Pep Guardiola has mocked critics of Manchester City’s evolving style of play this season, insisting his philosophy has not changed.
The Catalan, the most accomplished coach of his generation, was likened to Jose Mourinho following City’s visit to Arsenal on Sunday, in which the Blues defended and secured a 1-1 draw.
Responding to his criticism, Guardiola said, “When we won the league, they said we were boring. I said to myself, ‘Okay, I’m going to do more counterattacking this season.'”
He added, “Maybe the players in the future can talk about how much I’ve changed this season, because they’re in every meeting, every game, and every post-match meeting. You can ask them.”
He continued, “I said after the game that Arsenal were the better team. I didn’t like our style at the Emirates, but there were many things I liked that we didn’t have before.”
He concluded, “Until I retire, I hope to play the way I want to. In principle, I prefer us to win the ball back in a high area of the pitch, and to have a lot of possession to disrupt the opponents’ defenses and try to punish them.”
