On the Halloween celebration organized for Manchester Metropolis’s gamers and their households two days earlier than going through Bournemouth final Sunday, one of many props used to embellish the venue was a cinema-style entrance. Inside, the partitions had been lined with “Wished” and “Lacking” posters that includes photos of Pep Guardiola’s squad. On the entrance, friends — together with defender Rúben Dias dressed as Jack Sparrow — had been greeted by an old-school theater scene full with pink velvet curtains and a marquee signal.
“Now screening: I Know What You Did Final Season,” it learn, referencing a slasher movie.
Accidents and a major dip in type made the 2024-25 marketing campaign an authorized nightmare for a workforce that gained the earlier 4 Premier League titles. Gamers and employees are in a position to poke enjoyable at themselves now, although there’s a feeling that Metropolis are nonetheless making an attempt to indicate they’re absolutely recovered from the ordeal.
Guardiola has to date refused to indulge questions on what his workforce may be capable to obtain this season, and Metropolis’s begin hasn’t given a lot away, both. There have been wins over Manchester United and Napoli, and a creditable draw with Arsenal, but additionally defeats to Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa.
But regardless of their combined type, Metropolis are second within the desk forward of Liverpool’s go to to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. It is a recreation that may go some strategy to revealing whether or not they’re again to being real title contenders or nonetheless caught in the midst of a rebuild.
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To get again on observe, Guardiola is doing issues otherwise. He took the weird step of canceling coaching the day earlier than the Champions League tie with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, as a substitute giving the gamers the day without work. Dortmund’s Bundesliga fixture towards Augsburg had been moved to final Friday night time to permit them 4 days’ relaxation earlier than visiting the Etihad. Metropolis, in the meantime, had been requested to play towards Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.
Guardiola is doing every thing he can to keep away from a repeat of the accidents that ruined final season. He mentioned he hoped the transfer — which needed to get particular sign-off from UEFA — would additionally ship “a message to the mind guys” accountable for fixture scheduling. He is unlikely to get a lot assistance on that entrance, however the further relaxation paid off and Metropolis beat Dortmund 4-1 to maneuver as much as fourth within the Champions League desk.
There have been modifications off the pitch, too. The squad has misplaced greater than 1,500 video games price of expertise during the last 12 months with the departures of Éderson, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gündogan and Kevin De Bruyne. It is one thing defender Josko Gvardiol mentioned has been notably noticeable.
“You’ll be able to really feel it,” he informed ESPN. “A variety of guys, they are not right here anymore with us, however that is soccer. Someday you’re right here, perhaps subsequent day you are going to be some other place and we have to settle for it. … It is regular [to have changes to the squad] and everybody in our workforce is absolutely skilled and everybody takes their roles, their job, actually skilled.”
In response, Guardiola has taken extra management of the dressing room. Over the summer time, he hand-picked his captains after years of letting the gamers maintain their very own vote. Having determined a scarcity of unity contributed to final season’s failings, he selected the leaders himself for the primary time in his managerial profession.
Issues like organizing a Halloween celebration may seem comparatively insignificant, however for Guardiola, it is an essential a part of rebuilding what was misplaced final season. He has saved a eager eye on the spirit and togetherness throughout the squad, however that focus extends to different issues he believes are important to a functioning workforce, comparable to physique language in coaching and in video games.
The lack of so many huge personalities in a comparatively brief area of time has allowed others to step as much as fill the void. Guardiola’s new management group is led by Bernardo Silva, with help from Dias, Rodri and Erling Haaland.
Bernardo, Dias and Rodri — skilled and older — had been maybe apparent selections, however selecting Haaland got here as one thing of a shock. However Guardiola has since mentioned that it was perhaps “the perfect choice I’ve made.” Haaland has set an instance on the pitch with 18 objectives and an improved defensive diligence. Off the pitch, Haaland has grown into his new position. This week, he requested to do the pre-match media duties forward of the sport towards Dortmund. John Stones was alleged to do the information convention till Haaland volunteered.
In addition to the soundbites about being in contrast with Lionel Messi and the potential for breaking Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal-scoring file, the Norwegian spoke about how a lot final season damage.
“In fact, it’s not good to lose video games,” he mentioned. “To lose the cup last, come third within the Premier League and exit early within the Champions League will not be best for this membership and everyone knows we have to do higher, be extra secure and carry out when it issues.”
Too typically final season, Metropolis could not do it. Together with the FA Cup last defeat to Crystal Palace referenced by Haaland, in addition they misplaced house and away to Liverpool. Each video games ended 2-0 as Arne Slot’s workforce marched towards the title.
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Are Man Metropolis making their approach again to the title race?
Gab Marcotti discusses Phil Foden’s efficiency in Man Metropolis’s 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund as Pep Guardiola’s workforce appears to get well their good type.
Amid all of the change at Metropolis, there was one essential fixed. Guardiola put doubts about his future to mattress final season by signing a contract extension till summer time 2027. With Guardiola in his tenth season as Metropolis supervisor, there have been questions on whether or not he nonetheless has the identical vitality and drive that he had when he arrived in 2016.
Gvardiol mentioned he has no doubts.
“I feel he is the identical as he was within the first season,” the Croatia worldwide mentioned. “He is nonetheless the one who desires to push us, who desires to coach one thing new or to work on some issues. That is what we wish to see, as a result of while you see the supervisor is stuffed with enthusiasm, filled with vitality and he is able to work, then after all it lets us know and we’re able to combat as nicely.”
The final time Metropolis performed Liverpool was in February. It got here on the finish of a month that had already produced two defeats to Actual Madrid and a heavy 5-1 loss at Arsenal. Maybe naturally, Guardiola spoke forward of the sport with an air of dread.
Quick ahead practically 9 months, and his temper couldn’t be extra completely different. It helps, after all, that Metropolis have misplaced simply one in every of their final 13 matches. “To be sincere, I am so excited and glad to arrange for the sport on Sunday,” Guardiola mentioned after the win over Dortmund. “I am trying ahead desperately to play on Sunday once more, towards Liverpool, and we’ll see what occurs.”
It is one other likelihood for Guardiola and his gamers to show that final season’s horror present is firmly behind them.