Pep admits his mistake in the Leverkusen game

The clash with Newcastle cost Manchester City both points and freshness, and Arsenal pulled seven steps ahead. Pep Guardiola decided that things couldn’t go on like that, so instead of focusing on Bayer Leverkusen, he shifted his attention to… Leeds United. Still, he surely didn’t expect the Germans to give him such a lesson (0–2) and force him, almost uniquely, to apologize for a tactical mistake. Simply put, great coaches have big egos and struggle to admit mistakes. But this time Guardiola had to acknowledge that he got carried away when he made as many as 10 changes in the starting eleven against Bayer.

“I take responsibility, but I like when everyone is involved. No footballer likes not playing five, six or seven matches in a row. But maybe this was too much” Guardiola said after the match.

Pep changes 10 players and loses his 100th European game with City

He later tried to fix the mistake by sending in heavy artillery in the form of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Rayan Cherki. But it was already too late. Still, the situation at the Etihad can be viewed from another angle. Many are now asking: does Manchester City have a bench deep enough to play three matches a week? And that’s what every week from now until mid-January will look like. Because it’s not as if Guardiola sent kids to slaughter. Nine of the eleven starters from last night’s match will be going to the World Cup next June, and even Rico Lewis and Nico Gonzalez—the remaining two—are not exactly nobodies. Experts rank them among the best players in their positions for their age groups.

And yet, City didn’t deliver. Oscar Bobb, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Rico Lewis were taken off at halftime. Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov followed later. And it didn’t take long for the media to point out the difference compared to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Because while Guardiola replaces Foden with Lewis, Arteta can swap Eberechi Eze for Martin Odegaard. When City take the field without Rayan Cherki, he is usually replaced by Oscar Bobb; at Arsenal, when Bukayo Saka comes off, Noni Madueke comes on. And we could go on like that.

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Perhaps aware of this, Guardiola is trying to involve his reserves more.

“When you’re in a big team, you have to prove yourself. No one should even think of saying they’re not good enough. The truth is—and I have the courage to say it—that I need everyone in this team. When a player plays more often, he feels more comfortable. Someone might think the players were afraid of making mistakes, but in these moments you have to be free and make that mistake. You have to break the opponent’s lines, move, come closer. You must… Erling Haaland can’t play 95 minutes every match. We need fresh legs.”

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And all that is fair. Guardiola has done this before, and everyone praised him when he managed to win while resting Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, John Stones, or İlkay Gundogan. Although, even then he didn’t go wild and change almost the entire team. Which he himself admits:

“Maybe we would’ve had more confidence if some guys who’ve been playing regularly lately had been there… There were too many changes. It’s the first time in my life I’ve done that, and it was too much.”

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 5

Wednesday

20.45: (1.35) Copenhagen (5.50) Kairat Almaty (10.0)

20.45: (5.10) Paphos (3.70) Monaco (1.70)

23.00: (2.25) Arsenal (3.65) Bayern (3.20)

23.00: (2.35) Atl.Madrid (3.50) Inter (3.20)

23.00: (2.60) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.50) Atalanta (2.85)

23.00: (1.35) Liverpool (5.80) PSV (9.00)

23.00: (7.20) Olympiakos (5.20) Real Madrid (1.42)

23.00: (1.37) PSG (5.10) Tottenham (7.75)

23.00: (1.70) Sporting (4.30) Club Brugge (4.80)

***odds are subject to change***