Pep Guardiola: Manchester City boss admits he’s changing tactics to cope with demands of Premier League
Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss concedes his tiki-taka style isn't cutting the mustard in England's top flight
PEP GUARDIOLA admitted he will compromise his style instead of trying to change English football.
The Manchester City boss has admitted he has got it wrong at times this season — but has vowed to adapt.
Guardiola has brought ball-playing goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and playmaking centre-back John Stones to the Etihad.
But he is now ready to mix it up after a below-par first half of the campaign that has seen his players struggle to adapt at times.
The Spaniard said: “I’m not going to change England and I don’t want to do that. Of course, it’s going to change me. That’s why I came here — to be changed. That is nice.
“I don’t want all my career the same thing, 15 or 20 years as a coach, it’s boring. I would still be in Barcelona, my home.”
Guardiola admitted he is still trying to get used to the hustle and bustle of English football.
He added: “I try to adapt to English football in the way I believe — you can do that. But in the end it’s 11 against 11 and the pitches here are smaller — or they look like it more than some other places.
“Of course the intensity and the aggression and the permission for playing for more time with few fouls makes it’s a bit more difficult. So I understand that, I have never complained. We can do better to improve.”
City have been thrilling at times under Guardiola — and they dazzled at West Ham on Friday night, thrashing them 5-0.
But they also fell out of the top four briefly after defeat to Liverpool on New Year’s Eve and a crushing reverse at Leicester.
City bounced back against Burnley last week when Guardiola gave a moody post-match interview.
But he admitted the buck stops with him when it comes to results and how his team are playing.
He said: “Sometimes I have an idea — three at the back or play a player like this.
“And sometimes it didn’t work and when that happens it is always the manager’s fault. I never complain to the players. You have to look at yourself and see what you have to do to help them find each other and play to each other more fluently, not all the time with aggression.
“That is my job. I have to help them. And I tell them. Most of the times when we are not good, it is my responsibility.”
Guardiola admitted the way City pass from the back means they can be inconsistent, as opponents try to battle their way to a good result.
He said: “It’s the only way. So we made in the first part of the season some really, really good games and good performances.
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“But the moment we felt mistakes, especially in defence — the own goal at White Hart Lane, our miss at Celtic in Glasgow — we lost a little bit of confidence.
“And of course at times my ideas were not good, because I’m still in the process to know the players, to know what is the best position, the best way to play, to adapt. After we lost, there were times like the second half when we won against Barcelona.
“But that was more like a Brazilian counter-attack, our good performance was more take the ball and run.
“Passing the ball is the beginning and we have to try. It’s not always possible because the opponents are playing too and they are so aggressive and it’s not easy to do that.
“But that is what I think we have to try to do — through passing, through multiple passes, the situation comes along. And when that happens you can concede a few.
“But when the ball is up and down, any team in the Premier League is better than us — much, much better.”