Ahead of City's home game against Tottenham, Pep Guardiola spoke to his team about how the team is coping with John Stones' absence.
On how City are adjusting to John Stones' absence, Guardiola said: "We've done a good job. Now we need him to play, to share the game time, or for rotation, we need him, yes. But when Akanji played in that position [at the back], he played very, very well. Also, in the Champions League against Bern Juniors, Rico Lewis played really well in that position, really good. ”
We adapted well, otherwise we wouldn't be where we are, but the news that he's coming back is really, really great for us!”
After Manchester City's 4-2 home defeat to Tottenham last season, Pep Guardiola was harsh on his team's lack of passion and desire to win, and when asked if he thought that criticism played a role in the subsequent success, Guardiola replied: "Hindsight?".Because we later won, we can think so, but it's not the case, we can use a completely different approach. ”
I say that to the players, privately and publicly, that's all. Because we won, people said: 'Oh, Pep [Guardiola] is fantastic!'""We could do it again, but it won't work. We had a feeling: 'Well, we're playing well, but it's hollow inside.' And our job, the job of all coaches, is to tell the truth. Whether you like it or not, that's your question, but we have to do it!”