Jack Grealish shared a small improvement he made to his technique after speaking with Pep Guardiola.
Grealish made a £100 million transfer from Aston Villa to City, where he won two Premier League titles in addition to UEFA Super Cups, FA Cups, Champions Leagues, and Club World Cups.
He is obviously a totally different player than the one we witnessed at Villa, when he had unrestricted freedom of movement. Grealish has been told to stay wide and high at City and not give the ball away.
Because of the emphasis on ball retention, Grealish takes fewer risks on the flank, but in a new interview, he discussed the counsel Guardiola provided him that has helped him on the pitch.
The England international prefers to come inside from the left wing, but he has been told to utilize his left foot for his first touch because it propels him forward.
“It’s something I only actually learned in the last couple of years. Pep actually told me about this,” he said in a coaching session with Ellevate.
“If I’m getting the ball off you and I’m receiving the ball with my right foot – the right footed touch is a good touch because I’m right footed but it automatically takes me back.
“The defender can just jump onto me and I’m going back. Even though I’m not left footed, if I can go on my left it automatically takes me forward.
“It’s so simple and something you don’t really notice and when someone like Pep Guardiola tells you about it you take it onboard.”
“I want Jack angry and I want him to play good. And then Doku – be angry that he hasn’t played the past two games,”Guardiola told BBC Sport.
“This is the way to maintain the consistency at that level. We need everyone. The way Jack played at Old Trafford to give us more composure was decisive for us.”
