In the fierce competition of the 17th round of the English Premier League, Aston Villa, with the advantage of home field, reversed the score of 2-1 to beat Manchester City. After the match, Coach Pep Guardiola gave a deep analysis of the whole game in the press conference.
Guardiola, faced with his team's consecutive losses, confessed, "At this moment, I have to stay calm, keep my faith and instill confidence in the team. I firmly believe that they are capable of making a difference and playing a key role in both offense and defense. The starting lineup was outstanding today and although it was not an easy battlefield to conquer, we played far better today than we did last year." He further noted that the team needs to find a balance between offense and defense and take advantage of opportunities instead of being passive and looks forward to working with his players to turn things around and build on the momentum.
On the details of Stones' exit due to injury, Guardiola revealed, "Towards the end of the first half, Stones indicated that the injury had worsened. We had to accept the reality and continue fighting with the current squad." He also mentioned the performances of players such as Akanji and Kovacic, emphasizing the need for the team to overcome their immediate predicament.
Responding to a dip in his team's performance in the second half, Guardiola attributed it to adjusting his tactics to accommodate Walker's substitution. He singled out Morgan Rodgers, who came out of Villa's youth camp, saying that while young players need to be given a chance, the City players of that era brought unprecedented brilliance to the club.
On Harland's self-reflective views after the game, Guardiola said, "I don't agree with him because we gave it our all. Without him, our performance could have been worse. But I appreciate this positive mentality of the players, it's the key to our continuous improvement." He emphasized that the team needs to get in shape and be ready for the upcoming matches.
Looking ahead, Guardiola is confident that the team will regroup and prepare for the next showdown with Everton. He is confident that the team will be able to find their form and strive for the best.
