CITY Pep finds joy in City display despite defeat
PEP Guardiola lamented a poor ten minutes from his team as City came unstuck at Chelsea.
The defending Premier League champions have lost their first domestic game of the campaign, and sit second behind Liverpool in the table after Jurgen Klopp’s team won at Bournemouth.
City’s manager was full of praise for his players after game, refusing to blame injuries or any mistakes that contributed towards one of the only setbacks of the season so far.
And he insisted that their experience at Stamford Bridge will serve them well in the Champions League as they go in search of the European prize that has eluded them to date.
“The result is the result. We have to analyse the result. It’s fair because they scored two goals and we didn’t score,” he said.
“Congratulations Chelsea for the victory. We came here for an idea. It happened. We made a very, very good first half and unfortunately conceded from the only chance they had.
“They are so strong and in the secnents ond half the first 8-10 minutes they were better but other than that we were fantastic. It is a joy as a manager to see my players.
“After all we have done this season, and everybody wants to beat us, it takes incredible personality to play here.
“We didn’t defend, we stayed high, we attacked.
“We created enough chances to score one or two in the first half and unfortunately it didn’t happen but it is a good lesson.
“If they have one chance they will score one goal because the oppo- are so good and determined.
“That is what’s going to happen in the future on the biggest stages but the way we played today was incredible. “I’m so delighted.” Guardiola had said before the game that his counterpart would know the weaknesses in their system just as he was looking to take advantage of any problems Chelsea had.
Reflecting on the game, the City boss felt that his team had effectively neutralised Chelsea’s strengths even if they went on to concede in unfamiliar fashion.
“You can lose but it’s how you lose. Have we been like we normally are? Absolutely.
“Chelsea monopolise the ball and create 75 per cent of chances with a thousand million passes, and they beat us with one counter-attack and a set-piece. We play the way we want to play and that’s why.
“When the opponent is good, we congratulate them and move on to the next game.”