Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Erling Haaland will not be the telling difference in ending their European hoodoo this season - highlighting the importance of a watertight defence instead.
'My fault' - Pep Guardiola launches passionate defence of Man City's Erling Haaland tactics
25.02.2023 - 10:57 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Manchester City are playing to their strengths, Pep Guardiola insists, even if that may come across as a side that doesn't take enough risks to find Erling Haaland in recent games.
City have lost just once in eight games, but have been held by both Nottingham Forest and RB Leipzig this week despite having 35 attempts on goal in the two 1-1 draws. In both games, City have struggled to get Haaland involved in the game, and were criticised in some quarters for not taking enough risks in those games - especially at Leipzig.
However, Guardiola hit back and said City should have won 5-0 at Forest, while he defended his more cautious tactics at Leipzig and took responsibility for Haaland's quiet week.
ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola explains why Man City haven't been passing to Erling Haaland as much
"Absolutely the coach [is responsible]. We share our faults together, its nicer," he said. "We cannot forget we play a lot, years, without a proper striker, Sergio [Aguero], Gabriel [Jesus], false nine. We don't pay more attention there, now with the one we need a little bit more.
"We need a lot of control, people don't want to take risks. If you put the ball inside with a lot of players is a risk pass. That’s why it's my fault, absolutely.
"It's perspective, if we get the ball and he has seven players with him, I play the ball there [wide]. Now wheres Erling? Six players [on him] – so I play the ball here [wide] instead. If he's alone I have to play with him."
Asked if City take enough risks in those situations to find Haaland, Guardiola launched into a lengthy defence, insisting that statistics and scorelines don't always paint the full picture.
He used last season's dominant Champions League last-16 win at Sporting, and Manchester
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