‘When we won the league we were a boring team, right?’
32.8% possession against Arsenal was coach’s record low
Pep Guardiola has shrugged off scrutiny of Manchester City’s defensive tactics in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday by saying sarcastically that the approach was down to his team being “shit”.
City recorded 32.8% possession at the Emirates Stadium, the lowest any Guardiola side has registered in a league game. The manager provided a pithy reply when asked about his side’s lack of the ball in the buildup to their Carabao Cup third-round tie away to Huddersfield on Wednesday.
“When we defend deeper it is because the other [team] are better or we are shit,” Guardiola said. “I prefer us to regain the ball high up the pitch, [have] a lot of possession to disturb the structure of the opponents and try to punish them. It’s always been like that and always will be like that. If it doesn’t happen it is because we were bad, not because we want to [be defensive].
