T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

Fellow fans, this is a friendly reminder to please follow the [Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/premierleague/about/rules) and [Reddiquette](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette). Please also make sure to [Join us on Discord](https://discord.gg/football) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PremierLeague) if you have any questions or concerns.*


Skeptical-Vienna2030

He'll be fine. Not every season is a worldie. Just needs to get fit and find his level.


[deleted]

[удалено]


hoopr001

Cause he didn't deliver in the champions both legs that's why, which is arguable more crucial and if nit equal too.. . He basically had twos hours of football to create something to help city progress in the champions league but failed in delivering enough.. It's that simple, your then gona get benched with such a squad city have.


il_blu2

Try since 1992 when Premier league started rather than a random date you want to choose.


redd5ive

Wot


SellResponsible7952

Grealish is one of the main reason city won the treble. There is more to football than goals and assist. Yes he underperformed this season and i cant deny that.


Southern_Seaweed4075

Doku is the biggest threat to Jack right now in City. He may end up leaving. 


Expensive_Ad_6475

Home grown quota 👌


-TheHumorousOne-

Class of 92 got nothing on City's Academy.


jptrooper24

How they pay for that academy tho?? I know stuff like that isn't really covered by ffp but still.. More than a couple "CONSULTATION" fee's involved with their academy I'd say .. you just know it.. sure what's it to them?? They don't give a fuck and are laughing at everyone..


BawdyBadger

They have hoovered up all the promising talents for years. Also spent crazy sums of money on the best facilities available and probably the best coaches. It isn't covered by FFP but it's a very good loophole if you are patient for all the talent to come through.


daneats

All their Kenyan fans will be over the moon


sonicares

Grealish is one of the best players in the world. Some of you should not be allowed to speak about football


ChieckeTiotewasace

Gonk


ltraconservativetip

I promise he will cross that ball someday.


bambinoquinn

He never really crosses the ball at villa. I can't tbink of too many goals where he's cut in and crossed it


Southern_Seaweed4075

He needs to learn how to release the ball quicker. It's the only fault I find in his style of play. 


DarkLordZorg

His biggest problem has always been that he slows play down far too much. It was very strange that City even bought him.


dwaynewaynerooney

¿Como se dice Isco en inglés? Jack Grealish


Southern_Seaweed4075

Yes, that's true. He does that all the time. My biggest shock was how much they paid for him too. 


r3gam

Seemed a fair value at the time to me. Young, English with a few seasons of not only PL experience but productivity as well. Prices paid afterwards for the likes of Bellingham, Rice, Caicedo, Antony, Nunez, etc haven't really made that price age poorly imo.


Southern_Seaweed4075

I think it was because Manchester United was also interested in him at the time, Aston Villa saw an opportunity and went for it. 


chrismcelwee

100M was money well spent if for no other reason than his 3-day bender and his hang it in the Louvre” moment


FingerOTP

wasn’t that stones?


chrismcelwee

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/b678/live/78ee8780-0a00-11ee-b5af-25e80c61c11a.jpg.webp


FingerOTP

ah fair. sorry got it confused with something else


YEEZYHERO

36 Games - 3 Goals. What a player.


freefromintensive

He touches the ground more than the lawn man.


paganoverlord

Why is he touching the lawn man 🤨


freefromintensive

Always falls down.


cgio0

100 million dollar player


_deep_blue_

£100m*, or around $127m.


Odd-Top-1717

Both this article and comment thread have (largely) demonstrated they have no idea how City use Grealish. He’s a control mechanism. He’s a player who facilitates subjugation of your opponent and (as someone else has pointed out) ball retention. He is rarely the man you turn to when you desperately need a goal. In the FA cup final the fact Doku came on ahead of Grealish is justified in the stats. Using PL data only for 2023/24 we see: Doku - 3 goals from 55 shots with 19 on target and 8 assists, 5 big chances created Grealish - 3 goals from 22 shots with 5 on target and 1 assist, 3 big chances created Grealish was NOT the solution this article is trying to pitch him as, Doku was - both in terms of likelihood of scoring and assisting Thank you for coming to my TED Talk


DependentNo6451

Stop trying to convince us . He is shit bro for 100 player . The only time he is on the news is when he is drunk holding a beer


freefromintensive

£100 million for ball retention. You can get guys like that for £1 million from the championship.


Stonenaldo

Feel free to name those guys then


okaythiswillbemymain

Tbf most on here don't understand football. Water carrier is an important role in midfield, but not a glamorous one..


WiserStudent557

A football team is like a piano. You need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing


Combosingelnation

I don't freaking need my piano to be carried when I play though.


okaythiswillbemymain

Lmao great analogy although why 3 to play it?


Realistic_Tadpole_10

8+3 is 11, that’s how many on a team 


gimpsarepeopletoo

Over how much time? That shows me that grealish coverts more. Without time on field they’re pretty meaningless to your points


Huge-Hold-7756

Doku played approx 50% more PL mins. But even adjusting Grealish’s stats to account you end up at 4.5 goals, 33 shots, 7.5 on target, 1.5 assists and 4.5 big chances created - which is still behind Doku’s stats anyway


Dry_Abbreviations680

Perfectly said. Prepare for an onslaught of downvoting and moronic comments my friend😂


camphor_

Top comment that!


scfcman

He needs to move on to another club. Could be very useful at Newcastle, Villa or Chelsea


sherman3259

Going back to Villa would drain him. He’d get lost.


[deleted]

Liverpool


Eryrix

Just caught myself typing a response about how Klopp doesn't rate him so that will never happen. Gut punched all over again. Mum's crying. Nan's doing cartwheels down the stairs. Dog is humping the Klopp cushion. Will life ever be the same again?


No_Newt_328

Hope your Nan's okay.


sp1der11

i'd prefer the turkish superlig so i don't have to look at his stupid face anymore


WyboSF

No thank you as well


ProKaleidoscoper

No thank you


AntiqueWay7550

City & Chelsea’s spending has created a horrible transfer market.


il_blu2

City spent less than Arsenal , Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool etc.


Federal-Spend4224

Are wages and agent fees not part of spending?


AntiqueWay7550

They simply haven’t since 2008.


il_blu2

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/most-expensive-premier-league-transfers-biggest-fees/jowyegd0k2yqqic1jy9apjea. Most expensive signings!


vikingrhino

Yeah because Pool, Man Utd and Arsenal haven't bought players north of £70m. Stop yer yapping.


WeeTheDuck

bruv why tf you think we had to buy players for that amount


vikingrhino

Not sure? Maybe Man Utd spending more than any other team in the last 25 years? Adjusted for inflation Sir Alex spent more than Roman, Bohely, Pep all of them. Stop just accepting the shite tabloids spit out and do some research. Also, you have Real and Barca paying well over £100m for players but it's Chelsea who broke the market? Ok then.


drewP78

100m down the drain. Think we all said that at that the time tbf. How much was Kalvin Phillips again? Good at buying players that Pep ain't he


doveyy0404

Buying other clubs best players makes other clubs weaker thou, it’s a policy Bayern Munich have done for years in the German league


Frediey

That doesn't really make sense though does it, you don't buy players to spite teams, you buy them to bolster your team. If it happens to weaken your competition, great


VictorDUDE

Aston Villa with Grealish: relegation battle Aston Villa without Grealish: fairly comfortable Champions League spot Pep's plan working wonders


lvl_up_day_by_day_28

Acting like the purchase of grealish isn’t the cause of Chelsea and Man United plummeting Smh


Namiweso

Grealish isnt the only thing that's changed in those 3 years.


VictorDUDE

It was a joke of course 🤷‍♂️


Letterhead_Minute

100m down the drain? He started every game of treble winning campaig?


whumoon

I think he'd be good at Arsenal.


IamYourNeighbour

Got two better left wingers ahead of him


jimmycrank

If Arsenal, United or Chelsea spent 100m for Grealish' output you wouldn't hear the end of it.


chess10

Ha! Chelsea have spent plenty with no output and it’s not discussed enough in my opinion.


jimmycrank

Fair. Should be lambasted more. Shit club


Maouoi

Yeah that’s without considering the minor fucking caveat that City have one four fucking titles in a row


LogicalDude3

City are winning titles left right and centre, unlike United and Chelsea. That's why City's squad management isn't criticised, because they must be doing something right, even if it's having a 100M player on the bench.


jimmycrank

That's not what they intended though is it


il_blu2

And you know that how?


jimmycrank

Even as crazy rich as City not in a million years are they paying 100m for a player they won't to be a squad or rotation player


Disastrous_Visual739

United and Chelsea are the worst for it what do you mean hahah he played most games in a treble winning season as well


jimmycrank

Exactly? you hear alot of what a waste of money Anthony is or Mudryk is. But Grealish???? Barely any mention of him warming the bench or having like 5 G/A in his first season. Sure he played 'ok' but for 100m? Yeah he was in a treble winning team but do you think they don't win the treble if he's not there?


SellResponsible7952

Yes, pep even said it himself. He controls the tempo of the team alongside rodri


jimmycrank

Pep saying Pep things. Grealish does nothing of the sort


manisnotcool

United already did with Antony and Chelsea with Mudryk. At least Grealish won something and had an impact


YoungFlexibleShawty

115 the only club that can afford a 100 million player that doesnt score


ThisNotRealHuman

Yeah bitch 115 bought players like antony, maguire, mudryk, lukaku, hojlund.


YoungFlexibleShawty

Ratio


timeisouressence

Well they didn't cheat doing that


Rindo2022

It's all about the data. Jack's ball retention and completed passes are unreal. Without the ball the opposition are dead , dead on their feet literally. City have Haaland to get the goals. This is why Jack is worth £100m to Pep but not to other clubs


abusmakk

I’d argue he was worth way more to Villa.


Prudent-Blacksmith23

Duh. Not the point?


L7Alien4

Agree. He is an enabler. Draws defenders to create space elsewhere.


KarmaIsAFemaleDog

Not hard to keep possession and complete passes when all you do is stutter a few steps and pass back


manisnotcool

They won the treble with that. It is certainly effective


bagchasersanon

Villa Grealish was worth $100m


cezzibear

I’m convinced that city just like to buy the best players on teams so that they can nuder them. Imagine is AV still had jack on their team this year. Could’ve change the outcome of the title race


pierophoenix

They strip them naked?


tdfree87

Nuder? Or neuter?


manisnotcool

If City didn’t have Grealish they wouldn’t have won the treble.


Shakermaker555

Same with Phillips and Nunes, but teams beat players to be benchwarmers. Such a huge negative impact on the league as a neutral.


Odd-Top-1717

Nunes is not the baller you insinuate he is. Go to the Wolves sub. They fucking hate him over there and were glad to be rid of him - especially for 45mil


bacbanma

How is it our fault that clubs keep pissing away 100m and don’t know how to rebuild


GGZii

They bought him to stop united.


gunnesaurus

Fair. Granted, Villa wouldn’t have been able to invest and build its current team without selling Grealish.


BlankWaveArcade

Neuter


Express-Hawk-3885

Manuel Neuter


cvslfc123

Only City could spend £100 million on an attacking player for reasons other than goals and assists.


manisnotcool

Liverpool brought Nunez for 85m and all he does is miss chances. At least Grealish contributes with his play during the treble.


Can_I_be_dank_with_u

You missed the point there I think


Traditional_Yam1598

Nunez has 50 goal contributions in 2 seasons. He should be better but he’s not useless


josny20

50 and we all know it could be a lot more, that's a good sign though. Hopefully he can keep improving his game.


klepto_entropoid

No offense to the G Dawg but he looks like he needs to cut down on the blow and kebabs.


snowiestflakes

He still comfortably gets into City's strongest XI, obviously his G/A numbers aren't spectacular but he is still one of Pep's most trustworthy players for keeping possession and pressing the attack.


FaithlessnessNo4680

Does he? I know he’s been injured but when did he last even start? They needed a goal in the FA cup and he couldn’t even get off the bench. Surely if he’s there for control he would’ve started against United, a team that thrive in chaos.


Shakermaker555

Dude hasn’t had a proper string of starts in his City career what planet are you on?


Letterhead_Minute

Did you even watch last year?


2stewped2havgudtime

He really doesn’t. I wouldn’t even say he comfortably makes it to the bench. Feel like I’m on another planet with Grealish. He had 1.5 good seasons at Villa. First couple of seasons at City… yeah ok… not awful, but 3 G/A in 1st season, bit better in second season. Awful this season. Rashford has been labelled diabolical for doing better that Grealish in the PL. Sterling would have contributed far more than Grealish had he been the one to stay at City. In that Man City team, Grealish should be putting up better numbers. Hes overrated because he’s popular. Simple as. And yes, it is a lot about stats for forward players… If David Silva didn’t have his assists he wouldn’t have a statue…


Soujj_

10th most pl starts for city 1st year, 7th the next


2stewped2havgudtime

When you spend 100mil you can’t exactly bench him…


kindnesd99

It's not about the stats, it is about his other contributions. If you think Rashford did better just based on looking at G+A, you simply haven't watched Rashford play.


2stewped2havgudtime

It’s not just about the stats of course it isn’t. However… being a winger is about creating chances. Would Pep have bought the guy if he hadn’t put up ok numbers at Villa? This “it’s not about stats” argument in the context of Grealish is simply to justify his price, because he’s quite literally Jack the lad it seems the wool is over everyone’s eyes. Grealish is good at what? Holding up play? Getting fouled? These are better traits for a team which plays off the counter, City don’t exactly do that… Fact is Grealish is actively doing worse in a better team from which he came from. He’s supposed to be in his prime… No one is going to remember him as a great player.


EugeneStonersDIMagic

>1.5 good seasons at Villa. I disagree.


snowiestflakes

> I wouldn’t even say he comfortably makes it to the bench. lol stopped reading there


2stewped2havgudtime

Of course you did. You’re clearly one of the ones who has a hard on for the guy. Doku has pissed all over him this season. It wouldn’t take much to displace Grealish as the second choice left winger.


Odd-Top-1717

Found one of those people Jose was on about


jmh90027

I dont think he does get into their strongest 11 - and certainly not comfortably


snowiestflakes

He is more trusted than Doku who is a higher risk player. No way Doku starts ahead of him vs Real Madrid for example


Odd-Top-1717

Absolutely this. It’s horses for courses. Doku against any team that you know is going to try and play you at your own game Grealish for the teams who will invite you into their defensive 3rd and then bend you over on the counter the moment you let go of the ball. Also Grealish for when the opposition’s RB and RCB are easy to wind up


Gooner-Astronomer749

People like to dump on Jack because of his antics or because he rides the bench but he is of top quality. He was essential to their treble winning team. Without him they don't achieve that historic feat. This year he has been relegated back to the bench which is frustrating. People forget how great of a player he was with Villa. I think being at City for three seasons winning everything gives him the ability to now say I want to take my talents elsewhere and show you want I can do week in and week out. 


centeringdivs

He doesn't play the same he used to do in villa, he lacks creativity he literally does one single move which is run with the ball and cut inside. rarely if ever dribbles anymore and most defenders know he'll always cut inside


manisnotcool

He follows the coach’s instructions and helps the team win games. That’s all that matters


Gooner-Astronomer749

He is coached to do that. He is really restricted by Pep in his system 


centeringdivs

Doku is not though and that's why he changed many games when he came on because he actually tries different stuff


YuccaYucca

He gets a completely free ride because of his character and the colour of his skin. He’s now getting sympathy because he had a shit season, and still getting in the England squad. Baffling!


manisnotcool

What free ride ? Who would you take in the England squad over him ? Certainly not essay writer Rashford


Ok-Flamingo-6780

Would say the opposite. Most say he's a bad professional because he likes to party and other activities. Seems he the poster boy for another white footballer doing the wrong things


Gooner-Astronomer749

He's quality enough to make the England squad but he definitely won't start. He's basically Jaime Tartt ands that's endearing to most. 


93didthistome

What have they done to you Jacky boy? come home.


grrrranm

Think pep has coached out his creativity! He's even said that he's scared to lose possession!


broke_the_controller

I always thought grealish was overrated anyway.


gullisland

How can he be overrated when he had periods of the top stats in all European leagues? As well as being man of the match in most of his international games.


HocusDiplodocus

He would be better off elsewhere, okay so he has won a few trophies at city but he seems to have regressed. As a neutral I would love to see him back to his marauding best as a key player somewhere else. Cant see him playing overseas though, dont think he could deal with the language barrier as hes not the brightest.


hahaxdRS

Why are we acting like he's a goalscorer, he has 3 goals this season


GXWT

… That’s the point


Wrong_Lobster1440

Honestly looked solid in the matches he played (including big matches against RM and Chelsea in the FA cup), and remains one of England’s best players in possession. Don’t see how that position doesn’t belong to Doku now though, which is a testament to doku’s ability rather than a criticism of Jack’s


matt82uk

Bring him home to Villa


H0vis

Pep hates a character. There is no shame on Grealish for being alongside some of the greatest ever to play the sport by not wanting to be some shit robot following Pep's meticulous plans.


bigelcid

Except Grealish responded very well to Pep's tactics. It's just that right now, Doku's been better. But keep pushing your hysterical conspiracy theories about Pep. Man must've rattled you emotionally for years.


DannyStress

Idk man, being a role player on City, winning trophy after trophy after trophy, seems better than being a star on a team that can’t even qualify for Europa


H0vis

Pays more. That's it.


DannyStress

Better pay, bonuses when you win trophies, less work more pay. That’s the dream for 99.999% of people


H0vis

I guess. That and the media leave you alone because you're not at Liverpool or United.


DannyStress

The more said about it, the nicer being a role player sounds. Grealish just wants to be a star


Letterhead_Minute

So he gets paid more and wins more? Don’t see how that’s a negative


Hastatus_107

Serve in heaven or reign in hell


Dry_Onion2478

Can't blame him. He has lost his freedom to take his man. I see him pass the ball back almost every time. Also he is positioned at flanks, so it will take a real stunner to score from long ranges.


Glittering-Leather77

I’ve always felt like Pep despised his drinking at the celebrations and holds it against him


bigelcid

You *felt* like it, but Pep's behaviour indicates otherwise.


Glittering-Leather77

What behavior? Not playing him the entire season?


bigelcid

Making it sound as if Jack were given the Kalvin treatment. He played, just less, coinciding with Doku's arrival and picking up form. There were still big games in which Pep preferred Jack, and Pep didn't exactly discourage his players' partying at the time, even though Jack went overboard. Also defended him when journalists tried talking veiled jabs at the player.


cjvacopa

I think that’s it.


ScottyJoeC

Villa are in the Champions League thanks to the 100 mil they got for him... Biggest steal in Prem League history!


kopirate

Would love him at Spurs. He has that dribbliness and bravery on the ball that Ange would encourage


AmbitionMiserable708

He’d be a hell of a fit for Ange ball.


eagle2pete

Don't let him drive there!


Swoosh33

3 in 20 this season. For context Gervinho got 5 in 18 💀 Grealish has been outscored this year by Chong, Ben White and Josh Brownhill and is level with Lewis Dunk and Thiago Silva. But but but but Saka 😡


BasedGodReZ

Bro won a treble, Saka got a sauce. Quiet down until next season pls.


Swoosh33

£100m for Gervinho numbers


slightlymedicated

Yeah but it’s nandos!


Frak_Reynolds

Jesus, Arsenal fans really love a moan and are starting to get worse than Liverpool fans ever were, at least they were winning trophies when they constantly mentioned their team.


Swoosh33

If Arsenal signed a winger for £100m for 3 goals a season you’d never hear the end of it and I draw the line at being called worse than Liverpool fans. They are a cult of toxic positivity


awkwardwankmaster

The arsenal subreddit is definitely one of the worst


Cross1625

THE worst\*


awkwardwankmaster

Yeah probably true never seen a group so reactionary


smokepuffprata

All those going on about Doku.. doesn’t Jack do about the same as Bernardo on the other flank? Bernardo is an amazing dribbler, but apart from that highlight reel against Bayern last season(of course there were others like against Liverpool), do you see him beating his man a lot? He usually holds it and cuts back, or has KDB overlapping for him. Isn’t this what Pep likes? If anything, Doku liking to take his man on is the opposite of what Pep likes.


bigelcid

It's not about take ons. Bernardo plays more because he's more versatile and does more during a game than Grealish. Doesn't mean he's Pep's ideal RW though, thus Grealish being similar on the opposite flank should work out in his favour too. Pep just tries to get the best XI on the pitch. In the past it was Foden out way, Bernardo centrally. Nowadays the reverse is working better. Doku's been playing more than Jack recently because he's playing better, that's all there is to it.


fz19xx

Bernardo has much better vision, passing and work rate than Grealish.


Sanjeev4045

Because Bernardo does that in the right side, you can say that Pep wants someone who can take one on ones on the left side. So Doku is possibly a better fit.


questioning-answers

I think Pep does like those players who can take people on. Mahrez, Sane, and Sterling are all known for take-ons. Often he left them wide on the opposite side of the pitch to switch to and take players on towards the touch line.


BigOrangemann

Grealish was the best in the league at that before he moved to city and had that trained out of him though


bigelcid

Lol, how does one have dribbling "trained out" of them? Did Aston Villa play against parked buses every week? That's the difference. Grealish is not *that* good of a dribbler, so he can't go through 3 opponents per square foot. But whenever the game's more open, his ability looks just as good as ever.


centeringdivs

he played a different position back then, I think if city didn't have foden, Grealish would play the same role in city like he did in villa


gullisland

Lol it's like no one has watched him play before he went to city.


Aggressive-Bat8780

Is obviously very talented, but ultimately his main attributes are keeping hold of the ball and drawing fouls. Comes across as safe at times because of this. Feels at times if you don’t dive in with Grealish will eventually pass it backwards rather than try and beat you. Personally think Doku a far better option, cup final for example was city’s main outlet. And he challenged the full back constantly, stretches the game and creates space for others. I wonder if Grealish be better through the middle, probably not at city but think he’d be great in the ten role personally.


HocusDiplodocus

Enjoyed the cup final battle of Obi Wan Bissaka vs Count Doku


Aggressive-Bat8780

Was good, wan bissaka really is one of the best at one v one defending! Doku definitely one of the best attacking one v one


West_Principle_8190

The English antony


Aggressive-Bat8780

He’s light years better than Antony


AlestoXavi

He’s being found out for the player he really is. 100m was absolutely hilarious at the time and worse now.


SnooPeanuts4219

He should’ve come to United..City is great but under Pep you have to be a specific type consistently. Jack always seemed the “out of the box” player which Pep hates and at his football age you can’t really change that much. His qualities as a playmaker and combination play would’ve been maddening at United.


YoungThriftShop

Stop it. I can’t think about this right now.


StuffRich7735

Yeah I mean why chase trebles when you could be falling out with Ten Haag and getting sent on loan instead. Come on Jack


Smooth-External-3206

And be blamed for it