Can Pep Guardiola Repeat His Spain And Germany Feats in England?

Topping the Premier League table only by goal difference, Manchester City is still considered one of the top contenders for the league title.

Their recent outcomes have though pegged them at the betting lines of +350 of winning the title as against +250 it was at the beginning of the season.

Pep Guardiola is unarguably not having the best of his managerial career presently after watching his side play six matches without a win in all competitions, his first of such since venturing into coaching in 2007.

Arriving England with the accolade of arguably being the best manager in the world, the tides seemed to have turned against Manchester City after their impressive start to the season when they had ten straight wins and scored 30 goals in all competitions, including a whooping 17 in just four matches.

The Sky Blues last won a match in September and have suffered three defeats in their last five matches with Tottenham inflicting their first defeat of the season on them after Celtic had ended their winning start to the season after holding them to a 3-3 draw in the Champions League.

Guardiola has, however, started having a taste of the difference in Premier League and the Spanish league and German league where he has managed Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively.

Winning a record of six trophies in the first year of his ‘senior’ managerial career following his promotion from managing Barcelona B to the senior side in 2008 succeeding Frank Rijkaard, just two years after hanging his boot put him on the world map as of one of the best coaches.

He repeated the feat with Bayern Munich in Germany except the Champions League title which eluded him throughout his spell at the Allianz Arena.

Having won the domestic league and other domestic cups in his first year in each of the two countries where he has managed before, expectations are high for him to continue the feat in England.

Cruising at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables then came the slump that has made the gone six matches without a win, including picking only two points from a possible nine in their last three Premier League games and their exit from the English Football League.

Could this be the beginning of his potential failure in English football?

Critics are quick to point out that City were better off at this stage last season when Manuel Pellerigrini was in charge with 21 points from nine matches compared to Guardiola 20.

While his side’s exit from the EFL may not really be that significant as his focus seems to be on the Premier League and Champions League, he has come to the realization that the Premier League demands more and is more exhausting than the Bundesliga and the La Liga.

The Spaniard will in no doubt ensure that he avoids another winless game as he made a trip to The Hawthorns in their next match as it could have negative impact not just on the players’ confidence but also on their title bid.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : mancity.com