Troy Deeney: Jack Grealish has become predictable – Prem has wised up to him but Liverpool clash will be different
JACK GREALISH has become predictable, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Manchester City are a largely predictable team to play against under Pep Guardiola – they press high, keep possession around the edge of the box and look for cut-backs and late runs.
The easy thing is highlighting that. The hardest thing in the world is stopping it, and Jack is no different.
When he is on it, cutting inside playing those one-twos, he is unstoppable.
The difference between last season and this season is the efficiency, and Jack has to hold his hands up on that one. His injuries have not helped, but he just looks a bit off it.
There was always going to be a hangover after that Treble season, and you can’t expect him to be as good right now as he was.
Jeremy Doku has come in and has now got that fire in his belly and motivation to keep Jack out of the team.
If Jack was playing the way he was at Aston Villa, people would still be saying he is world class by a country mile.
But because he is in such a good team, if his standard goes from 9/10 to 8/10 then people react, and say he isn’t doing what he needs to.
He is becoming a victim of his own success, and those analysing him are falling victim to the moment, but Jack has had to change under Pep.
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Some will say he’s changed for the worse. He no longer takes people on for fun, looking for the pass inside instead.
But, I actually see it as a compliment from Pep. He thinks Jack is smart enough to do that.
If you are a Mykhailo Mudryk and rely heavily on your pace, if you asked him to do what Jack does, it would go the other way. Mudryk is fast, just kick it and run.
Jack still has the ability to take people on, but Pep thinks he is good enough to play those intricate passes.
Jack could probably be more selfish on the ball at times, but you can’t be selfish in a Pep team. If you are, you don’t play.
Let’s not forget, Jack is having to create and dominate in a side missing their best player – Kevin De Bruyne.
Last season, De Bruyne would get Jack the ball early a lot to allow him to attack. They’ve struggled to do that this year, especially with Ilkay Gundogan gone too.
It is a mini rebuild and Jack is struggling with that, and that’s no slight on him.
De Bruyne is one of the best players I’ve ever played against, and he takes the focus and pressure off of players around him.
It just goes to show, even with City’s squad depth, take out a world class player and they cannot replicate it. Take Bukayo Saka out for Arsenal and replace him with Reiss Nelson, you see a big difference.
People have wised up to Jack as well. Teams have tweaked their game to stop him. Jack has pace but he is not a speed merchant, so full-backs stay wide and invite him inside to pounce on him or foul him. So, Jack has to adapt.
It will be slightly different against Liverpool. They will press high and really go for it, and give Jack a lot more space to show what he can do, whether that is from the off or off the bench.
An interesting thought is whether Jack would actually suit Liverpool’s fast-paced countering style more, but the Reds can be just as predictable.
We all know how Jurgen Klopp plays, and I don’t think Jack is fast enough to even start for Liverpool right now.
Speaking of speed, Liverpool have one of the best centre-back partnerships in world football in Ibrahim Konate and Virgil van Dijk, and they will pray Erling Haaland is not fit to start.
At times, City just need one pass, and it isn’t to Jack. One goal-kick from Ederson beating the high press towards the most prolific goal scorer we have ever seen.
It is a puzzle people struggle to solve – press or sit back – and they know Haaland needs one chance and he will score. World class defenders still have no idea how to stop Haaland.