PEP STILL WEARING L-PLATES
Humble City manager learning on the job after Chelsea shock
FROM Pep Guardiola, some humility. The Manchester City manager is, he admitted yesterday, still finding his way in English football.
‘I know I have to adapt to your football,’ said Guardiola. ‘I know I have to accept many, many decisions and understand how you have to react. But sorry guys, I need time. I’m not good enough to immediately know the way to play.’
Guardiola can come across as a little superior, patronising even. In defeat he can appear rather disdainful and it is not a good look.
Yesterday he was not like this. Yesterday, two days after the trauma of a home defeat by Chelsea — and the ructions that followed — the Spaniard was in a more accommodating mood.
He did not particularly enjoy being asked about Sergio Aguero and the challenge on David Luiz that earned the centre forward a four-game ban at the weekend. He didn’t much like being asked about his midfielder Fernandinho, sent off for shoving Cesc Fabregas over an advertising hoarding, either. But in terms of the conversation about his City team and where they are heading, he was at least prepared to have one.
Earlier this season, some excitable observers suggested the Spaniard was about to change English football. Now, the reality of life in Europe’s most competitive league appears to have dawned on him.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach remains optimistic but realistic. ‘I am enjoying it a lot,’ he said, when asked if he was. ‘Of course when I win I am happier and when I don’t win I am not so happy. But I am enjoying working with the guys and where I am working. I am trying to do my best.
‘The biggest challenge was when I started working at Barcelona, I had to create my career. Then I go to Germany to improve myself, I come here to improve myself.
‘I would not be here if in Barcelona I didn’t make good. It would be another coach here. I was in Bayern Munich because I was quite good in Barcelona. I am here because I was quite good in Germany.
‘After beating Crystal Palace and Burnley I was actually a little bit worried. I thought if we play like this, we are not going to go anywhere. When sometimes you win but you don’t play good or don’t deserve it, that is worrying. But one hour when I am home after the Chelsea game, I think to myself, “This season is going to be good”.
‘We are actually playing good, faster than we did in Munich and even in Barcelona. Of course I would have preferred to have won against Chelsea and we would be top of the league. Then our analysis would be completely different. But I’m confident because we play 60, 65 minutes good. We need to continue, continue, continue and when we do, we’ll be there.’
Tonight’s Champions League game against Celtic at the Etihad is effectively a dead rubber. City have already qualified and the Scottish champions cannot. As such, we may not learn much as Guardiola prepares an under-strength team.
However, it was against Celtic in Glasgow that cracks in Guardiola’s team emerged. Up until that 3-3 draw at Parkhead, City had appeared invincible.
Now, despite individual triumphs such as their 3-1 win over Barcelona last month, it is not unusual for City to look defensively uncertain.
This was their undoing against Chelsea. Guardiola is right to point to the way his team dominated for an hour. Had they added to the 1-0 lead they held at half-time, they would in all likelihood have won. But Guardiola continues to deny his team have issues at the back, despite the mounting evidence.
‘I don’t divide football into attack and defence,’ he said. ‘Of course there are individual actions when you score goals. But when you attack good, you defend good. It is not about strikers just focusing on attack and defenders just focusing on defending. I don’t think like that.’
There are flaws in that argument. Saturday’s game showed it is possible to attack well and defend poorly. The facets of the game can indeed be mutually exclusive and Guardiola will know this.
What he is seeking to do is avoid criticising his players and that is understandable. What is also apparent is that his team need to improve. Guardiola admitted yesterday that he needs to change a little and the same can be said of his team.