Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola is delighted by Manchester City’s improvement in dead ball situations but wants his team to be even better. Guardiola put the progress down to the way the messages are communicated to the players.
Pep Guardiola said: “It’s the best season offensively in terms of corners and free kicks so far, it’s the best. They are doing an incredible job in that department. They are so consistent, so clear. We just take a look and do it simple, in the right moments not too much complicated, and [Carlos] is an incredibly good communicator, the meeting about the set pieces is so inspired, so clear and clever. I think the players appreciate that. I am more than delighted with the job that Carlos has done.”
City have come a long way from the days when Guardiola said he used to pray when he saw them defending set-pieces but a manager that has enjoyed great success in his career out of always looking for perfection believes that there is still room for even more improvement. The extra margin for improvement, he reckons, has to come from the players putting the balls in rather than those waiting for them.
Pep Guardiola said: “I have the feeling that we can do even better. We have to improve in our takers. I think Kevin [De Bruyne], [Ilkay] Gundo[gan], Riyad [Mahrez], Phil [Foden] have to improve a little bit to put the ball in the right spot, because I think we can be dangerous in that position because of our central defenders, Rodri. Dinho when he plays, all the central defenders. We are strong in this department.”
