MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 05: Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, head coach of Manchester City, issues instructions during a training session open to the public advertised as the 'City are Back' event at Joie Stadium on August 05, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola Has Revealed Why Manchester City Adopted A More Defensive Approach In Their Premier League Clash With Arsenal, Which Ended In A 1-1 Draw On Sunday.
After Erling Haaland Fired City Ahead Early In The First Half, Guardiola Surprised Many By Switching To A Back Five In The Second Half. The Change Saw Manchester City Record Just 32.8% Possession — The Lowest Under Guardiola’s Management Since His Arrival At The Club.
Despite The Defensive Setup, It Was Not Enough To Secure Victory, As Gabriel Martinelli Struck A Stoppage-Time Equalizer For The Gunners.
Speaking After The Match, Guardiola Acknowledged His Discomfort Watching His Side Defend For Long Periods But Praised Their Resilience.
“I Cannot Believe In This Country With Another Record, I Am So Proud Of That,” Guardiola Said. “I Give A Lot Of Credit To Arsenal. Sometimes You Want It, Sometimes You Can’t. Arsenal Were Better In That Time, So We Don’t Want It, But Sometimes It Happens. OK One Time In 10 Years Is Not Bad, Right?”
When Asked If He Enjoyed Watching His Team Defend, Guardiola Responded Honestly: “No, I Suffer, I Don’t Like. I Want The Ball Away, Away, Away. But The Opponents Do Good Things, You Have To Accept It And From That We Improve.”
Guardiola Emphasized That His Main Priority This Season Is Restoring The Team’s Spirit And Togetherness, Something He Believes Was Missing Last Year.
“We Improve About The Body Language. How We Celebrate, How We Are Communicating And How We Make The Effort For The Other One. We Lost It A Lot Last Season. This Season I Said I Don’t Give A (Beep) About The Result, I Want To See The Spirit Back, The Training Sessions, And Enjoy. Then After Tactics.”
He Added: “From Then We Learn The Process, The Tactics, And A Little Bit Our Way That We Feel More Comfortable To Be Close To Win Games And Be Proud Of Ourselves And Our People.”
Guardiola Also Praised Arsenal’s Quality, Labeling Them As One Of The Best Teams In Europe Right Now. “Tough Week And Especially Against A Team That Is By Far One Of The Best, If Not The Best In Europe. Our Resilience Was Fantastic Otherwise You Cannot Survive.”
With The Draw, Both Manchester City And Arsenal Continue To Showcase Their Strength As Title Contenders, Promising Another Fierce Battle At The Top Of The Premier League.
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