Will Manchester City be concerned by their slow start?
Can they change things around? A good start by anyone else’s standards but it does feel like something is missing.
Transcript
00:00 Michael, on to Manchester City, we've discussed their slow start, they have started Premier League season slower than this before.
00:10 Should they be concerned by it and where do you see the turning point? Are there fixtures coming up that they could push on from there?
00:19 How are you seeing this start to the season and should they be concerned by it?
00:23 No, I don't think they should be that concerned because ultimately they were recording this before the Young Boys game on Wednesday.
00:35 So far they're 100% in the Champions League, they've picked up seven wins from nine games in the Premier League.
00:41 That by anyone's standard is a good start to the season, don't think you can deny that.
00:46 The performances haven't been great, you said it there, they don't always start seasons fantastically.
00:53 There are always feels like Pep does a little bit of tinkering, changing about with things that does have an impact early on in the season as well.
01:02 I think that tactically there's a few things he's still trying to get right, he's still trying to get that midfield balance right as well.
01:07 So these things do happen I suppose, but I think the concern will be that, I remember back last year in October,
01:15 they played a run of games against Southampton, I think it was Copenhagen in the Champions League and then Man Utd.
01:21 All three games, and this is October, they basically were three or four goals up by the hour mark.
01:28 Pep just started ringing the changes because they were done.
01:30 They're not playing like that at the moment, they're not playing with that kind of confidence and swagger.
01:35 And against Saturday against Brighton, I thought it was really, really poor.
01:39 The latter stages actually from City, they just didn't offer much in terms of attack, they were just happy to close out the game.
01:46 I think Pep is playing slightly more like that now, that Newcastle came at the start of the season, for instance,
01:52 he was just happy to close it out with a 1-0 win.
01:54 So there's a little bit more of that, but I just think there's a couple of little, they're not at their best.
01:59 And I think that while I don't think it's a big cause for concern, I think there's a tiny little bit of,
02:05 I think there's a feeling they need to get a little bit better, if I'm honest.
02:08 And I do think that, we've talked about it all season, but no Kevin De Bruyne, it's just huge.
02:13 And he's their best player in terms of creating chances.
02:16 So you take him out of the team, it is a huge loss.
02:18 And I mean, to be where they are, if you decide the Guardiola, first game of the season,
02:23 De Bruyne goes out injured, you're going to win seven of the first nine, first two in the Champions League.
02:27 I think he would have taken that, really.
02:29 So, yeah, I mean, they've obviously gone into the Carabao Cup, but I don't think Guardiola is all that fussed about just given the number of games.
02:35 So, yeah, I think it's not a huge reason for concern, but at the same time, I do still think they need to get a little bit better.