Give me time to turn City around
PEP RUES HOME FORM
Pep Guardiola admits he needs more time to give Manchester City a winning mentality. City produced one of their more impressive performances of the season to overcome Southampton, but it has been a stuttering campaign in which the club exited the Champions league at the last-16 stage and still face a battle to secure a top-four place.
Sunday brings an Fa Cup semifinal against arsenal at Wembley before a crucial match against Manchester united in the premier league. Guardiola has told his team to showcase a big- club mentality by winning both.
The City boss has been particularly frustrated by his side’s failures at the etihad Stadium. City have won just eight out of 15 matches at home.
‘We need time to put something in the heads and the hearts of the players,’ Guardiola said. ‘if you want to become a stronger club and stronger team, you cannot drop points at home. The differ- ence is the mentality, not the quality which is always there.
‘For example, we were out of the Champions league in Monaco and we played three tough games against liverpool, arsenal and Chelsea. We did not win one game but then against Hull City, our supporters clapped and supported us. in italy and Spain, that does not happen. That is why i am so glad for the fans we have because it is the first time in my life i have experienced that.’
Guardiola made four changes to his team for this game, meaning he has now made 100 alterations to his starting line-up over the first 32 premier league games of the season.
antonio Conte, in contrast, has made just 33, and Mauricio pochettino 61. it has left the impression that Guardiola is still looking for his best line-up.
He is currently experimenting with Jesus Navas at right back, and Claudio Bravo has reassumed the goalkeeping mantle. Guardiola is still to decide whether Bravo or Willy Caballero will be in goal for the Fa Cup semi-final.
‘i have two fantastic goalkeepers, with Willy and Claudio. i do not know which will play next Sunday because i trust a lot in both. We may decide it on whether the opponent presses high or not, or based on how they attack.’ The return of captain Vincent Kompany has been a boost for Guardiola and the Belgian was imperious on Saturday, scoring the opening goal and leading his team’s defence with authority.
it was only the second time he had completed 90 minutes in the premier league this season and his first league goal in 608 days.
Kompany admits that he can now no longer afford to aim for match-fitness and instead gets by on know-how. ‘i would have been done and dusted if i needed every single time to get back in and time to adapt,’ Kompany said.
‘i have been lucky i can make use of a tremendous amount of experience. Where i am at physically does not matter. i know what i have to do and as long as i can organise the people around, i can always get a performance.’