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Box-To-Box 8: Manchester City Thoughts from Today’s Match

By Tim Crean

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Bright Enobakhare of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Eliaquim Mangala of Manchester City battle for the ball during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Etihad Stadium on October 24, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Bright Enobakhare of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Eliaquim Mangala of Manchester City battle for the ball during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Etihad Stadium on October 24, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /
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5) Pep’s subs are a head scratcher.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: Josep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City reacts during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Etihad Stadium on October 24, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: Josep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City reacts during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Etihad Stadium on October 24, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /

My other gripe with Pep in this match (and at many times throughout the last year) is how, and when, he substitutes. I always think he subs too late. I understand last year he didn’t have the horses on the bench to make a difference but this year he does and he still routinely waits for the 70th minute or later to make a change. Today I get it a little more, holding out, trying not to use his usual starters if he didn’t have to. So I understand not bringing on Kevin DeBruyne as the first sub in the 82nd Today’s issue was who he took out. Putting in who he did signaled he wanted to win but instead of yanking an out of form Mangala, the dragging Yaya Toure and a frustrated and still recovering Sergio Aguero he decided to pull Gabriel Jesus, Bernardo Silva and Tosin Adarabioyo. All three of those are young guys who could use the experience in a tense game. As brilliant as Pep is, his subs still sometimes baffle me.