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Big problems for Pep?
- Updated: December 3, 2016
Issues in both boxes are undermining Pep Guardiola’s plans for Manchester City’s progress, but is the coach culpable? Adam Bate assesses the scale of the problem following Saturday’s defeat to Chelsea…
Ultimately, it was embarrassing. Having been picked off by Chelsea on the counter-attack in their 3-1 defeat, Manchester City’s discipline deserted them. Both Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho face suspensions following stoppage-time red cards. It was an ignominious end to a game that could prove highly significant in the race for the Premier League title.
The risk for Pep Guardiola is that his stance in the face of defeat seems absurd. Having already launched a passionate defence of a 4-0 defeat this season, albeit away to Barcelona, he did something similar on Saturday after being beaten for the first time at the Etihad. At least he appeared aware that it might not have been what people wanted to hear.
“To give my opinion when you lose, it looks like an excuse,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “I am so proud of my team and how we played. I came here to try to play the way we played today. We cannot forget about which team we played. We created more chances than [against] Burnley and Crystal Palace, when we won. I congratulate my team for what we did.”
In one sense, it was a curious response in the circumstances. After all, this was the first time that City had lost a Premier League game having led at home in over seven years. But it wasn’t without some truth. Much like at the Camp Nou in October, Guardiola will be left feeling that his plan to deal with his opponents had shown plenty of promise.
Having switched to a 3-4-3 shape of his own, effectively matching up against Chelsea, City succeeded in exposing a weakness in Antonio Conte’s line-up. With Eden Hazard offering little defensive help to Marcos Alonso, who was already robbed of the cover provided by Nemanja Matic, City doubled up in that zone through Kevin De Bruyne and Jesus Navas.
It worked for the goal when Navas’s cross was diverted into his own net by Gary Cahill, but that was only one example. De Bruyne should have doubled the lead when Navas got in once more and …
