These lackluster performances frustrate the Spanish tactician despite the two consecutive victories: “I still lack balance. So don’t ask me if Manchester City are back. If you saw this match, you know that it is not not the case.”
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And Guardiola listed everything that is wrong with his team: “When we attack, the opponent attacks even faster. That’s why we have to turn the ball more offensively. But we don’t do that, because we We lose possession too quickly and it hurts us. We want to go 4-0 after 20 minutes… No, take your time. Good defenders and good attackers keep their composure. like the most Premier League teams, who are improving physically every year In the past, we could make these teams run behind a ball that was regularly elusive. Today we too often have to run behind the ball ourselves, and we don’t. We can’t do it and we can’t do it, especially with all our players injured.
“Others have to fight for their place”
The only bright spot in the gloom – for Guardiola at least – is the rise in power of Savinho, scorer against Leicester and decisive triple assist in the last two matches. The Brazilian gradually made a place for himself in the starting eleven, to the detriment of stars Jack Grealish and Jérémy Doku. Guardiola also spoke out on this subject and did not hesitate to tackle the England international.
“Why isn’t he playing more? It’s simple. Grealish just has to look around and he’ll see that Savinho is better in every aspect at the moment. Jack has to ask himself why he doesn’t is no longer the player of yesteryear I want to find the Jack who won the treble”, explained the Spanish coach, “I can also only be honest and note that the crosses that Savinho sends to the sixteen meters are of better quality. than those of the other corridor attackers his place.”
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Because in Guardiola’s eyes, the hierarchy seems to have changed on the wings at City: “The others have to fight for their place. They have to prove that they can compete with Savinho and that they deserve to be there. Every day, every week, every month I don’t have the slightest doubt about their qualities. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be playing for City. But at 3 p.m. (start time of the match, editor’s note), they must be at their best. It is not about what they’ve already shown or what they can do, it’s about what they’ll do at 3 p.m..”
Since the start of the season, Jérémy Doku has only scored three goals and provided four assists in 20 matches, in all competitions. During Manchester City’s last two victories, against Leicester and West Ham, the former Anderlecht player did not play a single minute of play.
