Pep Guardiola: Man City boss bemoans accusations of him “overthinking or being arrogant” when changes tactics | Football News

Pep Guardiola was angered by accusations that he was “overthinking or arrogant” when he changed tactics at Manchester City and he was wrong – after using Bernardo Silva in a left-back role in recent games.

The City manager saw his side go top of the Premier League with a 3-1 win over title rivals Arsenal – but Guardiola revealed the worst part of the game was his own tactics as he “tried something different and was terrible”.

When asked if the tactics were based on Silva, who has played a more defensive role in recent matches, Guardiola denied that was the case – with a tactical switch linked to wing defence.

When told that Silva was a tactical error at the Emirates Stadium, Guardiola replied: “No, I’m not saying that. But it’s not because Bernardo plays at left-back.

“Bernardo as a full-back is more aggressive in duels than (Fabian) Delph and (Alex) Zinchenko. [The horrible tactics] because I defend with the winger inside and not outside.

“If I can, I’m brave, if I can’t, people think I’m overthinking and arrogant. What do people say? [thinking], change tactics? why [doesn’t he] play (Kevin) De Bruyne all the time? why [doesn’t he] another play?

“De Bruyne can’t play the whole game, he needs to be fresh here, he needs to get the message that he can do better. And sometimes he sits [out] it’s good.

“I can neither go to sleep nor wake up in the morning and imagine the enemy, [such as] Arsenal do and think: the normal thing is to pick a starting eleven that 89 percent of people think is the best starting eleven.

“What I’m saying is that when I take a decision, I have to believe it. I have to feel it. I take my job seriously. I’m not naive. [for] not even a second about the job because there is a lot of passion, emotion and people in the job and in our game – and I don’t want to hurt feelings.

“Next [the start of the Arsenal game], can’t. I think they want the winger to defend inside to try and force them (Arsenal) into one. After five, 10, 15 minutes – I don’t like it. We cannot press intensively. We changed and [came] back to what we did in the previous game.

“Players take responsibility, defend in bad moments, and we say go back to who we are, be crazy, go back to almost man to man, be aggressive. Don’t have time to think, to play with Jorginho for (William) Saliba in building with Alex (Zinchenko) came in. Don’t let him do the process. If we lose, we lose. And the team changes. It’s not right to say that. [the horrible tactics] because of Bernardo. Not like that, really not.

“Why shoot Bernardo? People said the same thing when Fabian Delph started playing at the back. People said: ‘is he a striker or a holding midfielder – why is he playing there?’ And Alex (Zinchenko) was number 10 and people started saying: ‘why is he playing there?’ And when he worked in the Champions League, Pep was a genius.

“And when it doesn’t work? [People say]: ‘He’s overthinking, isn’t he [thinking]? With the squad he had, he was proud. He came here to change football and make football’.”

Pep: Many things can happen in the title race | ‘Nothing has changed above’

The narrative of the title race has changed for City – with victory over Arsenal seeing them become the hunted, rather than the hunters, at the top of the table.

City’s next challenge is a trip to Nottingham Forest, who are unbeaten in seven home league games at the City Ground under Steve Cooper – a run dating back to mid-September.

Guardiola insists the Premier League title race is not just consistent with City and Arsenal – with the race potentially going all the way down to Brighton, according to City chiefs.

“It’s going to be close,” he said when asked if there were other teams in the title race. “United, Newcastle are close, very close. Many games and they are there. Tottenham are not far, far,” said Guardiola.

“Brighton have two games in hand and the way they are playing, they deserve to be there. Brighton control the game like no other team. A lot of things can happen.”

Asked if he sees the title race differently now that City are on top, Guardiola said: “Arsenal still have a game, so nothing has changed.

“When you are a lot of points ahead or a lot of points behind, yes there is a difference, but we are tight.

“The momentum is when you win 10 games in a row and that didn’t happen this season. We lost the last three games in London against Tottenham.

“Momentum tomorrow at 3pm – ready, mentally, against a team that has lost only one of six, having won an important game at home, with the crowd and with the manager, I have a lot of respect for what he has done for English football.”