Despite watching his Manchester City side begin their Premier League campaign with a dominant 4-0 thrashing of Wolves on Saturday, manager Pep Guardiola was surprisingly critical of his team’s performance, insisting there is still plenty of room for improvement.
The Cityzens scorched to victory at Molineux thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland and historic debut goals from Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki. However, the manager’s main frustration was with the team’s display in the second half.
“We didn’t have the ball, we struggled to build up and our pressing was a little bit flat but it happens,” Guardiola explained in his post-match press conference. When asked if he felt the team was “back” to its scintillating best in the second half, he gave a blunt and telling response: “I’d say no.”
The Catalan coach warned against getting carried away with the big scoreline, pointing out that Wolves had a “clear chance” to score just before City’s third goal, a moment that could have changed the momentum of the game. “When you are away in the Premier League and you concede one goal you start to tremble,” he noted, highlighting the fine margins.
While he was happy to secure all three points to start the season, Guardiola made it clear that the process needs to be better and demanded higher standards from his players. “I liked it, but there are many things we have to do better,” he said.
The manager’s critical assessment came on a day when his new signings, particularly Tijjani Reijnders, starred. Despite the impressive individual debuts, Guardiola’s focus remained firmly on the team’s overall control of the game, or lack thereof, in the second period.
It is a classic example of Pep Guardiola’s relentless perfectionism. Even after a comprehensive 4-0 opening day victory, the manager is demanding more from his team as they begin their quest to reclaim the Premier League title. The message from the boss is clear: the result was good, but the performance must improve.