Manchester City head coach Josep Guardiola expressed his views on the reasons that led to criticism of him after the 2nd round La Liga 0–2 defeat to Tottenham. According to him, the tactic chosen for the defenders, especially in making the right decisions against the opponent’s sharp attacks, was not effective. At the same time, Guardiola stated his readiness to correct the situation and, in the course of his work, strives for greater precision.
Speaking about the mistakes in the game, Guardiola noted that he will not be influenced by such criticism and will not abandon his idea. “I will not give up the high defensive line. This is a method that has interested me for many years. However, in certain situations, as in the match against Tottenham, failures also occur.
In the situation of the first goal, everything was decided by a few centimeters, that’s all. We will continue to play like this.
Naturally, based on the situation, we will try to adapt. I am not a person who succumbs to influence. Our goal does not change — as always, we will defend aggressively,” he emphasized.
After the defeat, many football experts turned their attention to the accuracy of Manchester City’s defensive system. In their opinion, the presence of Abduqodir Husanov on the field would help strengthen the club’s defense. Guardiola also expressed his trust in his pupil. “We have strong central defenders such as Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov. Each one’s game is of great importance to the team. I trust each of them, and the fact that they are in our ranks opens up very great opportunities for us,” the coach emphasized.
At the same time, Guardiola also paid attention to the issue of “health and injuries.” In his opinion, the players must take the field and be able to compete. “My goal is for all the players to be healthy and ready to participate in the game. Injuries are natural, but it is important that they do not increase as much as last season. For me, the most important thing is that the players take the field and are able to compete,” said Josep Guardiola.
We remind you that Abdukodir Khusanov moved to Manchester City from France’s Lens on January 20, 2025. He is considered the youngest central defender in the team and inspires confidence in the successful continuation of his future career.
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