Pep has to tighten up at the back
The City keeper’s contract runs out at the end of next month and no talks have yet been scheduled by boss Pep Guardiola and director of football Txiki Begiristain. But Caballero, 35, would love to extend his stay after three years at The Etihad. The f o r mer Malaga man will finish the s eason as City’s No.1 and as speculation increases over which new keeper Guardiola will bring in, the Argentine is eager to fight for the shirt. He is excited by good times which lie ahead despite City ending the campaign without a trophy – and fully expects Guardiola to mastermind a Champions League triumph in the future. With that in mind, Caballero is eager to stick around and be part of that new success story. He said: “I’m really happy here and I would love to speak with the club when the last game finishes. My family are really happy here, thank God. “For me it has been my best season. My family enjoyed it as I was playing more games so we are happy to continue. “Do I want to be here next season? Yes, of course, because this is the most important time of my career. “It’s a big, big club so I want to stay. But it’s not just my decision. It’s the decision of the club and what they are looking for. So for now I just want to enjoy the next game and try to achieve our last target.
“Probably they will meet with my agent but for my side I have to concentrate on my next game because we need the three points. We need to win and I have to be focused.
“We didn’t achieve everything that we wanted when we started. We improved a lot as a team and as individual players but we didn’t achieve anything.”
Caballero, though, is adamant that City’s fortunes will be reversed next season and they will add to the five trophies they have won since the start of the club’s Abu Dhabi revolution.
So will Guardiola land silverware like he did at Barcelona and Bayern Munich? Caballero is left in no doubt.
He said: “Yeah, yeah, of course. He tried from the beginning. He tried from Monday until Saturday before the game but there are things to improve on.
“Can he build a team capable of winning the Champions League? Yes, of course, because this club has everything to build a great team. We have a great team now with fantastic players.
“Pep and Txiki have a lot of things to look at. They also have no problem with money so they can afford every contract. So now when we finish they have a lot of jobs to do.
“They are going to do the best for the team and club. We want to finish in a good way and confirm that we are the third best team in the Premier League, because I think we deserve that.
“We need to improve in our defensive side. We have had a fantastic season for scoring goals and creating chances. We have improved a lot in our pressing and our build-up but in midweek against West Brom we again conceded an easy goal. So this is our massive achievement for next season.
“Finishing third would mean some improvement and getting straight into the group stages is a good achievement. But Chelsea deserve to be first and Spurs deserve to be in second.
“They did really well this season. We are there with Liverpool and Arsenal. If we really deserve third we need to go to Watford and win.”
Caballero will be happy to sign off on a positive note – but he still cannot hide his frustrations at spending the season with an in-out mentality once Claudio Bravo became first choice following Joe Hart’s loan move to Torino.
He added: “As a goalkeeper it is really difficult to play just one game a month because you don’t have the sensation of outfield players who can play in other positions too if the boss decides he wants him at centre-back or full-back.
“As a keeper, if you make a mistake and you have to wait for a month it is really complicated but when you play game by game you can achieve your level and can be at your maximum. That is the best way to live as a goalkeeper.”
Meanwhile, defender Aleksandar Kolarov is backing Guardiola to become a serial winner with City.
Kolarov, with a year left on his current contract, is delighted to be working with the Spaniard and believes Guardiola will bounce back with trophies galore.
The Serbian, 31, said: “One season without trophies cannot delete what Pep did in the past. For me, he’s the best I have ever worked with. I am sure he is going to win a lot of things with City.
“Over the last 10 years City have gone in the right direction. At the moment we are one of the best clubs in Europe so I’m sure that with more trophies we will become what our fans want from us.
“We weren’t good enough this year to win the title but we have improved a lot this season and we will be stronger next season to try and hit our targets.” WHERE NEXT? Joe Hart has been in Italy since the end of August RICHARD DUNNE has delivered a stern message to Man City boss Pep Guardiola – sort your defence out!
The former City captain, 37, is a fan of the Spaniard and believes his style of play is superb to watch.
But Dunne feels City need to adjust to the reality of the Premier League and learn the value of clean sheets.
The ex-Republic of Ireland centre-back said: “Pep has done a good job and there is no doubt City are better to watch than they were before he came in.
“But failing to finish fourth would ruin City’s season.
“For me, their defence has to improve. If you look at the standard of Juventus’ defenders in this season’s Champions League, they have proven that defending is still an art form and their run to the final has been built on the brilliance of their back three.
“Then there is Chelsea. They went on a run where they conceded just two goals in 12 games, winning each of those matches and they shot so far ahead of everyone else in the league as a result.
“There is always room for good defensive teamwork in any team. City have changed this year under Pep for the benefit of the supporters, becoming more attacking and easier on the eye.
“But there is always a place for defensive players in any team.
“Sir Alex Ferguson consistently stated that you build your best team around your defence and regardless of how exciting City have been this year going forward, their failure has been at the back, where they have not been secure enough.
“That is where a few Premier League teams have to strengthen over the summer.”