Jack Grealish’s time at Manchester City could prove to be one that leads fans and pundits alike to wonder why the move flattered to deceive for years to come.
When Pep Guardiola and Co won the treble in 2023, it seemed like the England international was finally settled as a City player.
However, since making history in Istanbul, Jack Grealish has fallen by the wayside at the Etihad Stadium.
So much so that Manchester City are ready to sell Grealish and the player himself believes an exit would be the best course of action for his career.
Even Pep Guardiola feels Grealish must play regularly, which may only be possible for the 29-year-old once he bids farewell to the Sky Blues.
Jack Grealish in action in Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth.
Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Rodri said Jack Grealish has to improve but he did not at Man City
Rodri claimed Grealish must “improve” his game when speaking about his Manchester City teammate in November 2024 but the three-time Premier League winner’s game became stagnant after he won the treble: “A very good guy, a very good heart that makes the team but he has to improve many things and he knows it.”
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While injuries have certainly played in the former Aston Villa winger’s decline at City, it has been surprising to see that his game has barely kicked on in two years.
Pep Guardiola has been blamed for Grealish’s deterioration but the fact of the matter is that a player has to take the responsibility of taking games by the scruff of the neck, as he did against the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid when Manchester City won the Champions League.
Manchester City v Aston Villa - Premier League
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While it seems like Guardiola tasks the Englishman to hug the touchline, during the same season, the decorated wideman would often drift inside and wreak havoc centrally, with his display against Manchester United in City’s 6-3 win at Old Trafford standing out in particular.
After his second game for City, the Catalan boss advised Grealish to add goalscoring to his game: “If he gets the mentality to score goals like Raheem Sterling, saying via The Guardian: “If he gets the mentality to score goals like Raheem, then yeah. When I arrived here five years ago, didn’t have the goal in his mind. That changed. Today, Raheem scored a goal because he arrived in the central position like a number nine. He is a machine there. He changed his mind and decided he is going to score, score, score.”
However, Grealish rarely ever seems to run beyond defences in search of goals or even to create chances, amassing a measly tally of 17 goals in 157 games at Manchester City.
JACK GREALISH’S STATS FOR MAN CITY
APPEARANCES 157
GOALS 17
ASSISTS 23
Nor did one really see an improvement in the silky technician’s shooting technique, as his shots would often be easily blocked by defenders and even creatively, he registered just 23 assists during his spell at City.
If Grealish had gone out of his way to show Rodri and his teammates, Pep Guardiola and the fans that he was desperate to become a success at Manchester City, perhaps his spell would not have petered out the way it has.
Savinho revealed whether Pep Guardiola gives players freedom
Regardless of the factors at play, perhaps many might continue to believe that Guardiola was responsible for the Champions League winner’s downfall.
However, another winger in Savinho revealed Guardiola allows him to express himself, shutting down any such narratives that the Manchester City boss urged Grealish not to play his natural game.
The Brazilian revealed: “Pep has helped me a lot.”
“He always tells me not to change my personality of playing on the front foot, of always trying, if I make a mistake to try again. He speaks to all of the players like this, giving them confidence. It’s difficult when you make mistakes in the game, you end up losing your confidence. But he gives me a lot of confidence when I’m involved in a goal, make a pass or complete a dribble, he always motivates me. I’m so grateful for his support.”
Ultimately, in any elite side, players’ freedom will be restricted to a certain extent but the top players tend to adapt and Grealish, for some reason simply could not unlike other signings in the past like Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva.