The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Precious gift of Stones
EPL: Work for Guardiola as City’s winless run stretches to five matches
denied he was angry. The Catalan said with a smile: “The red wine was good and I took a little bit longer. We were together, we speak but nothing special. We speak about what is the situation.
“I was a football player and I know this can happen. You are able to win 10 times in arowandafteryou are not able to win five times. You have to accept that. I have to discover the reason why.”
Guardiola insisted ahead of the game he would not changehis ball-playing philosophy but passing out from the back again proved costly, with Stones failing to look as he attempted a pass to Vincent Kompany and instead leaving Redmond one on one.
The City manager said of his side’s mistakes: “It’s hard for us, yes. The opponents at the end, they don’t do too much, long balls and sometimes counterattacks.
“But today I think it is not part of the reason. The difference between the first half and the second half was obvious and that is what we have to realise.
“Today with John and Wednesday with Claudio, that is not the reason. Against Everton we miss two penalties and we play amazing and didn’t win.
“It is something more and about the team and how you rebel, how you react.
“When you see the second half it is because these guys are good and I have to helpthemto achieve and to reach (the performance) in the second half, when it is 11 against 11 in Barcelona and in the second half against Everton.
“I know when you start (at a new club) it is always difficult. We start quite well. Nowwe are not in that rhythm we had before. We didn’thave90badminutes. But when we are not perfect, we concede a lot.”
Guardiola also suffered a blow withKevinDeBruyne picking up a knock in the first half that meant he had to be substituted.
Southampton were under an immense amount of pressure at the end but stood firm to hold on to a valuable point and leave manager Claude Puel satisfied after their frustrating loss to Inter Milan in midweek.
He said: “I’m happy, of course, for the point and also with the spirit. It was a significant game against a good team.
“I think it is difficult with this team because they are good at pressing and it was difficult to play our game today.
“The second half we kept a good defensive organisation to keep this result.
“They finished the last game against Inter Milan with a big disappointment. It was important to preserve (the result) today.”