Doku is world class right now! Is Foden back!? 5 things we learned | Manchester City 3-0 Brentford

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[00:03:48]Good morning, Blues. It's Stephen here today after City's 3-0 win against Brenford at the Etiad Stadium Sunday the 10th of May. It's a nice day and today, come on you. We're hoping for a miracle.

[00:04:00]We need West Ham to City a big favor today. West Ham Chester City, what have you got for us? Guardiola in the press conference after the game yesterday.

[00:04:08]Brilliantly uh manifesting some joy with the Kimonu. Wonderful stuff at the end of the press conference and it's obvious stirred up a lot of weird hatred on life for him. A lot of people found it funny but some sensitive souls did enjoy a manager having a bit of fun asking the the team that he needs to do a favor to do a favor. Absolutely mental. Either way, I've just got out of bed and I thought, you know, I'm not about to be out for two hours, but I'm still very disheveled, but I still want to talk about Manchester City Football Club because it's lots to talk about after yesterday's game. A very enjoyable game.

[00:04:36]I know when we were in the game, it felt tense and stressful. When you remove all the anxiety away and actually look at the performance, City were excellent yesterday. They they genuinely were.

[00:04:44]Brenford are a good side. um uh they were defiant, they were stubborn, they were aggressive and but City largely smothered them, created a whole bunch of chances and were more than good enough value for a comfortable uh solid 3-0 win at home. That's always good against any Premier League side, never mind one with the the aggression of a Brenford side.

[00:05:03]So, yeah, I was very impressed with City yesterday. I thought the performance was good. I thought City um yeah, City were impressive and they did their they did their job against a difficult side and I was really really impressed. Don't forget there is a match reaction as well where you can go and watch my full take on the game where they go for every single player, what it means for the title race, all that kind of stuff. But this is just five things that I learned from the game and it's five things that I personally want to take from it because I think there's lots of narratives going around. Um but these are the ones that stood out for me personally. Uh, don't forget I have been starting a new podcast. Um, the latest guest comes on tonight after the West Ham game. And drum roll.

[00:05:44]It's this guy. It's your man Big Steve.

[00:05:47]One second. Let me get it on screen right now. Your man Big Steve is coming in to the channel to have a chat about Manchester City Football Club with me.

[00:05:54]Um, and hopefully he'll be joining me for There we go. Uh, he'll be joining me for a celebration after Arsenal have just dropped points against West Ham.

[00:06:03]So, he's coming on to tonight about 8:00. I'll be filming it. So, probably be a live around 10:00. If you want a chat to Big Steve, get your questions in um and put them in the comments of this video. Um and that'll be up later tonight. And I'm very looking much looking forward to it. If you're enjoying the podcast, you haven't checked it out yet, go and click the link um in the description below. Go and give a listen. Four episodes up so far of the highest quality. And I promise you, it's going to continue. I am determined to make this the the community uh this community stronger for Manchester City fans. I want to get all the blues together and bring them all together and do loads of great content with a lot of them because I know them all and I thought why not, you know, let's um unite it all together. So yeah, go and give it a listen if you want to.

[00:06:47]Uh it'd be massively appreciated. Um you're all absolute legends. Uh yeah, check it out and I will see you um later for another podcast. So now though, this is five things that we learned. And there's only one place we can start really, let's be honest. It has to be with this man, Jeremy Douku.

[00:07:08]Jeremy Dou's mentality is absolutely ridiculous. Jeremy Douku is absurd. Like the football he's playing at the moment right now is just so so so good. He is becoming a gamecher for Manchester City Football Club. Jeremy Douku woke up and said, "I am going to take control of Manchester City's destiny." About three or four weeks ago, he decided that he wanted to start being the missing piece that City needed, the goal scorer, the difference maker. And it's remarkable to see some players are self-aware and some players are not self-aware. The difference is the ones who are can reflect, they can improve, if they have the ability, the mentality, and they can take their game to newer levels. And you look at Dou, the Daku that joined was hyper talented, but he was also erratic in his decision- making. He had a tendency to run the ball out the pitch or give the ball away deep and start sort of kick off transitions for everyone. And but whereas Doyu right now, his mentality is fantastic. Um he is uh taking the game by the scruff of the neck. He's driving at people. He is being a one-man aggressive uh you know, attack essentially. And you he's he's got the quotes to back it up. You read these quotes here from Docu. He said, and this is about self-awareness. He said, "There's one thing when I look at my goals, all the goals this season, I don't see one tapping. I want to look for example, Sterling in his seasons of City. All the tapins, he scored at least five or six or seven a season. When I look at my goals, saw top goals, don't get me wrong, but I want to score those goals where I just tap it in the second post. Run and tap it in. Just adds more goals to my account. That's the really the thing I need to work on. These goals will come. They'll be there every time.

[00:08:41]But if I had easy goals, you have to be there. That's the aspect I want to work on to not only stay on the side and do my actions and score those type of goals, but also the tap-ins. And I love that quote. It speaks to a self-awareness from him that shows a guy is desperate to improve. And there's another um let me find a quote from Guardiola, which I really love. Um where's it gone? He talked about Dou and his mentality. Um he said, this is it.

[00:09:06]He said, everybody knows that he's made an incredible step in the sense of saying, I am Jeremy Dou. I am going to win games. And the big players, the greatest players always have that mentality. So Docu is essentially showing that this guy is this guy wants to be the best. He wants to be the best in the world. You can't be the best in the world without wanting to be the best in the world. I know that sounds really obvious, but some people accept their lot and who they are. Douku knows he could be a trudy truly special player.

[00:09:31]Honestly, I didn't think Dou would ever find the killer instinct. I truly didn't think he had it in him. And right now, even then, I'm still not sure he's going to be a 25 goals a season player. But stranger things have happened in football. Maybe he comes out and gets 15 to 20 goals next season and adds 15 to 20 assists on top of that and all a sudden you've got the best in the world then the best wing in the world.

[00:09:49]Definitely. You know, he's a ridiculously good player. You know, so aggressive on the transition. He's the way that he carries the ball is like no one else in world football. He's ridiculous and his mentality clearly is cut out for the very highest level. So if Docky can take that steely focus and determination and he's playing with a real zen at the moment to his game.

[00:10:08]Obviously, you know, a lot going on personally, married, kid on the way. Um he seems very happy with himself, a man of faith as well. Clearly very um at home with who he is as a person and he's scoring great goals. He's impacting games. Dou is touching worldass levels at the moment. He truly is. I mean, he was always a world-class dribbler, but right now he's a complete worldass wide creator who's scoring wonder goals, too. And the big goals in big games, you know, not every goal is equal. It is. It is. Every goal is equal, but some G goals feel worth more, don't they? You know, some goals are um they change the course of history for a club. And Dou could be the guy who's driving us towards the title. If it happens today, if West Ham dropped points, uh sorry, West Ham take points from Arsenal and City are in the title race. Still, Douku is a big reason why, you know, he's single-handedly dragging Manchester City, not single-handedly, but more or less City to have a chance in this title race, and he's been absolutely brilliant. Uh, second thing I want to talk about, Phil Foden right now is showing signs of being close to his best and it's really, really encouraging. Phil Fodin has had a really tough time. I think we all know that, but Phil Foden in the last couple of games in his cameos have looked like the Phil Foden that we all know and love. Against Brenford when he came on, I don't know how he didn't score. Keller has saved a shot which felt impossible to keep out. a world class save against him and another one where he drove forward with a sort of angled one-on-one and hits it at the keeper. But more than that, it was the vibrancy and the spark to his game was back. I know he's got a long way to go to be the best Phil Fodin again, but Phil Foden's looked meek for an awful long time. He's looked scared of his own shadow, unfortunately, but this was actually Phil Fodin. Phil Foddin who looked vibrant, who looked like his movement was at the best again, uh flitting in and out between defensive lines, getting behind Brenford, causing trouble, linking up with players. It was just so refreshing to see Phil Fodin be Phil Foddin. Phil Foddin is a remarkably gifted footballer. One that is such a joy to watch when he's near his best because his technical ability so so high. The level that he can reach we all know is at top of the game. He can once again be a truly world class player like Jeremy Du is at the moment. Uh but Phil has not been himself for a while where yesterday he looked freed from the shackles of insecurity. I don't know if it's the changes. I don't know if it's a sudden realization. I don't know if it's been, you know, um something has clicked in his head, but of course he's had that contract negotiated. He's got a new agent in Raphael Pera who is a high level shark of an agent. She really is.

[00:12:37]She's the one who stepped into me over shoes when unfortunately he passed away.

[00:12:41]She renegotiated for Harland as well.

[00:12:44]Now she's done Foden's contract. Maybe he needs uh someone like that around him who's a bit more ruthless, a bit more you know straight talker to say crack on mate, just play football. Don't worry about the rest of it. And Guardiola, of course, has been so supportive. Maybe he's read the outpouring of love from City fans after the contract stuff and realized, you know, this is my home. I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry about it. Maybe there's a security there that he needed. Whatever it is, Phil Fodden did look like himself yesterday. And to me, Manchester City at their best includes Phil Foden. There is no version of City with this squad where everyone's playing well that doesn't include Phil Fodden. Like Phil Fodden is a level above most of our players. He just is.

[00:13:21]He's too talented not to be, too versatile, too experienced, um, too dangerous. And to see Phil Foden yesterday and in the previous game with his cameo as well, look like he wanted to make things happen and look like he had the ability to actually get involved, look sharp again, not scared, and not say he was ever scared, but he looked meek and a little bit nervous.

[00:13:42]It's just really nice to see as a City fan, isn't it? Phil Fodden is a special player. He's one of our own. We love him, but he hasn't been his best for a while now, and it's so nice to see Phil Foden look comfortable again playing football for Manchester City. Third thing I want to talk about, uh, Nunez's story continues to be absolutely remarkable. Guardiola gave him some credit after the game yesterday. He said, uh, he was asked about how he transformed Nunes into one of the world's best right backs, and this is what he had to say. Him, he has the physical conditions. He's a midfielder in terms of passes after incredible pace. He surprised me a lot how tactically he's so smart and intelligent. He deserves all the incredible praise. Like Jeremy, he's made another step as a football player.

[00:14:20]I'm really, really, really pleased because he can play there, but one day what he do is a holding midfielder and he can do it. He can play in pockets, but I think he's a player that in small space, he struggles a little bit and in bigger spaces he's top. Matteas Nunes uh his humility, Matteas Nunz's, uh understanding of his role in this Manchester City side, his ability to knuckle down and work on his deficiencies, amplify his own strengths, to try a different role, to take in all that instruction and make himself a better player while not having his ego crushed because he was on the bench for a long time while feeling like he was close to the exit than the first team. This is incredibly impressive stuff from Matteas Nunes. He's gone from being the weakest link in the squad arguably to a guy right now who is one of the world's best right backs. That feels wild to say, but he is. You know, he's playing at a consistently high level for a team who could win a domestic treble still this season. You know, one of the best sides in in world football, Manchester City, and not top 10 probably right now, but they're really they're obviously up there, you know, consistently in knockout stages of the Champions League.

[00:15:19]We've got a title challenge this season.

[00:15:21]Won the Carabau Cup in the FA Cup final.

[00:15:23]Manchester City are still the top side.

[00:15:24]not the greatest level we've ever been, but we're a top side. And Nunes is our starting right back and consistently reliable. And yet again Brenford, who was really really good, strong, composed, um, defensively aware, switched on, using that physicality, but using the everinccreasing tactical intelligence that he's got. Look, I was I was a little bit down on Nunes for a while. I can admit that and hold my hands up. But the increase um intelligence, his um his self-awareness has been remarkable. He's gone from um being an outlier to solving a problem that Manchester City had. He is the solution to City's right back issues right now. And it's gone from looking for a first team right back starter to I don't really I wouldn't really change him for anyone right now. I mean, well, you would maybe I don't know, Hakeime or someone like that. But largely, City don't need a new right back. We need an option at right back. And that's the encouraging thing about Nunes's story.

[00:16:15]He says a lot about Guardiola once again, his willingness to coach and transform players and amplify their own personal skill sets. And it says a lot about him as Guardiola said it's down to him as an individual. Players can be coached, they can be taught, but ultimately the only thing that ever gets them to the very top is it's themselves.

[00:16:32]You know, they have to have that own desire, that own that that own internal dialogue with themselves and conviction in their own ideas to get there. Nunes clearly is um clearly has a remarkable mentality and I do I can't like I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years time Nunz is walking around that Manchester City side as sort of a leader you know a guy who grows into his own skin who you know is strong he's determined and hopefully you know he'll be a winner by that point he would have won a couple of titles you know and I think Nunez his transformation has been utterly remarkable and I think he deserves all the credit that he gets because he's a cracking player um who plays at a level that most people couldn't reach, you know, for Manchester City. Uh fair play to him. Has Erlen Garland become somehow underrated? How many players should have 34 goal contributions?

[00:17:26]34 26 goals and eight assists in the Premier League and be absolutely nowhere near individual honors. His worst season is better than everyone else's best season. He has 37 goals and eight assists for Manchester City this season in 50 games. He's got 50 goals in all competitions and nine assists including Norway. 50 goals in 56 games this season internationally and domestically. Erling Harland has somehow become underrated.

[00:17:55]He's got one of the best assist records in the league and is by far the best goal scorer in the league. And people are arguing over Declan Rice and Bruno Fernandez. I'm sorry. If any other player in the league had 26 goals and eight assists, they would hands down walk the player of the year award.

[00:18:10]Harland is now like De Bruyne at an extent a victim of his own absurd brilliance where people just expect him to do uh and score a whole bunch of goals where he's not treated normally.

[00:18:20]And we take him for granted too. We take him for granted. us as City fans, myself included, and you included, we need to shout for Erling Harland again, because yesterday he was absolutely fantastic.

[00:18:31]And the amount of goals that he scores, and the Manchester City side doesn't even play to his strengths all the time, is genuinely absurd. Still, I would like to remind people that the the most goals Aguero ever scored in a Premier League season is 28. Holland will reach that this season, almost certainly in his worst season, and people will will say that he hasn't had a great season. Like I I I can't put into words how abnormal it is that Erling Carlin scores this many goals and people just don't talk about him. It's absolutely mental. And I'm personally trying to make sure that that happens that we do talk about him like because he's a a ridiculous player.

[00:19:05]Ridiculous player. And yesterday again look the quality of his goal um it was a a tapping of course but the quality of his assist brilliant stuff. A lovely little bit of link up play to drop deeper than Marmus. There was times yesterday, by the way, when the midfield, it wasn't Foden, Bernardo, Marmush, it was Foden, Bernardo, and Harland. Mmush was further ahead than Harland. Harland was dropping deep and playing passes through to Marmuse and he got an assist for it. But we need to talk about Harland. He's refereeed differently to everyone else. He's pulled constantly by his shirt. He's aggressively headlocked at corners. Yet, he still scores pushing 30 goals in the league every single season. He still scores over 30 goals for Manchester City every single season. And he gets a whole bunch of assists, too. He gets better assist numbers than pretty much all of our players. It's ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Yet, people underrate him somehow. Harland is a a worldclass player that people just take for granted and it's utterly absurd. Final thing I want to talk about, I want to give Nathan a Nathan, baby. Nathan Aki. Whoa.

[00:20:04]I will go to my grave singing that song for Nathan A, even if no one else joins in with me. If you did, you're a real one. But Nathan A. Um yeah, it struck me yesterday watching Nathan AK play that he will probably leave in the summer and he probably won't get really a send off.

[00:20:17]I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a move during the you know um the summer.

[00:20:20]I think he's got a year left on his contract, hasn't he Nathan a result he will get a free transfer. I don't think he'll you know confirm his exit before the season's over which means he'll probably leave when the season is all done and dusted. And the result of that is that he won't really get a moment with the fans. I don't think maybe he'll get one as he walks around last game of the season and they'll sort of sing a song for him or whatever. But it's a shame that a won't really get his moment because I know he's not a legend in the way that you know Jon Stones maybe or Bernardo Silva is but to me he's like you know if there's a bit below a legend where it's like you know the cult hero types Nathan a is that to me you know he's incredibly likable player relentlessly dependable and yesterday when he came on the pitch and the guy's barely played any football this season I mean he's still been a good rotation option but still so smart a really good center back still so reliable and tactically intelligent and a leader and of course his mentality. Um, a special footballer in terms of that focus, that awareness and that that generosity to his teammates. AK it deserves all the love that he gets and I just wish there was a way that a before he leaves and I suspect it'll be a transfer in the summer. I wish the way the way he could get a send off of some kind because he deserves it. You know, AK is look he's not an alltimer but we don't win the treble without him. We don't go on that run without him and a will forever be synonymous with a great Manchester City size for me because um people like AK are what the team is built on. You've got obviously the the creative genius of an Erling Harland, Phil Foden, a David Silva Gundowan, people like that. You got the cutting edge lethal instincts of an Aguero or Harland or whatever. And you've got the the rock of someone like Vincent company of Ruben Diaz. But you also need the, you know, the mortar in the wall between the bricks. You need the guy who holds all together, who can do a job in any role you ask him defensively. You need the guy who turns up every single week, doesn't complain, keeps the squad harmony perfectly well, and plays excellent and reliable and gives you at least seven out of 10 every single time he steps on the pitch and acts like a sort of captain even without the armband. People like Nathan are cornerstones of great squads. You have to have many of them in your squad to to be successful. You know, backup players or rotation players, squad players, sometimes first team starters, a starter in the treble season, by the way, uh that he'll always have that on his CV.

[00:22:43]And you have um you have people like Nathan AK. They absolutely deserve the love that they get. And I'm a big fan of Nathan AK. I think he's a quality player, a quality man. And I hope he gets the send off that he deserves.

[00:22:56]Guys, they're the five things I wanted to talk about. I want to talk about Jeremy Dou. Um his incredible mentality is he's a one-off freakish talent. He's such a special player. Um and I want to talk about Phil Foden showing Sha being his best again. Uh yeah, so so good yesterday. Non's story continues to be remarkable. What a development. Harland is somehow now underrated and aka is brilliant. As I said, I will be live again later on to talk about um to talk with Big Steve for the next episode of the City Social. If you haven't checked out the City Social yet, I implore you to go and do so. links in the description below. It is my new podcast.

[00:23:31]The video, of course, is hosted on YouTube, but it's available on Apple, Amazon, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Uh, please go check it out and give it a review. Seriously, I keep talking about the reviews, but it does help support the channel. Every review you do helps um these podcasts live, helps them breathe, and it helps them grow as well. So, if you can go and give it a review over on Apple, Spotify, wherever, all three, if you can, that'd be three or four. Go to all podcast services. Spend two or three minutes right now. It massively helps support the channel. Give the video a like.

[00:23:58]subscribe as well. And laughing I'll say before a go is come on you Irons.