Not Another Jack Grealish Article?

Truth be told, Manchester City has been a controversial club to football fans in the takeover era. Whether it’s FFP, CAS, the EPL or whatever acronyms are causing us a new headache, much has been made of the club’s spending. But on the player acquisition side, there is no City player that instigates more discourse from football fans, rival and City alike, than the 100m man from Aston Villa, Jack Grealish. Well, maybe one (ahem, Walker, ahem) but that’s a topic for another day. The mere mention of Grealish’s name will spur long-winded debates about his pricetag, his G/A, he’s overrated, he’s underappreciated, so on and so forth.

To his biggest critics, Grealish is going into his fourth season at City as a player who has not lived up to the expectations that come with the record fee City paid for him. Now in what should be the prime years of his career at one of the best clubs in the world, will Jack return to treble form? If so, how will Pep Guardiola look to bring the best out of his mercurial winger once again? 

In order to properly assess Jack as a player, one must look deeper than surface level statistics. Thanks to data provided by Football Reference, we can see how Grealish compares to rest of the Premier League players who play his position. As can be seen in the graphic below, there are two categories of stats Grealish excels in and it’s abundantly clear that his creativity is his greatest asset. Additionally, his passing and possession metrics stand out, two qualities heavily valued by Pep Guardiola. While some may demand Grealish simultaneously carry the ball forward like KDB and finish the ball like Haaland himself.. he luckily has those two on his team and his role on the team is clear: security in possession and creative flair that enables the rest of the team to thrive. If you want to understand why Pep trusts Grealish in big games, look no further. 

After an intense summer of training to get back to his best, Grealish is off to a much better overall start to the season. We’ll take a closer look into his recent performances for club and country and detail some tactical ways Grealish may be deployed.

Film Study:

Statistically speaking, last season was Grealish’s worst year at City so far. So what has been done to address this head-on? 

• Let’s start with the biggest thing, confidence. Grealish, for better or for worse, wears his heart on his sleeve. Whether he’s happy or irritated, tired or inspired, it’s quite easy for fans to see. But the bottom line is, a confident Grealish shines. He’s put in the work in the offseason and he looks more decisive and confident in his creative actions than he has in the last year. Making drives into the box, stretching the field, dribbling and defenders and dragging them out of position, taking shots and providing crosses.. the selfless style of play that makes him invaluable to our team of stars. Looking back at the fixture against West Ham, there was one major difference that seemed to bring him alive. Grealish started occupying central areas of the pitch, specifically staying central when City was without the ball. Organizing the press centrally while not losing his needed positioning for our attacking system. 
• Systematic organization is the next noticeable change in how Grealish is approaching this season. In essence, he’s taking up more responsibility in leading the team. In the latest game versus Brentford, Grealish was seen tracking (sprinting) back to our box from his standard LW position to ensure our backline had help on their backsides. In and out of possession, Pep has introduced new wrinkles, making his system more advanced. One of the focal points of that is Jack Grealish. Most noticeably, we’ve seen fluid interplay and movement between Kevin De Bruyne and Jack. KDB will take up a space on the left-hand side, providing an overlapping creative option from the wing, which allows Grealish roam free and either drive forward or play those intricate short passes he loves. This is something we will touch on more later. With this added responsibility, it allows Jack to be more involved all over the pitch, in and out of possession. 
• The third and final point is the most noticeable difference: his aggression with the ball. Much has been said about Jack’s indecisiveness and predictable style of play, oftentimes refusing to drive, playing the safe backpass, recycling possession and resetting play. However, it appears he’s taken it upon himself to take games by the scruff of his neck more, consistently carrying the ball up the pitch and allowing himself to get to the byline before potentially resetting play. This is key for his play in any position because if it’s able to drive and drag players, it opens up space for every other City player on the pitch. 

Tactical Analysis of Jack Grealish at Manchester City

With all this said, Grealish is surrounded by a plethora of talent at City and the competition is fierce for playing time. So how and where does he fit best?  We believe his versatility allows him to operate effectively in multiple attacking roles. Below is an in-depth look at how Grealish can function in three different roles for City: as a number 10, a left winger, and as a false 9.

1. Grealish as the Number 10 (Attacking Midfielder)

• In the number 10 role, Grealish operates centrally where he acts as the creative hub of the team. There is plenty of evidence to suggest he can thrive in this role: his performances at Aston Villa and recently, interim England manager Lee Carsley. In these settings, Grealish showcased his ability to influence the game through his exceptional dribbling, vision, and knack for picking out key passes. Playing as a number 10 allows him to receive the ball between the lines, linking midfield and attack, while driving at defenders with the ball to create goal-scoring opportunities. At City, this role would enable Grealish to drop deep to receive possession, orchestrating the team’s attacking play and dictating tempo. His ability to find space and manipulate defences with his intelligent movement and passing would benefit City’s fluidity on the attack. While his goal-scoring output leaves much to be desired, Grealish has also proven to possess the football acumen to maintain the tactical discipline Guardiola demands, contributing to the team’s defensive structure and pressing right up alongside Erling Haaland when out of possession.

2. Grealish as the Left Winger

Grealish’s most frequent position where he operates more as a wide playmaker rather than a traditional, pacey winger. He often stays wide to stretch the opposition’s defensive line and open up spaces for City’s attackers to fill in. The difference in his responsibilities here, compared to his role in the middle, are subtle. If you want to utilize his carrying put him in the middle. If you want to use his possession qualities and create space for others, put him on the wing. He’s proficient enough as a playmaker and creative threat to thrive in both. As mentioned before, we’ve seen a slight tweak from his role as the touchline winger to that of a fluid attacker, knowing when and where to hold width and when to rotate inwards with the left central midfielder,(Kevin De Bruyne in the opening 2 games). This rotation allows Grealish to drift into central pockets more often than in previous seasons, giving him greater freedom to express his himself. City’s wealth of attacking options means Grealish will need to adapt to what the situation calls for. This role and the responsibilities required might be where City need him most, as opposed to being the free roaming maverick from time to time. 

3. Grealish as a False 9

We’ve seen Phil do it. We’ve seen Gundo do it. Is Jack next? It remains to be seen. While Grealish has rarely been used as a false 9, this is an intriguing hypothetical role for him. With no backup striker in the squad, Guardiola will have to get creative to replace the otherworldly output of Erling Haaland. Grealish’s technical skills, intelligence on the ball, and ability to hold up play suggest he may possess the raw tools and instincts to fill in as a deputy, albeit less of a scorer and more of a playmaker, when needed. In Guardiola’s system, the false 9 drops deep into midfield to create overloads and draw defenders out of position, opening space for other attackers to exploit.. something Grealish loves to do when given the opportunity. 

Similar to what his responsibilities would entail as a #10, his eye for the pass and security in possession would allow wide players like Jeremy Doku or Savinho to make runs in behind the defence, while he occupies the central space. Without a 6”5 Viking prowling the middle of the pitch, this would be an entirely different dynamic and source of danger. Additionally, his tenacity and occasional “shithousery” could cause chaos and panic for the opposing GK and defenders, enabling City’s attackers to pounce and take advantage. 

Conclusion:

While his pricetag and surface level output continues to be a problem for some City fans, it’s obvious that Jack Grealish’s versatility makes him an invaluable player for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. His reinstated confidence and aggressive play have enabled him to start the season off on the right foot. In what looks to be a crucial year for the English international, we believe he will crucial for our quest for more titles. 

Written by: Aiden Rodriguez (AR) and Manny

Edited by: SHEIKH