Pep Gaurdiola is a fantastic manager. He will no doubt go down as one of the greatest. He has achieved a lot in his managerial career. He has won a plethera of trophies in Spain (with Barcelona); Germany (With Bayern Munich) and now in England with Manchester City. However, he, along with the team, are now going on a downward spiral.
This all stems from their current form. They are winless in 6 matches. This includes five straight losses and a recent and shock draw with Feyenoord. They were leading 3-0 in the 75th minute but ended up drawing the match 3-3. This kind of result has pundits seriously worry about the state of the club.
In the aftermath of the 4-0 defeat to Tottenham, Guardiola candidly admitted that Manchester City is, "fragile defensively." This acknowledgment is particularly significant as it marks the first time in Guardiola's illustrious managerial career that he has faced five consecutive defeats. The manager emphasised the need for the team to, "stand up and do it," indicating a determination to overcome the current slump.
Guardiola's comments reflect a deep understanding of the challenges facing his team. He stated, "We are struggling with many things at the moment. We have to accept it, we are not used to it, but we have to accept it and face the reality."
The reasoning behind the form isn't a head scratcher. There are several reasons behind it: injuries and absentism; tactical issues; squad age and recruitment and psychological factors. In terms of injuries and absentism, the absence of crucial players like Rodri and Ruben Dias have disrupted the team's balance and defensive solidity. Guardiola has highlighted the impact of these absences on the team's performance.
In regard to tactical issues, the team's pressing game has diminished, particularly in the middle third of the pitch, making them more vulnerable to counter-attacks. This represents a significant departure from the aggressive pressing style that has characterised Guardiola's earlier teams.
The current squad's age profile and perceived weaknesses due to poor recruitment have been noted as factors in their recent struggles. This has limited Guardiola's options for tactical adjustments and squad rotation. The pressure of maintaining high standards and the impact of consecutive losses have likely affected player morale and confidence, contributing to the team's fragile state.
City became the first team in Champions League history to throw away a three-goal lead after the 75th minute - having already suffered five defeats on the bounce before their late collapse against Feyenoord.
City's uncustomary, leaky defence appears to be the key issue afflicting Pep's struggling champions. City have shipped more goals, registered more expected goals against and faced more shots on target than in any other season over the past nine campaigns. Additionally, the City machine is creaking with mistakes, registering six errors leading to goals in the Premier League and Champions League this term - two more than the entirety of last season.
Manchester City have the 14th-oldest average starting XI in the Premier League this season, which isn't notably alarming given rivals Liverpool, Aston Villa and Newcastle all register older ages but the proportion of older players could be a concern.
More than half of City's 20 most-used players this season are aged 29 or over, with returnee Ilkay Gundogan clocking 1 047 minutes across the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup at 34 years of age.
Defender, Kyle Walker, has notched 660 minutes at 34, while talisman, Kevin De Bruyne's injury-laden start to the campaign has restricted the Belgian to just 462 minutes at the age of 33.
Pep's side have overcome slower starts in the past. However, the stats highlight numerous red flags and Guardiola's 'juggernauts' will be looking to silence the critics and slash the gap to five points when they travel to Anfield on Sunday.
Concerns over Gaurdiola's state as there was a visible scratch on his nose at the recent Champions League game. He acknowledged scratches on his face and body in his post-match press conference, saying, "I want to harm myself. It's from my nail on my finger. I cut myself with my fingernail [during the game]."
He later took back the words and wrote on social media, "I was caught off guard with a question at the end of a press conference last night about a scratch which had appeared on my face and explained that a sharp fingernail had accidentally caused this. My answer was in no way intended to make light of the very serious issue of self harm."
"I know that many people struggle with mental health issues every day and I would like to take this moment to highlight one of the ways in people can seek help, by calling the Samaritans hotline on 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org."
Gaurdiola recently signed a 2-year extention to his current contract. Things don't get any easier for him and Man City as they travel to Merseyside to face league leaders, Liverpool.
I would put the dip in form to the absence of defensive midfielder, Rodri. You just have to look at the stats. Since February 2023, City have played 78 matches in which Rodri has featured, losing just once — a loss percentage of 1.28 while during the same period, City has contested 28 matches in which Rodri hasn't played and has suffered nine defeats — a loss percentage of 32.1.
To be honest, I'm finding what's happening to be very amusing. Seeing a team who wins something every season, struggling, is a sight to behold. No offense or disrespect to any Man City fans. This just shows that any side can have their troubles and that none are perfect and/or invincible.