If some managers see football as a battle, Pep Guardiola appears to deem it more of a puzzle. It is less about outfighting than outthinking his opponents. The game appeals to the intellectual in him, the challenge of putting all the pieces in the correct places at the right time. His critics may argue he complicates matters needlessly, altering the equation by adding Jack Grealish or Erling Haaland to a successful formula.
Deep into his seventh season at Manchester City, Guardiola’s longevity can be explained by the resources at his disposal. Yet he claims that “people understand that in the last five or six years we are the seventh team in net spend in this country and the 12th or 13th in Europe”.
Such claims may invite scepticism, but an explanation for his continued presence in Manchester lies in the stimulation the Premier League provides. Guardiola probably did not expect his former assistant Mikel Arteta to have an eight-point lead at the summit now, but in recent years the division has provided perhaps the greatest collection of coaching talent any domestic league has ever had.
A meeting with Antonio Conte, who helped condemn Guardiola’s first season at City to anti-climax by defeating him twice as Chelsea surged to the title, is a case in point.
Guardiola has rivals he respects and a puzzle to solve. The scenario appeals to him, albeit less than City’s usual status as frontrunners. “I prefer to be eight points in front,” he said. “I like to handle this situation, though. I love it. I’m less stressed when I feel there is no solution or I don’t know what’s happened. Always I have the feeling I know the reason why it doesn’t work and the players know it.”
His reasons are never those traditionally trotted out in English football: a lack of effort or spirit. He explained: “When we lose a game there is always a tendency to say: ‘Ah, we didn’t run, it’s about the mentality, or we didn’t fight’. Always I believe there is a tactical reason it didn’t happen. When we play good it is because of tactical reasons and when we play [bad] is it because of tactics reasons.”
City played extraordinarily badly when they lost at Southampton in the Carabao Cup. Even though their performance improved against Manchester United, they registered a lone attempt on target, Grealish’s headed goal. Meanwhile, Haaland is on the longest drought of his City career, even if that only amounts to three matches (one as substitute). The notion the Norwegian, with 27 goals in 24 games, has made City worse, is dubious at best.
“We have played really good with him so it is not about that,” said Guardiola. Instead, City have struggled to supply him of late. “For Erling to score goals we have to play better. Our game, our principles, the shape we play, the way we play in the last two games didn’t help Erling to score,” he said. “We seem like we have too many players outside and too few players inside, without players inside you cannot defend or play good. This is mainly the problem.”
If for Guardiola, having greater control of the centre of the pitch, is the answer, there are still other concerns. Two of his most influential passers and exploiters of space, Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo, have returned from the World Cup below their best. Cancelo’s form has been particularly poor. Phil Foden excelled as a No 10 against Chelsea in the FA Cup but has otherwise either produced undistinguished performances or been on the bench since Qatar. Guardiola has made five substitutions at half-time in City’s last four games, a sign his plans have gone awry.
Not as awry as Conte’s, admittedly, but Guardiola could be forgiven for fearing the worst in a meeting with Spurs. They were the first team to defeat him as City manager; he has the unwanted distinction of losing to each of their last four managers, even Nuno Espirito Santo. Conte has a winning record against the Spaniard and his Chelsea were the first side to beat Guardiola’s City at the Etihad Stadium. His Spurs won 3-2 in Manchester last season. Each of his wins have come with under 40 percent of possession, but with defensive resolve and counterattacking potency.
“I would say he creates problems for everyone, not just me,” Guardiola said. “He beats me a lot. I admire managers who are authentic, believe in principles with an incredible philosophy and who have had success everywhere.” If Conte has been failing of late, a rematch provides the sort of test Guardiola likes. There is another riddle to solve.
