PEP: MY STYLE WILL MAKE CITY
I’ll not ditch passing game, just adapt
MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola has pledged he will adapt to ensure that he is a Premier League success.
Guardiola has faced arguably his rockiest spell as a manager since arriving at City in the summer, as questions mount over his methods.
He has had to take plenty of flak from pundits since his comments after last Saturday’s 4-2 defeat at Leicester that he does not coach his players in tackling.
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore claimed Guardiola was “deluded” if he thought this approach would work in the Premier League.
But the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss believes he can find a way to make his highpressing possession-based game a winner at City.
And he dismissed the idea that he is too much of a romantic to reach the top of the English game – pointing to the fact that he has won 21 trophies since beginning his management career at Barca in 2008.
He said: “I am pragmatic. Look at my past, I am so pragmatic.
Principle
“I’m here because I won. I want to win. I want to concede few goals and score goals. To build something, you need time. So I try, as much as possible, to make the team better. My perspective will need more time.
“I’m here to learn what works here and try, of course, to adapt. But it’s 11 against 11, the pitch is the same.
“I am living here so I have to adapt that, but the principle isn’t going to change. The principle is the opponent has the ball, I’m going to pick it up.
“But I want the ball and when I have the ball, to make a good build-up.
“I’m going to adapt, I am adapting to the league. Actually, I am adapting to the quality of my players.
“But the way I am going to play, every day that passes, I am more convinced what I want to do.”
Guardiola’s side looked set for a glorious season after they won their opening 10 games in all competitions.
But their league form has dropped off since the start of October and they have slipped to fourth as they prepare to host third-placed Arsenal tomorrow.
City have been hit by a significant blow in the build-up after learning
that midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is likely to miss the rest of the season.
The Germany international tore knee ligaments during Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Watford and the injury requires surgery.
Guardiola said: “We are going to miss him a lot. He is sad, we are sad. It was an unlucky situation. Now we need to help him to feel we are there. He will come back safe. That is going to happen.”
Gundogan’s absence is set to give more chances to Yaya Toure – frozen out at the start of the season after a public spat with Guardiola but now back in the squad.
“He is maybe going to have more minutes than before,” Guardiola said.
“That’s why you have a big enough squad. If we need players, we have a second team and we will try to count on them as well.”