pep without those three would won nothing.

Capello or someone would be better.

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

Not sure about that, when i think of Guardiola's man management, all i can think of is Ibra's comments about him.

Yep, that is the only thing. The Messi text scandal or whatever, where he sent him messages saying he's not important anymore and stuff. When you have the worlds best player virtually threatening you then it's difficult to refuse. I feel sorry for Ibra their, the la masia graduates seem to have that about them. But it isn't just them, Ibra did want a formation change around him which seemed to upset the camps unity. Apart from that though the way he handles the big egos, who may be benched at the expense of youngsters like Tello and Cuenca for example, is top draw.

[silkycuts 19]

Actually my vote goes for Didier Deschamps. His teams seem to have the balance between solid defending and playing "proper" football. And of course being an ex-blue doesn't hurt either.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Yep, that is the only thing. The Messi text scandal or whatever, where he sent him messages saying he's not important anymore and stuff. When you have the worlds best player virtually threatening you then it's difficult to refuse. I feel sorry for Ibra their, the la masia graduates seem to have that about them. But it isn't just them, Ibra did want a formation change around him which seemed to upset the camps unity. Apart from that though the way he handles the big egos, who may be benched at the expense of youngsters like Tello and Cuenca for example, is top draw.

They paid 65m for Ibra, shouldn't they play to his strengths? I'm pretty sure if Pep tried hard enough he could have found a formation that suited both Messi and Ibra.

Instead of just letting such a great striker go.

Also, i don't think they're many big egos at Barca. I might be wrong, but most of them are from the academy, and like Ibra said 'they follow the coach, without ever complaining'

[Swedish House Mafia 508]

At the end of the day the only opinion that matters is that of Abramovich - and hopefully he picks pep

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

At the end of the day the only opinion that matters is that of Abramovich - and hopefully he picks pep

This.

[Tricky 301]

I think Roberto did a wonderful job last year, his man managment was particually inspiring. But we rode our luck in the CL and more importantly in the leage as well. People seem to forget we were out played by Wigan and dominated by Man City, to name but a few. Thismay / may not have been due to the players at his disposale, and if he were given the chance i am sure he would make a success off it. And i for one would love to have a true chelsea man in charge at the club, you could see how much it meant to him, and thats inspiring to see.

I believe Pep actually accepted that Barcelona needed a plan B in the post match interview following our defeat. I'm going against the tide here, but i'd like him at the Bridge. He showed great humility after their defeat to us (and lets be honest they could quite easily have won with there plan A), and his acceptance of a need for plan B shows a man who is willing to adapt. I believe he would have learned from AVB disastrous approach to change and would adopt a more evolutionary approach.

And as for the high line issue... well we used to play with a higher line under Mourinho, we oftern played higher up the field shutting out the space in midfield and stiffling opponents. Playing the higher line is what enables Barca to win the ball back so quickly (hell look how little time we had on the ball). JT aside we have plenty of pace at the back in Cole. Luis and Cahill, and if we get caught once an a while so be it... everyone has to conceed from time to time.

[bababoom 4,478]

Who doesnt?

This forum is funny sometimes. Same people that months ago were backing AVB, saying he was good, hot, exuberant, young, full of talent and only time was needed, right now are saying we cant take Pepe because he is like AVB.

I'm neutral, i wouldn't mind either way, Pep or RDM, both sounds good to me, although i will be upset for RDM if we get Pep.

[BleedsBlue 1,549]

Everyone wants Pep here but no one wants RDM to leave especially after winning two major trophies in 3 months.I wouldn't mind having Pep as our manager but I'd like see RDM get a chance and 1 year is not enough.RDM can be our perfect manager if he is given full power and responsibility and lastly but not least TIME.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Your making him out to be some sort of man with super human powers. He inherited one of the best teams of all time and made them pass the ball to death, didn't have a plan b, and when RDM exposed this he walked.

No I'm not hyping him as Superman, simply as a football visionary and the greatest coach in thr history of Barcelona. It's easy to look back now and say he inherited the best team ever, the reality was very different. He took over a team that had just been beaten over 2 legs by Man Utd, a side split into two camps by the Eto'o/Ronaldinho feud and while it did contain the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol, those players were considered underachievers at both club and international level and were not (with the exception of Puyol) considered the world beaters that they are today. Guardiola went in there, ended the feud and got rid of some big names who were causing problems, united the dressing room and created a system and perfected a philosophy that made this Barcelobaxside the greatest team to ever play the game. Listen to Messi speak about Guardiola, hear how much he says he owes to Guardiola in making him the player that he is today. No other manager could have commanded the kind of respect that Guardiola did in that Barcelona dressing room, he was the boyhood hero of Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas. As I say the argument that he doesn't have a plan B isn't correct, what you mean is that he didn't have a target man but when plan A is so successful, plan B would simply be a hindrance, after all what world class target man would be content with sitting on the bench, only getting a chance to play on the off chance that Barcelona struggle against Inter or Chelsea in Europe. As has already been well documented and previously stated in this thread, he never intended on staying long anyway, his stay lasted longer than he originally intended.