Pep Guardiola admits that some of his Manchester City players are still not comfortable working under him as he called on Sergio Agüero to improve his scoring record in big games.
The City head coach also suggested that his side’s defensive frailties may be down to his methods, and admitted that his constant rotating of the defence is not helping Claudio Bravo, his under-fire goalkeeper.
Agüero has scored 18 times this season, but not against a top-six rival. “We have to try to help him to score against the top teams,” Guardiola said.
The Catalan is going through the most testing period of his time at City. Last Sunday Everton hammered his team 4-0 and they will drop to sixth today if they lose at home to Tottenham Hotspur this evening and Manchester United beat Stoke City.
Since Tottenham ended Guardiola’s 11-match unbeaten run in October at White Hart Lane, City have dropped 18 points from a possible 42 and Mauricio Pochettino, Guardiola’s opposite number, added to the pressure on today’s rivals by declaring that Tottenham are a “bigger” club than City.
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Guardiola plans to stick by Bravo for this evening’s match even though the Chile goalkeeper has let in 14 of the past 22 shots on target he has faced.
When asked about Bravo’s troubles, Guardiola conceded that some of his methods might not be working. “Most of the players are not comfortable with me, especially when they don’t play,” he said. “But always I try to find a way to get him [Bravo] better and to try to find a solution to the situation.”
Bravo’s poor form may have been caused, Guardiola said, by his constant changing of the defence. He has used 13 different back fours this season and has named six separate back threes. “Maybe,” Guardiola said when asked if his tinkering had hindered Bravo. “You take the responsibility as a manager.”
He even allowed himself an apparent moment of self-doubt. “Maybe I am not good enough for the players,” he said. “They are Manchester City players, top players, they have a lot of quality.”
Gabriel Jesus, the £27 million forward who finally completed his move from Palmeiras on Thursday, is ready to make his debut but Guardiola also wants more goals from Agüero. “Sometimes he had the chances,” Guardiola said. “We have the chances [to score], and the big teams they score. They have the quality and they are machines.”
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City confirmed yesterday that Agüero has signed a one-year contract extension until the summer of 2020.
The club also said that they would be appealing against the severity of the £40,000 FA fine Bacary Sagna received for his Instagram post questioning referee Lee Mason’s impartiality.
