- Guardiola brought back three players for the shock, but how much did he learn?
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Usually everything is set with a similar model. Usually everyone in Manchester City knows where they are and routines occur on which you could define your watch.
Vincent Kompany making the coaches roll their eyes, miraculously recovering from constant injuries to appear in each match before the trophy elevators; Previously, Nathan Ake has become essential in the full back; A midfielder of a big name finding itself to look from the bench during running.
Not now, not this year, and Pep Guardiola bringing not one but three players to Southampton is proof of this. With the hamstrings of Erling Haaland, Manuel Akanji’s adductor and the form of Phil Foden, the trio had not started a collective 27 games before being thrown on the southern coast.
Did that speak to City’s confidence before going to St Mary’s, apparently intended for a qualification of the Champions League, but which now remains in their hands but in the scale, or is Guardiola not sure of his team before the FA Cup final on Saturday?
Perhaps the two and the latter are not normal in the last weeks of a city campaign. However, it was not an ordinary campaign, that of going down over the course.
The modifications may not have given permanent responses Guardiola. The reintroduction of Haaland took adapt, Akanji coming to Gvardiol offbeat to the left back, which loses the push of Nico O’Reilly.
Pep Guardiola does not seem sure of his Manchester City team, which is not normal for him
He brought Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Manuel Akanji for the draw of Southampton
Does bringing them to them show a lack of confidence in their other stars in these last stages?
Gvardiol and Ruben Dias – The villain of the play after criticizing Southampton’s tactical perspectives – had spoken of their partnership in recent weeks, but it has now been broken.
Foden, on the other hand, seems to be without confidence and his weapon jet when Haaland failed to connect with a welcoming cross painted the image of a man who needs a break.
Rico Lewis shone in the central midfielder during the victory in the semi-finals on Nottingham Forest but did not return to this place. Some (not all) would say that they missed the campaign of Matheus Nunes.
Jeremy Doku’s reward for encouraging performances was a place among the replacements, while Omar Marmoush received the appeal until the 84th minute – despite a threat of the most obvious objective in the regular city. Guardiola will have to find a way to flourish by the Egyptian alongside Haaland because the two are too good to simply observe.
In the short term, however, they need this silverware piece. It is rude to say that it saved the City season, because there is no divine right to win trophies each year, but beat Crystal Palace, then finish in the top five would put in perspective the standards they have set.
It could be as bad as possible and yet many of those around them would offer a leg for this. This is how Guardiola redefined expectations.
“The way we play is back where we were, or it happened,” said Akanji. “So I’m really positive on the next games. I played with a lot of pain throughout the season.
“At one point, it was too much for my body. It was when I did the MRI and the doctor was amazed and I said that I needed surgery … I knew it was too much.
Foden seems to be confused and seems to need a break with the requirements about him
Guardiola must find a way to bring Haaland and Omar Marmoush in his departure side
City lost the push of Nico O’Reilly by bringing Akanji back and pushing Josko Gvardiol to the left
Akanji let out a sweet sigh when he mentioned the club World Cup – the city’s “season” could continue until mid -July – and there is time to tinker then.
It may be the arena where the manager tries the last change of style.
For the moment, Guardiola can be better done what he has always done: stick to the nucleus of a starting XI which obtained results which brought them in a position where the victory in Southampton should have resolved Europe effectively.
Just to push them on the line.
