Father Pep : Man City are favourites to win another Premier League title
- sgentles
- May 11, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: May 13, 2023
Premier League leaders Arsenal are at risk of finishing second place after losing to Manchester City in the most vital match of the season so far. On the 26th of April, Arsenal played Manchester City and lost 3-1. The match was a battle of tactics between the two managers, Mikel Arteta of Arsenal and Pep Guardiola of Man City. All in all, the sheer quality of Guardiola's team brought home victory at the Etihad Stadium for Man City. As a result, Manchester City have climbed above Arsenal in the Premier League table and have the upper hand for the remainder of the season.
Who is Pep?
Pep Guardiola, 52, is widely recognized as one of the most successful managers in European history. His tactical awareness and passion for the game stem from his playing career. He notably had a succession of injuries which led to the early demise of his career. Nonetheless, he's still renowned for inspiring great playmakers such as former Spanish Internationals Xavi and Iniesta.
Guardiola didn't possess the speed that many other players carried, he depended on creativity, technique and ball movement. As a result, he was a good fit for the 'pivot' role in midfield, recognised as the position of a central defensive midfielder.
Retired footballer Cesc Fabergas had previously identified Guardiola as his "idol".
Speaking on Kammy and Ben’s Proper Football Podcast, the former Barcelona star said, “ I wear number 4 because of him.
"“I played in his position when I was in the academy of Barcelona. So, he was a big influence on me."
As a central defensive midfielder, Pep controlled the momentum of the game and often kept the tempo high. This has been strongly reflected in his short yet outstanding managerial career. He has managed to assert his dominance across Europe, adapting teams to become attacking and ruthless in and out of possession of the ball.
Pep Guardiola's first job as a manager was at Barcelona FC in 2008, since then he has coached Bayern Munich and is presently manager of Manchester City. In the last decade, all three of these clubs have shown periods of dominance in their domestic leagues and competitions. In the duration of Pep's spell at each club, he contributed well to their domestic and European success.
Barcelona 2008-2012
Pep began his managerial career at Barcelona FC, where he won a succession of major trophies. In his first season at The Camp Nou, he completed the treble as he secured the Copa del Rey, league title and Champions League. In addition, at the ripe age of 37, he became the youngest man to coach a Champions League-winning team. For his first season as a young manager, this was truly impressive and set the standards for his remaining time at Barcelona.
He ended up winning 6 trophies in a calendar year, between 2009-2010 Pep won the Spanish League, Copa del Rey, Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup, becoming the first manager in history to do so. At this point, his record breaks had already established his place as a serious manager.
Between 2010-2011 he continued adding to his legacy with a third consecutive La Liga title and another Champions League trophy. To date his record of 14 trophies in four seasons has made him the most successful coach in Barcelona's history.
After Pep's successful four years at Barcelona, he joined Bayern Munich for three years. He had the same goals and ambitions as he did for Barcelona but only managed to achieve domestic success. Nevertheless, he dominated the Bundesliga and managed to break more records.
On the 25th of March 2014, he led Bayern to their 23rd Bundesliga title by beating Hertha BSC 3–1 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. With seven matches remaining in the season, it was the earliest the championship had been won in Bundesliga history, breaking the record Heynckes' Bayern had set in the previous season. Also, Guardiola broke Karl-Heinz Feldkamp's record for the longest winning streak to start his tenure at a Bundesliga club.
He finished with a record 82 wins, 11 draws, and nine losses in the Bundesliga; a record of 14 wins, three draws, and no losses in the DFB-Pokal; a record of 23 wins, five draws, and eight losses in the UEFA Champions League.
Man City 2016-Present
In 2016, Pep moved to the Etihad and has remained there since. His tactics and in-game management has changed the dynamic of the Premier League and has arguably improved and enhanced attacking qualities in other teams.
Initially, Pep had a difficult start adjusting to managing in the Premier League, with no trophies in his first season - the first time he blanked in his managerial career. However, it didn't take too long to hit the ground running. In the following year, on the 15th of April, City were confirmed as Premier League champions, after finishing the season with a record-breaking 100 points.
Since his first title at the Etihad, Pep began to add his flair to Manchester City and has broke numerous other records. Firstly, he won a domestic treble, becoming the first-ever men's team in England to win a domestic treble. Additionally, he achieved the most wins in a single month in the top four tiers of English football since the Football League began in 1888. To top it off, Guardiola's side broke the record for the longest winning run in English top-flight football history, with fifteen straight wins for City in all competitions. On the 18th of May 2019, City beat Watford 6–0 in the final of the FA Cup, to become the first-ever men's team in England to win a domestic treble.
Overall Pep has won 10 major English league and cup titles to date; and maintains a win % above 70%, at least 10% higher than any preceding manager. Guardiola has won four titles at the club, placing him second on the list of managers with the most Premier League title victories behind Sir Alex Ferguson.
Potential treble?
This season has been very challenging for Pep Guardiola's side. Nonetheless, they are still competing for the famous treble. They remain in the Champions League, FA Cup and are in the lead for the Premier League title.
On the 3rd of June 2023, they will face rivals Manchester United in hopes of winning yet another FA Cup Final. Beforehand, they must carry on their current league form to prevent Arsenal from regaining the lead. Also, they must defeat Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, if they want to win the treble this season.
Pep has signed many talented players during his managerial career, but Erling Haaland is proving why he may be one of the best deals in history.
On signing, Erling Haaland told Sky Sports "there are so many world-class players in this squad and Pep is one of the greatest managers of all time, so I believe I am in the right place to fulfil my ambitions".
Haaland is already fulfilling his ambitions, with a total of 35 goals he has succeeded Andy Cole for the most goals in a Premier League season. Meanwhile, he has scored 12 goals in 9 games so far in the Champions League game, which increases the likelihood of fulfilling Pep's ambitions to win the Champions League for the first time with Man City.
Gunners shot misfired
To begin, the treble seemed out of the picture for Manchester City, as Arsenal was dominating the Premier League. Unfortunately for Arsenal and their manager Mikel Arteta, they've gone through a rough patch of dropped points in their recent games. On the other hand, Man City and Guardiola are looking unstoppable.
According to football forecaster Five Thirty Eight, on the 7th of August 2022, Arsenal's probability of winning the title stood at 3%, compared to City's odds which stood at 54%. However, after the World Cup, Arsenal had a 57% winning probability and Man City 36%.
These were the standings at the top of the table before the World Cup break. Arsenal were in a great position to win the league at the midway point of the season. In January, they continued to extend their gap to eight points between them and Manchester City. Since then, a few injuries and the pressure of City have resulted in a downfall and potential loss in the title race.
The most key injury that's been evident is 21-year-old French centre-back William Saliba who had been very solid at the back for Arsenal this season. The absence of Saliba's pace and aggression hasn't gone unnoticed, replacement centre-back Robert Holding hasn't successfully filled the gap. It's also noticeable that some key players are off form, including Bukayo Saka, who has had 13 goals and 11 assists throughout the season.
Is Arteta Pep's Prodigy?
After retiring from playing, Mikel Arteta was appointed as assistant coach to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. It's evident that his three years at Manchester City and sitting behind Pep Guardiola have influenced his tactical style and ambitions as a manager at Arsenal.
In the latest issue of FourFourTwo magazine, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague explained the influence that period had on Arteta’s management style.
“If Arteta had started managerial life away from City, it may have been a different path, but Guardiola’s influence cannot be denied,” Balague told FFT.
“He picked up a lot of how you relate to players – how not to relate to players, even. He learned from Pep, then added his own thing, influenced by his playing career and where he comes from.
Guardiola's approach is famously intense and demanding, and traces of that are evident in how Arteta deals with his players.
Before the start of this season, Guardiola showed his appreciation for Mikel Arteta as a manager and dismissed responsibility for Arteta's success.
"I think the development of the club since he took over is obvious, it is the reality. I don’t have to change what I think. When you talk about the work of a football manager, I am a trainer, not a manager. I have the feeling Mikel changed the structure of the club. He changed a lot of players. He has been supported by the hierarchy of the club and that is why the success is there," Guardiola said at a pre-match press conference.
"Arsenal in the last years never was there and this season make another step because all season has been there. I have been impressed, they have been really good."
Arteta oversaw a squad overhaul, forcing high-profile players like Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Nicolas Pepe out of the club while promoting young players such as Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. He is now witnessing the benefits of his decisions, having secured Champions League football for Arsenal for the first time in seven years, while they are still challenging for a first league title since 2004.
What next for City?
Manchester City are in firing form, and now the treble is theirs to lose. On Tuesday, they played at the Bernabéu for their first leg of the Champions League semi-final. Pep struggled to impose his tactics against a well-formulated Real Madrid side, although they were able to leave with a 1-1 draw. They must win in the second-leg next week at the Etihad to keep their treble hopes alive.
ESPN reported that Pep Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension which will keep him at Manchester City until 2025, the club have confirmed. Guardiola's deal was due to expire in the summer, but City used the break for the World Cup to end any doubts over his future. So, for the foreseeable future, Manchester City appear to be in safe hands and are hopeful to continue winning trophies and cementing their place in European Hall of Fame.
AUTHOR
SAMUEL GENTLES
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