PEP: I WILL GET IT RIGHT
PREMIER LEAGUE City boss vows to bounce back
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PEP GUARDIOLA has vowed to bounce back from his worst season as a boss.
Guardiola was head-hunted by Manchester City chiefs last year after glittering spells with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
But he made his earliest exit from the Champions League – the trophy his bosses want most.
And Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat at leaders Chelsea means he has now lost six league games for the first time in his managerial career.
Now semi-finalists City need to win the FA Cup to avoid Guardiola being left empty-handed for the first time as a manager.
Imagine
Guardiola said: “I will be better – definitely. This season was a lesson for me.
“It’s normal when you have seven, eight or nine years as a manager to have a season where you don’t have as much success as before. It can happen. You learn from that, you don’t regret that.
“I never could imagine in Barcelona, Bayern or when I arrived here knowing absolutely everything.
“I tried to adapt the players as much as possible. I did it and I think we will be better.
“It’s a more interesting year for me as a manager to grow and handle this kind of situation.
“I didn’t complain, I didn’t give up. We have a lot of beautiful things left to fight for this season.”
City are fourth, four points ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United, who both have a game in hand.
Guardiola, who faces Hull today at the Etihad, admits he knew he had big problems as far back as August.
“I knew in the first Champions League game against Steaua Bucharest when we won 6-0,” he said.
“Normally, that game would be 12-0. We missed two penalties and so many chances.
“I was happy because the first target was to qualify, but I realised we had to play really, really well to win the games.”
That said, I place my bet every year, just like a quarter of all Brits. It’s an institution, isn’t it? This time around I’m backing Blaklion at 12/1. I like the form and I like the name, so that’s good enough for me.
But as you know, what I’m really all about is those audacious football accas, so here’s my latest Razor-sharp Treble tip…
I reckon Man Utd will be too much for Sunderland to deal with at the Stadium of Light, Leicester’s rip-roaring renaissance is gonna continue when they beat Everton at Goodison, and Palace will bounce back and do the Gooners at Selhurst Park. That’s a thrilling 29/1 at 10Bet. Got to be worth a tenner of anyone’s money!
And what about my longshot I hear you ask… well my friends, I’m going right out on a limb here and I’m plumping for Bournemouth to beat Chelsea after they held Liverpool at Anfield midweek. 21/4 sounds just about right. Fancy a bit of that?