The easy conclusion would be that the 2023–24 Jack Grealish is more resembling the £100 million man for Manchester City from 2021/22 than the 2022–23 Grealish who won the Triple Crown.
Pep Guardiola stated on Saturday that “he’s one of the players who we couldn’t have done what we did winning the treble like we did without him,” and he was totally correct in his assessment. Grealish had a point to make after the World Cup, and he delivered two assists at Leeds, one at Chelsea, and a goal at Old Trafford.
He then started 15 straight Premier League games, with City losing just once, and each Champions League round of 16 match on the way to the European Cup. He played a key role in City’s historic season and started the FA Cup semifinal and championship games. He’s back to fighting for minutes coming off the bench right now, and Guardiola has seen where he needs to get better.
Only two league starts have been made by Grealish this year, against Newcastle and Sheffield United. He missed the first three league games due to a dead leg, and hasn’t started since. In the previous three games, he has played just 28 minutes as a replacement. He did not play for Arsenal. He has only had one assist all season.
On Saturday against Brighton, Jeremy Doku was chosen over James Milner, putting the Blues on the correct track as he left Milner in the dust to set up Julian Alvarez for the game’s first goal. Doku and Phil Foden each have seven starts in all competitions on the right wing, and both have more league starts on the left wing than Grealish. Guardiola is finding that their adaptability and directness are more vital than Grealish’s highly desired control, which was so important during the triple season.
Doku is still developing; against Brighton, he made mistakes, and when Guardiola noticed that he was losing control of the match, he substituted Grealish. Doku, however, is the brand-new item, and his supporters are thrilled by his unrealized potential. It’s hardly surprising that fans will rapidly become attached to a player who consistently chooses to take on his full-back, leaving behind the dependable-but-predictable alternative like Grealish, who does the job but just cannot perform the same feats as Doku.
This is not to imply that Doku will burn out and lose his place in the side, or that Grealish has permanently lost his position in the side. Although they are rarely in the same XI at the same time, the pair might complement one another. They have only played on the same field together for 58 minutes, during three replacement appearances for one of them. They have yet to start a game together.
Grealish is the pricey, cozy, dependable model that won’t let you down (and might even outlast the supercar when the novelty wears off or parts break down). If Doku is the flashy new supercar. Both are useful, but Guardiola is aware that each’s advantages are counter to the other.
After the Brighton game, Guardiola stated that “both can play.” “Jack is more controlled, he does not have this one-on-one speed but the control, the assists.”
Doku cannot currently maintain three games per week, therefore Guardiola noted that he chose Doku and Foden over the more controlled possibilities of Grealish and Bernardo Silva in favor of their pace and directness. It was a tactical choice for that particular game, and Grealish cannot contest the fact that City’s two best players ended up being the two starting.
Grealish and Guardiola appear to be aware of the possibility of a struggle to prevail in that conflict more frequently. “I spoke a few times with him and said step by step we’re going to get to the best form and rhythm and help us to sustain,” stated the manager. “The season is long and we need him.”
Who will play more? Guardiola asked both players to compete for the jersey last month. Whoever performs better wins. It’s easy. Phil can also play to the left. The player will have more opportunities to play if he performs well and feels better.
Currently, Doku and Foden are performing better. Grealish might make a comeback when the “bigger” games roll around. But for the time being, City’s untouchable left-winger from the previous campaign has been benched, and he must struggle to restore his spot in the lineup.
He’s done it in the past.