Analysis: Tinkering Pep Guardiola too intelligent for his personal good

Imagine telling Pep Guardiola a decade in the past he wouldn’t be lifting the European Cup once more.
The wait goes on.
Three occasions falling brief in campaigns with Bayern Munich. Now a fifth failure with Manchester City.
For all his teaching genius, Guardiola will be too intelligent for his personal good.
A ten-year wait to return to a Champions League ultimate _ after the second of his Barcelona successes _ is a very long time to spend serious about easy methods to elevate the cup once more. And overthinking, if the technique to tackle Chelsea was something to go by on Saturday.
“I did what’s the greatest for the sport,“ Guardiola stated. “We struggled slightly bit for the lengthy balls they use _ the second ball and after they run. In that second you want the inspiration, the standard.“
Tinkering for the most important sport in City’s historical past, the unfamiliar lineup despatched out by Guardiola was crushed by a coach in solely his thirtieth match accountable for Chelsea.
As City awaits its first European title, Thomas Tuchel delivered Chelsea’s second solely 4 months after changing Frank Lampard. Make no mistake: City had nobody accountable however itself on an evening when it had just one shot heading in the right direction as Chelsea gained 1-0 in Porto.
Maybe little shock then that Sheikh Mansour didn’t flip up in Portugal to attend what would have been his second identified match since shopping for City 13 years in the past.

Even with all of the money City’s Abu Dhabi possession has lavished on Guardiola to form the squad in his personal guise, there’s a brutal actuality. He’s nonetheless not gained the Champions League and not using a crew containing Lionel Messi.
How in a different way issues may have been if Messi had been in a position to pressure his means out of Barcelona as deliberate. Time for one more summer season pursuit of the 33-year-old Argentine, maybe? Prizing the unsettled Harry Kane from Tottenham may take $200 million.
We’ve received used to City taking part in with out strikers. Yet, within the determined seek for an equalizer, Gabriel Jesus after which Sergio Aguero have been despatched on.
There can be no fairytale ending for Aguero with a repeat of the late drama that noticed him clinch City’s first Premier League title in 2012. The Premier League trophy has been lifted one other 4 occasions since then _ thrice underneath Guardiola together with final Sunday _ however the quest to win the most important prize in European soccer goes on.
“Today we are sad,“ Guardiola said, “but when we analyze it was a successful season for us.”
There was the surprising setback of shedding the playmaking ingenuity of Kevin De Bruyne over concussion fears after an hour at Estadio do Dragao.
But simply why did Guardiola once more shackle the creativity of Ilkay Gundogan when he’s high scorer for the membership this season? Instead the German was held again in a defensive midfield function whereas Rodri and Fernandinho began on the bench. At least one of many positional specialists have began in each sport other than one till Saturday.
“Gundogan played many years in this position,” Guardiola stated. “To have speed with the ball, to find the small players, the quality, the brilliant players between the lines and this was the decision.”
The ultimate massive determination in a season when Guardiola should settle with one other double of simply – a frustration by
City’s excessive expectations that didn’t exist till the 2008 takeover _ the Premier League and League Cup.
A primary cup ultimate defeat as City supervisor leaves Guardiola with the unwelcome distinction of being on a par with one of many sport’s different managerial greats. Long into retirement, Alex Ferguson nonetheless speaks of the remorse of solely profitable the Champions League twice with Manchester United.
Guardiola’s watch for a 3rd stretches right into a sixth season at City.
“Now I want to go home and take a break of one or two weeks,” Guardiola stated. “After that I’ll start to see with the club what is best.”