Will Man City ‘fizzle’ after Pep exit or have they joined elite ranks? | OneFootball

Does Pep Guardiola belong above Sir Alex Ferguson? Maybe we will only know when we see his true legacy at Man City.

We also have mails on Arsenal, Aston Villa and lots more. Mail us at theeditor@football365.com

Pep Guardiola’s real Man City legacy starts now

With the end of another season, and another name etched onto the trophy, come the inevitable articles proclaiming the next great Premier League dynasty. No, not Liverpool 25/26. This time, Arsenal 26/27.

At the same time, Manchester City are about to find out whether they really have built one.

With Pep Guardiola’s exit, the listicles ranking the greatest Premier League managers of all time will soon be dusted off again. But there is one question that rarely seems to come up in those conversations: where are Sir Alex Ferguson’s protégés?

Pep’s influence goes way beyond trophies, Pep’s managerial influence now stretches further than that of any Premier League manager before him. Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso, Vincent Kompany — let’s gloss over Ten Hag — and, most importantly, Enzo Maresca, can all point to time spent working with Guardiola as part of their football education.

And now comes the real test. Have Manchester City actually become an elite European club?

Clubs like Real Madrid, AC Milan, Bayern Munich and, dare I say it, Liverpool, all have something bigger than any individual manager. They have a culture, a weight, a sense that stepping onto the pitch means inheriting a legacy of success. At those clubs, the institution chooses the manager as much as the manager chooses the club.

City have never really had that before. Not in the way those clubs have. So now we find out whether Pep has embedded that elite mentality so deeply that it survives him, or whether the whole thing begins to fizzle once he has gone.

As a long-in-the-tooth City fan, I know one thing for sure: it will be a rollercoaster. And I cannot, and do not want to, get off.

So thank you, Pep, for ten glorious years. I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for City.

And a quick message to Arsenal fans: every time City won the league, we were told we had not done it in the right way. So ignore the garbage in the mailbox and enjoy it. The table doesn’t lie. You were the best team in 2025/26. Graham, Manchester

Pep leaves as the GOAT

What an honor it has been to see Pep Guardiola weekly for the past 10 years. I say this as a Liverpool fan who saw a brilliant team denied not once, but twice by his machine. Pep changed the landscape entirely in his ten years has made City one of the greatest all-time premier league clubs in terms of honors won.

But really, his greatness lives beyond that. Not a coach for the tackles he famously said in his first year. Turns out he didn’t need to be. False #9, out-and-out #9, flying wingers, inverted wingers, sweeper keeper, inverted fullbacks, making everyone a midfielder – his greatest tactical innovation is his ability to adapt and reinvent his football tactics over time. Heck, my son’s U-8s team passes out from the back and invites the press. The true mark of greatness is they transcend the sport and change it. This is why, for me, he ranks #1 ahead of Alex Ferguson. His lasting legacy is the number of coaches at the top level who were all his disciples – Arteta, Maresca, Kompany, Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alsonso, and De Zerbi.

The Premier League will surely be a poorer place without him in it. Rohit, Abu Dhabi

A funny fella writes…

Very forward thinking of City to get in a proven lower-league manager. Will stand them in good stead once the 115 charges drop them down a few divisions. Gez Errico, Nottingham

Credit for Unai Emery please

I’d love to know who was on the judging panel that came up with the shortlist for Manager of the Season and apparently thought that the efforts of a certain Unai Emery didn’t meet the requirement for recognition. Really?!?!? Let’s have a quick recap on what he’s achieved with Villa this season:

Didn’t win in the first five matches of the season (six if you include the EFL Cup against Brentford) and STILL managed to finish in a top five spot to qualify for the Champions League.

Has managed to get Villa to their first European Cup final since 1982.

Has led the team to a run of 11 consecutive wins, a feat last achieved by the club back in 1912.

And he’s done all of this whilst operating under tightened purse strings due to PSR rules (not complaining, just stating a fact).

I mean, I don’t know what more he has to do in order to be considered to be honest – should he go round to the houses of those on the judging panel and offer to mow their lawns and wash their cars? Maybe walk their dogs whilst he’s at it??? I’m surprised the panel didn’t pick Liam Rosenior for teaching us how to age men and respect the ball.

Fair play for selecting Regis Le Bris though – incredible first season at the helm. Jeff G, West Brom Villan (Hoping this week brings a similar outcome to the last time a white-shirted Villa side took to the field against a red-shirted German side in a European Cup final – UTV)

Arsenal fans oddly upset by PSG claim

Just smiling and shaking my head in equal measures at the following from Shunt LFC (mailbox 18th May)…

Let’s ignore the “undeniable fact” claim as it is completely deniable due to there being no objective measurements for said fact. My question is, PSG? Really? Is this the same PSG that didn’t even exist until 1970? The same PSG that had won just 2 Ligue 1 titles prior to the injection of Qatari funds in 2011? The same PSG that won it’s first Champions League title last year?

This email isn’t intended to denigrate PSG, they currently have an incredible team and are more often than not a pleasure to watch. However, there are numerous other clubs (just in Europe, without even looking at South America) more worthy of the self-appointed ‘always have been an elite club of world football’ accolade that Shunt clings to. Colin S (a very nervous gooner as we can still easily end up empty handed this season)

…Please may I ask how old Shunt LFC is?

In his email he says that Liverpool are “…along with Real, Barcelona, PSG, Bayern and Man U – in the top 5 or 6 elite clubs of world football and always have been”. Other than domestic trophies and titles, Paris St Germain won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1995/96 season and one Intertoto Cup in 2001. That’s it. Until they were acquired by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, when the Emir of Qatar saw what his chums in the UAE had done with Manchester City and decided to follow suit.

Honestly, it’s like people who think football did not exist until Sky and the Premier League. Carolyn, (hoping my blood pressure may return to normal once this season is over) South London Gooner

Not all Arsenal fans know history

I saw David’s mail earlier and I assume he is an Arsenal fan – he talked of ‘ We’ll win the league’ & ‘COYG’ which makes me think this.

But then again, he also mentions that ‘I will celebrate our fourth league title’, so perhaps he isn’t, or he only believes football was invented with the advent of the Premier League?

Even I know Arsenal won the league title before the Premier League (13 in total according to a search I did).

Is David just too young for the First Division, or does he think that pre-EPL doesn’t count anymore? A, LFC, Montreal

On Arsenal’s disciplinary record and Liverpool

Much has been written about Arsenal now being the most angelic team in the league, due to having the best disciplinary record.

My guess is its mostly down to Arteta always playing the victim; fostering the mindset over his tenure that his team are always being judged to a different standard.

So much so, that Trossard can shove Flemming to the ground with no repercussions, and Havertz gets away with a booking for a blatant red card against Burnley. Weren’t there similar events in the past few games where they escaped appropriate punishment?

Cognitive dissonance comes to mind.

It’s not just Arsenal though, the best managers were able to get it right #victimmentality. Klopp, Sir Alex both created a similar sentiment for their players and escaped many bookings/dismissals.

Quickly on Liverpool – I don’t see how Ekitike and Isak, both out-and-out strikers, can fit into a system which plays two wingers as inside forwards. With Mo leaving, Slot now has an opportunity to change the formation.

Our issue is Rio – such a bright spark but developing him means we need to buy another right winger. And probably another one, as backup to the new RW starter.

My suggestion is to buy another striker (third or fourth choice), and then rotate between Gakpo, Isak, Ekitike and whomsoever is the fourth striker. Get a 4-4-2 going. Cos I can’t handle another season of the recycling horseshoe, and it seems with wingers we’re more inclined to pass it around in the top corners of the pitch (where we can’t score from) rather than attacking the box (where we can score from).

Lastly, didn’t Slot say that he believes in reduced intensity as this protects the players’ fitness levels, leading to more availability during the season? Well well dear Arne – it would seem that if you have nine starters injured (your words), perhaps the concept is failing. Maybe make them run again, gaff.

Let’s see what happens in the window, but you have my full support until January at least. Wik, Pretoria (Alonso to become Liverpool’s nemesis?), LFC

Fanmail for an F365 regular

I wrote in recently about how football fans are all insufferable no matter who they support and then lo and behold RHT/TS writes in with a nice juicy example to show exactly what I mean.

You say you can’t remember a single game where Arsenal played entertaining tournament winning football. I presume you have watched every single game then? Every single 90+ minutes of a team you appear to absolutely loathe.

It might be time for a little introspection my friend and perhaps some growing up. A new hobby for sure because quite frankly people like you absolutely ruin the experience of following the sport. Andrew

…Arsenal fans will surely be bathing their testicles in the tears of the bitter rivals fans who can’t stand to see them win the title. “Dirty cheats”, “Unattractive football” etc. Arsenal fans can see the tears on Football 365’s mailbox page and enjoy. Dan, London

…I feel like I have finally have the patience to chip away at some of the whining about Arsenal. Let’s use this mornings mail titled “This Arsenal team is rancid” as a springboard. A common criticism of Arsenal is our style of play and “Arteta’s abhorrent take on the beautiful game”. Hmm…

Teams don’t set up against Arsenal to win or play beautiful football themselves. We often have the situation where a team gets everyone behind the ball, ending up with 21 players in the final third. If you want better quality football, other teams need to play more positively too. Now, as a pretty well rounded football observer I understand any team can approach any game as they wish, so I don’t this as a fact to criticise other tactics, but it’s short sighted to lay the blame on Arsenal. Case on point – in the UCL League phase teams were playing openly and attacking. In that period Arsenal beat Bayern 3-1, Athletico 4-0, Inter 3-1. In fact, we scored 23 goals in 8 games.

We’ve seen a very different narrative this year between “grinding out wins being a sign of champions Vs boring football”. At the end of the day, points matter, that’s all. Don’t forget the dominant Mourinho Chelsea teams invented the concept of ‘Parking the Bus’.

I don’t think we’ll see a return to 90+ points seasons. The quality of the Premier League is improving all the time – the squads, the tactics etc. I’m sorry, you can’t have it both ways and claim to have the best League but also expect one team to be able to destroy everyone they face. Please also refer to point 1.

Some nerves are allowed you know. Arsenal as a club and a squad haven’t won the league for a long time, and they know the pressure, so yeah, sometimes things might get cagey.

As for “filthy cheats”… Not sure what’s being referred to but sounds like sour grapes, naivety and whatever the opposite of rose tinted glasses is. Every team cheats. Fact. Every team has divers, has players that use the ‘dark arts’. This isn’t a monopoly Arsenal have and they sure as hell didn’t invent it. Look at any fixture and you’ll see everyone doing the same. Maybe it’s some poorly conceived criticism of Arsenal’s set piece ability, which, for the record, is absolute ballet in terms of the carefully choreographed movements we use compared to the American football other teams have adopted to try to catch up. Diaby (crossing everything for a win Vs Palace but feeling it’s going to be a very tough game)

…I’m old enough to remember:

Gary Neville and Phil Neville’s assaults on Jose Reyes Wayne Rooney elbowing Wigan’s James McCarthy in the head in full view of the ref Jamie Carragher leaving a hole in Nani’s shin Alan Shearer kicking Neil Lennon Steven Gerrard jumping onto Gary Naysmith Harry Kane, Gareth Bale and Jamie Vardy’s ability to, ahem, “win” penalties Those leg breaking tackles on Eduardo, Aaron Ramsey, and About Diaby

So spare me the hypocrisy and outrage over Arsenal this season. Where was this noise when Rice and Trossard were getting sent off for nothing last season? If you want to pretend that Nemanja Vidic, Riccardo Carvalho, John Terry, Vincent Kompany etc never got away with shocking studs up tackles, or held and grappled people at corners, and that these things have specifically been invented by Arsenal this season, then we don’t need to hear from you. Ben, AFC (but yes, Havertz should have been sent off).

…Good grief RHT, you need to go for a bit of a lie down mate, you’re clearly a little over-tired there.

Abhorrent and cheats? For playing a dull 1-0 game where the opposition sat in deep all game?

A centre forward making a clumsy tackle got your goat? Somehow indicative of us being rancid all season? I wouldn’t have complained were it a red at all, but you can also see why VAR might not have bumped it up, in real time it’s evident there’s virtually no force in that tackle. And definitely no cynacism or malice. Arsenal are the cleanest team in the league for disciplinary don’tch know?

You’re patient zero for Arsenal mass hysteria; victim of your own inability to take a deep breath and step back. The burning passion you have for Arsenal and Liverpool that compels you to write in week after week despite not even supporting a top-flight team is frankly a bit much. Tom, (a few different bounces, that would have been a comfortable 3-0) Leyton

Spurs have it bad

That non-red card last night joined an image of three other very similar fouls where no red card was produced alongside the image of Xavi getting a red (and three match ban) against Liverpool, for one that isn’t remotely as bad.

The Maddison non-penalty sits alongside four other images of penalties awarded, including the one where Bentancur is in a headlock facing away from the flight of the ball against Newcastle.

The Muani ‘push’ on Gabriel followed by Jiminez doing exactly the same to Dragusin the following week. Result? Goal. Same as Ekitike against Romero. Goal. Romero scores against West Ham he is, however, penalised for KWP pulling his shirt but falling over instead.

Trafford cleans out Richarlison with his knee to chin, no card. Enzo gets a yellow card for his lunge during the FA Cup final. Yellow. Romero gets a red against United, three match ban (four in the end because it’s Romero and he’s a bit dim).

We’ve been several shades of shite all season, longer really but these are no longer isolated incidents. It’s getting a bit daft really.

Any, enough of the old man shouting at clouds. Get something, anything, at Stamford Bridge tonight lads, and put this god awful season behind us.