Pep Guardiola bemoans lack of passion, fire and desire following ‘comfortable’ Man City’s comeback win over Tottenham | Football News

Pep Guardiola launched a stunning criticism of his players after Manchester City’s comeback win over Tottenham.

The Premier League champions came from two down at half-time to win 4-2 but Guardiola has been frustrated by the loss of “spirit, fire and desire” from his team – qualities he believes the Arsenal boss has.

“I can’t deny how excited we are, but we’re a long way from the team,” he said Sky Sports in an interview with Pat Davison.

“Not in terms of playing, we played quite well but there are a lot of things like competitiveness, in terms of what we have to do in a lot of things we are far away.

“Rico Lewis admitted four fouls, but they were not yellow cards because it was Rico Lewis and we did not react. We played because ‘my manager to play this and how to do this’, but there was nothing from the stomach or gut.

“Today, we are lucky but that will not change, sooner or later we will be back [going] to drop points. [We are missing] passion, fire and desire and to win from one minute.

“It’s the same with the fans, they were silent for 45 minutes. They booed because we lost, not because we played well. We played well, we had more chances, the goal we expect from Tottenham is 0.89 so it’s better.

“They booed because we lost, but maybe it’s the same with our team. Maybe we’re too comfortable winning four Premier Leagues in five years and that’s why we… understand.”

Asked if the fire has died in Manchester City’s players, Guardiola added: “Of course. Otherwise, we would not have conceded the goals we conceded in every game. [the goals] and today we are lucky but after, we will not be lucky.”

How does the City get back? “This is my job, my job. I want my fans back, I want my fans here. Not my fans who are far away, they are the best, but my fans here. [at the Etihad]. Support for every corner and every action and support. We had to do it, but everyone was relaxed.

“The Premier League doesn’t wait. We have an opener with Arsenal and they have fire.

“Two decades, they haven’t won the Premier League and every player knows they’re going to make history, the way they felt when they won the first Premier League and broke all the records and won it again.

“We don’t have a fire inside and don’t have to ask anything, I just explained the fact that everything is comfortable. And the enemy is not waiting. Of course I don’t [happy with my team]. I don’t know my team. My team always has passion and desire and runs and everything.

Richards: It’s scathing by Pep

“It’s scathing, it’s not,” Micah Richards said Sky Sports. “When we usually see Pep’s interviews, he’s very sarcastic, but today he came out and it’s almost like he’s saying that he’s had enough to produce good things, but nothing is satisfying.

“When you start and talk about the fans, it’s a difficult situation. When the fans boo, it’s unacceptable, but it’s like they’ve been treated right.

Carragher: This is a very good interview

“It was a fantastic interview,” said Jamie Carragher Sky Sports. “Pep Guardiola has not been in this position where he often feels he has to send rockets to everyone.

“Not many managers can get away with criticizing their own supporters. Jurgen Klopp did this early on at Liverpool when many supporters left before the end of the game. He will be fine, he will not lose supporters. He is God here for the supporters and he knows it. .”

‘We are a team of happy flowers’ | ‘Arsenal will destroy us’

Guardiola said many points were made in him Sky Sports interview when he spoke at a press conference immediately after, describing City as a ‘happy flower’ team and insisting Arsenal will “destroy” unless they change.

“I’m very happy, but if we don’t change, we won’t win anything. I have to look at my team. The love of our life is to have passion for something – our fans are satisfied, we are satisfied.

“Are you going to tell me we played badly in the first half? Absolutely not.

“We have a problem that we have four Premier Leagues in five years and Arsenal have two decades without a Premier League except for Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko and every ball and every action and every corner and every match there is. We miss it. We don’t have it.

“Do you think I’m talking specifically at half-time? Bad play? No. We’ve always played well. But there’s something wrong with that. We gave away goals. [away]. Today is Edi or Rodri. The next day it will be a battle again, then a central defender and so on.

“Of course you have to do it, I want enthusiasm from Julian, from Rico, from Nathan.

“Now we don’t have it.

“The fans – they come here and we have to give [something to be excited about]. They expect ‘oh, we’re Manchester City, we’ve got to do it’. No, we don’t have it now.

“The human tendency when you win a lot is ‘ah, I have to do this, I have to do that’. No, you have to work. You have to put the fire out there – in every ball, in every action, in every situation.

“If we want to do it, we have to go back.

“This is a challenge. I want it.

“Our fans have to push us, demand more, have to shout: ‘Come on man, I know how good you are, you have to show us.’

“We came, scored a goal. No. You can’t go down 0-2 to react. Nine times out of 10 you don’t come back. Today we were lucky. We can’t come back every time.

“I want a reaction for the whole club, the whole organization – not just the players, the staff and everyone. We are a happy flower team. A happy flower, ah is good. No, I don’t want to be a happy flower. I want to beat Arsenal.

“But if we play that way, Arsenal will destroy us. Arsenal will beat us.

“I want to see my team.”