Mumbai: After Pep Guardiola’s 601st match because the supervisor of a top-flight membership ended, one statistic glared greater than some other. His Manchester City group had been held to a 1-1 draw by Arsenal, of their Premier League match a fortnight in the past.

Pep Guardiola. (Reuters)

It was not the primary time a Guardiola group had conceded a late purpose. Certainly not the primary time they didn’t get three factors. What was stunning was the possession statistic.

In all his time as supervisor of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now City, the 54-year-old supervisor has set his groups to play attacking, possession-based soccer. But in opposition to Arsenal, he substituted attackers with defensive gamers, and obtained his group to drop again and defend a slender 1-0 lead. At the top of the match, City managed solely 33% possession, the bottom ever for a Guardiola-led group.

“This is one thing I’ve by no means seen from Pep,” stated Michael Owen, the previous England striker and now pundit, to HT. “Bringing defenders on and taking off gamers that may hold the ball. Maybe (he has) a insecurity in his present group.”

In his 9 accomplished seasons as City’s supervisor, Guardiola led his group to 6 Premier League titles. That included 4 titles in succession, a streak that ended dramatically final time period as City put in inconsistent performances to complete third – low by the requirements the Spaniard has set.

The group has not precisely gotten off the blocks properly this time period both and at present sit in fourth place after seven video games. And for Owen, Guardiola is but to develop the belief in his group that’s going via transition.

City noticed the departure of long-time key gamers Ederson, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan and talisman Kevin de Bruyne over the summer time switch interval. Three of them had been in Guardiola’s group that gained six league titles – apart from Gundogan, who featured in 5.

“Maybe if he had his group of two or three years in the past, perhaps he wouldn’t have modified (techniques in opposition to Arsenal), stated Owen, who’s in Mumbai for the Premier League India’s engagement week. “Maybe he’d be so assured in his group to maintain the ball, to maintain possession, to perhaps rating one other one. So it is likely to be that he’s not obtained as a lot confidence on this group as he did have.”

But whereas Guardiola is but to totally belief his group, his former apprentice Mikel Arteta, has been faring higher as supervisor of present league-leaders Arsenal.

The London-club, typically via followers, is taunted for failing to win the league for the reason that unbeaten marketing campaign of 2003-04. Arteta, who took cost in 2019, has led Arsenal to runner-up finishes within the final three years. But for Owen, Arsenal has been doing the appropriate issues.

“Everybody says it’s Arsenal and so they’ll all the time come second. Do you not keep in mind Manchester City, earlier than they gained all these trophies, they didn’t go from being tenth within the league to profitable,” stated Owen, who performed for the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid and gained the league with Manchester United.

“Liverpool gained twice in six years. All the opposite occasions they got here in second and third. Arsenal, in the event that they proceed like they’re doing, they’re going to win it within the subsequent few years.

“They obtained to the Champions League semi-final final yr. It’s a course of, and so they’re stronger once more this yr than final yr. They’re going to win it quickly. Might be this season.”

Isak-Ekitike conundrum

Another group to have damaged the financial institution through the summer time switch window was defending champions Liverpool.

Owen asserted his shock on the variety of gamers becoming a member of the membership (10 gamers joined this season, costing the membership over £400 million). The new signees included £125 million acquisition Alexander Isak for a British document payment.

But the Swedish striker joined the Reds after their different new striker Hugo Ekitike had hit the bottom working with the membership. With supervisor Arne Slot utilizing a formation that includes only one ahead, it’s intriguing how he’ll rotate the 2.

“So far it’s been completely superb as a result of there’s been suspensions already,” stated Owen. “But in some unspecified time in the future through the season, they’re each going to be match and he’s going to have to decide on regularly. Now you’d anticipate, after spending 125 million, Isak goes to be the quantity 9. But if Ekitike retains scoring targets, it’s very laborious to disregard that.”

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