Pep Guardiola says he will do not give up until he can stop Manchester City’s losing streak. He does not want their era of power to end just yet.
At Brighton, City lost their fourth game in a row. This is the first time they have done this since 2006 and the first time in Guardiola’s managing career that they have had such a run. At the end of the game, he looked very angry, but when he talked to the press afterward, he changed that anger into defiance.
“People lose games all the time.” “Everything has its first time,” he said. “This is my problem! This is our task!” I like to look at it. Even less than ever, I will not take a step back. I want to do it more than ever, and we will try again.
“Everyone has a first time in their life.” That is the point: we lost two Premier League games. We need to make changes to get back to winning, but we are back in the Champions League and in the right place in the table, so I am sure we will be back to our best when the players get back.
Guardiola said that City lost at Brighton because they could not keep up their energy or drive for the whole game. This let Brighton come back from behind and win the three points.
“I am going to think about why for these 10 days.” “Let us clear our minds, and the goal is for players to come back fit,” he said. “I would like to play at the same level as in the first half when the players get back.” I know how we are going to play. Of course I am not trying to persuade you; that is not my goal. But I do know that the level we are playing at is really, really good at this very time.
“But we can not keep going for a long time.” I am sure we will be back when the players come back and we can add some unique skills to the team.
When asked if City’s time as the best team in the world was coming to an end, he insisted that it would not happen because they would not try.
“I will be here if we lose, but it looks like my reasons are just empty words.” This is how I feel. That is not how he felt, he said. “When I play badly, I am the first to say I do not like it.”
“The people want our time to end.” It is normal; we won a lot of games. Okay, if someone wins, great job! I want everyone in the group to fight. Not give it away since we are not there. I get the sense that we are not there and that we can not do it every three days with the way things are.
“We do not have the players to do it, but we need them to.” Is the age going to end? Yes, it is not going to last forever. City will not win every Premier League game for the next 56 years, that is for sure, but I would like them to try. I see the players practicing and the way they started the first half and the game in Lisbon. They said, “We are going to do it again and again,” but it is not enough.
“To make money in this line of work, you have to win games, and we are not.” We know we need to make changes, and so do the players. But that will help us stay focused and give the players a reason to want to come back, so we will see. “What is going to happen will happen.”