Pep Guardiola takes responsibility for Man City’s dramatic slump
The champions’ campaign unexpectedly and spectacularly hit the buffers in the autumn, with the team suffering nine defeats in 13 games.
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Your support makes all the difference.Pep Guardiola insisted he was the one to blame for Manchester City’s dramatic slump this season.
The champions’ campaign unexpectedly and spectacularly hit the buffers in the autumn, with the team suffering nine defeats in 13 games across all competitions prior to last weekend’s morale-boosting win at Leicester.
A number of factors could be cited for the demise, including a lengthy injury list, ageing players passing their peak, a natural drop in intensity after years of domination and uncertainty stemming from off-field issues.
I lead that group of players and I could not lift them. This is the reality
Yet City boss Guardiola, who has won 18 trophies during his glittering nine-year reign at the Etihad Stadium, feels the failure is on him.
The Catalan said: “There are many, many things (to being a manager) and I missed something, something I am not doing well.
“In the end, when you lose a lot of games, it is an incredible responsibility for the manager to take. There is something the team needs and confidence and I was not able to do it.
“The call is on me first, it’s not the players. They naturally drop a little bit and that is normal. It happened a little bit last season as well.
“But with this consistency (of results) I should have found it and that is why we’re in this position.
“I blame (myself). It’s not to say, ‘Oh how nice is Pep’ – it’s the truth. I lead that group of players and I could not lift them. This is the reality.
“We were the only unbeaten team in Europe and top of the league, but immediately we went down, for injuries, many things we’ve talked about.
“But, even with that, I should have found a way to get better results.”
Guardiola admitted he was not particularly impressed with City’s performance in their 2-0 victory over the struggling Foxes at the King Power Stadium, but recognised the lift it can give his players.
He feels the team now have something to build on as they look to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since October when West Ham visit on Saturday.
Guardiola said: “We know our level. How is the team compared with the last eight years? We are not there.
“So I am not telling myself one result is going to change my perspective on how the team is right now, but at the same time hopefully results can help us get more belief and composure in many, many things.
“Sometimes you need a change, something in the mind, head, to recover some aspects, a lift, and this is what I need right now. That’s why the victory at Leicester was really, really important.”